David Abel (right) at the 2013 VerdeXchange conference in Los Angeles.

David Abel (right) at the 2013 VerdeXchange conference in Los Angeles.

The boldest idea in sustainable design: Elon Musk’s ‘hyperloop’ transport.

One book everyone should read: Robert Caro’s The Power Broker.

Building you would save if the world was going to end: The Library of Congress.

Favorite place you’ve traveled: Galapogos Islands.

Cause you’d support if you had a billion dollars: The Joint Center for Artificial Photosynthesis at CalTech.

An article you recently shared: “Varun Sivaram on Powering LA City’s Future” from The Planning Report, mayor Antonio Villaraigosa’s former senior advisor on energy and water policy on upgrading LA’s energy infrastructure.

The thought or idea that centers you: There, but for the grace of God, go I.

The next big idea will come from: The epiphany of a religious scholar in Istanbul investigating the water quality of the Bosphorus.

The first step to becoming a steward of the environment: Start a vegetable garden.

Blog that you follow religiously: Radiolab.

Magazine you subscribe to but never read: Tech Review.

Print news source you hope will never die: The New York Times.

Social media—helping or hurting: Both.

The one question industry professionals should always be asking themselves: What’s the social value of answering any question?

next thought leader nobody’s talking about: My unborn grandchild.

Your topic if you were asked to give a TED Talk: The worship of technology is undermining western values.

What you’d pitch to President Obama if you had 30 seconds: Having the FCC limit cross-ownership rules and mandate five minutes of news per hour on radio in exchange for having a license.

Trend you hope will never go out of fashion: Questioning.

What you’d tell the green movement if it was your child: The best is often the enemy of the good.