Back in Canada!

After an experience of a lifetime - a 6 month internship in Kolkata, India with renewable energy startup, ONergy, I've arrived safely back in Toronto! I visited friends in London and Germany for a few weeks before heading home, then made a beeline north to the cottage to spend a relaxing week with family. I decided to wait a few weeks before writing a final post on India, allowing me to clear my mind and sort out my thoughts about the fellowship and India in general.

Relaxation.

Georgian Bay - gotta love it

Working with ONergy was exactly the type of experience I was looking for- international, challenging, exciting, and in the renewable energy field. My work consisted primarily of project management and business development, and the opportunities for learning and responsibility I was given by far exceeded my expectations. I cannot thank the ONergy team enough- the three co-founders, all under 30, are some of the most inspiring and hardworking entrepreneurs I've ever met, and I have no doubt they'll be successful and meet their goals.

In the past 2-3 years I've been to 30 countries, studied in Sweden, cycled across Europe, climbed mountains, and worked in an exciting industry in India, while meeting lifelong friends along the way. 

I loved everything about being nomadic and 'on the road'- constantly exposed to new surroundings, seeing both the best and worst of humanity, observing how economics and social structure varies from one place to another, experiencing different cultures, meeting incredible people, and encountering extreme environments. 

I didn't mind sleeping in airports, frantically rushing to catch the next place/train/bus/rickshaw/ferry, going multiple nights with next to zero sleep, wearing clothes more than a few times before washing, and even the few bouts of sickness I encountered in India weren't so bad in hindsight! They're all part of the experience and looking back are hilarious memories.   

Despite all the excitement the road has to offer I'm thrilled to be back in Canada and appreciate it more than ever. My travelling days are not over, but for the time being I plan to keep my feet firmly planted on Canadian soil. I missed the NHL playoffs AND the federal election this year, so am quite excited to catch up on news and see what 2012 has to offer. The current European financial crisis is proving to be pretty intense, and it will be interesting to see how Canadian banks manage to weather the storm this time, after emerging relatively unscathed during the last recession in 2008. 

I think I can fairly say that I've encountered and overcome quite a few physical and mental challenges these past few years, and doubt I'll ever forget these kinds of memories. 

Now for my next equally tough challenge- finding a job in Canada! I plan on staying in Toronto or possibly going out west so if you know of anything or anyone, hit me up with connections! I love renewable energy, finance and banking, and marketing. 

Hope everyone enjoys the rest of their summer and I'm sure I'll catch up with you at some point in the near or not-so-near future! 

Red squirrels have taken over the bird house!

Music Monday: Summer Tunes and Solar

Celebrating summer with a chill song by Natty. It's officially monsoon season! Last week Kolkata finally got hit with the heavy rains that cooled the city down and brought a refreshing breeze for a few days. On Thursday, the main road I walk along to get to the metro was flooded, so I ended  up wading through a foot deep, very questionable murky water. Ugh.  

Two cool solar related articles from my new favourite website, Good.is:

Google's newest clean energy project: solar leasing. Google announced this week that it’s investing $280 million in SolarCity, a company that installs and maintains residential-scale solar panels. Customers pay a fee for this service, either up-front or at a monthly rate—and end up saving less money on electricity than they would if they were to buy and install the panels themselves—but they avoid the risk and long-term commitment of ownership. It's good to see solar becoming more accessible and affordable on the consumer level.

"If you’re like me, Google already backs everything else in life; why not let them help you save on your electricity bill as well?"

In NYC, The Mayor’s Office of Long-Term Planning Sustainability, sent a plane over the city  to capture its every contour with a system of lasers, which created a map showing how much energy rooftops would be generating if they had solar panels installed. If the city’s solar potential were realized, the study showed, New York City could get half of the electricity it needs at peak times from rooftop installations. However, due to the high cost of solar, in many cases the resulting savings per apartment per year aren't yet substantial enough to motivate landlords to invest in rooftop systems. The good news though, is that the city is beginning to offer a new type of lease that would allow landlords to earn back their investments in green improvements quicker. 

Swings: A Simple Happiness

Love this video - a weekend project to set up 50 swings around L.A to bring spontaneous joy to passerby's:

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They plan to bring it to Bolivia and are currently crowdfunding on Kickstarter: Swings in Bolivia.

Teen's Invention Makes Solar Panels 40% More Efficient

Eden Full, a 19 year old Canadian girl attending Princeton invented the SunSaluter, which makes solar panels more efficient by orienting them to always be getting the optimum amount of light from the suns rays. 


Two awesome things about this that make it affordable is that it is cheaper than the motor-driven tracking systems which rotate the panel as the sun moves across the sky throughout the day, and also that it can be built using local materials sourced in developing countries, thereby avoiding expensive shipping and import duties, not to mention creating job opportunities in the countries themselves. 


Impressive.