Presentation made to the Hong Kong Bio- and Eco-Energy Industry Assocation, Dec 14, 2011. The world is at an uncertain divide, with the East on the rise and the West on the decline. Excesses of capitalism, and escalating costs of social benefits brought imbalances to the world, potentially pitching the young generation against the old. Will the vision of a green planet be shattered because it is unaffordable and too much of an economic burden on mankind? It is more imperative than ever that efforts to clean up the planet be based on the idea of integrating, automating and optimizing past systems which were operated in isolation from one another. New and concrete benefits will be turned up by innovative ways to explore synergistic relationships among proximate systems and to optimize their joint operation. An example can be found in bringing together systems of waste treatment, electricity production, and steam or heat production. However, real benefits must exceed real costs before the world will remain committed to the path of a green planet.