The 2000's - or aughties, if you prefer - may well become known as the beginning of the green technology boom. For evidence, look no further than the New York Times and the Washington Post, which have both featured stories in the past few days about tech icons funneling money into alternative energy and other green ideas. "Internet Visionaries Betting on Green Technology Boom," read the Post headline yesterday.

The story mentioned Bill Gates, venture capitalist John Doerr, and LIME's own Steve Case as just three tech powerhouses investing in "alternative fuels and other environmentally friendly products." Elsewhere, a Times story featured T.J. Rodgers, who made his fortune building computer chips at Cypress Semiconductor and has now created SunPower, a subsidiary that's experimenting with better solar cells.

Investing in green technologies and other sustainable businesses is gaining traction, mainstream appeal, and an influx of high-profile investors. Earlier this year, Doerr - whose firm, Kleiner Perkins Caulfield & Byers, plans to raise $100 million for a green tech fund - was quoted as saying, "Greentech could be the largest economic opportunity of the 21st century."

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