The deal being discussed in Denmark right now, in the name of climate change, is actually a framework for truth in advertising on a global economic scale. Think FASB on steroids.
For example, we spend about three bucks for a gallon of gasoline in the US. In fact, we spend about ten, because of the cost of defending oil around the globe (recall that even Alan Greenspan was among the many government officials who have concluded that the trillion dollar Iraq war was entirely about oil); healthcare costs directly attributable to diseases from petroleum pollution; tax breaks; and other direct benefits bestowed on the oil industry. We can debate whether a fundamental commodity like transportation fuel should be subsidized to help commerce in general, but we cannot escape the fact that we are doing so today. The extra seven bucks a gallon for gasoline doesn’t include the value of lost productivity for a worker with asthma or the cost of repairing New Orleans (a disaster that was, at least in part, exacerbated by climate change).
By contrast, climate negotiators favor a system where either a carbon tax or cap-and-trade market system would have businesses and consumers pay the full cost of energy, technology, and consumption of scarce natural resources. Some states in the northeast have already added that cost to electricity and have earned billions of dollars that they can now use to pay for the externalities, like higher costs for health care or crumbling coastal barriers. If the world moves to this more candid accounting, what else will cost more - - or less - - in such a zero sum game? Two things that will go in very opposite directions, as a carbon price is added to goods and services, are overnight packages and books. Jet and diesel fuel (commodities that power cargo planes and delivery vans) take more energy to make than gasoline, and, while commuters have choices when gas prices spike, package businesses have no alternatives when it absolutely/positively has to be there overnight. Supply and demand, as the economy rebounds (especially in China), will also push the price of the fuels of commerce higher/faster. That will hurt FedEx, UPS, DHL, and even the humble Greyhound bus line.
By contrast, books will get cheaper. The carbon price imposed on deforestation (paper), printing processes, and shipping will drive the price of traditional books high enough to get us to read books on devices we already have - - laptops, iPhones, and Kindles. Electronic publishing and delivery of books is much cheaper than printed versions. Beneficiaries will include the obvious Apple, Amazon, Sony, and Google (which has already brought the cost of many classic books down to zero) and exciting new companies like iRex Technologies (spinoff of Phillips that sells the technology for e-book devices to numerous manufacturers).
Some policymakers favor taxing carbon, but reducing taxes on businesses or workers by an equal amount. That works today in England, where higher gas taxes are offset by lower income taxes. To be sure, income taxes in the UK are still hefty, but people get more in services for their money, such as free health care. Without the tax on petrol, those income taxes would be higher still or services would have to be cut. Sounds like the debate in Washington, eh?
However it shakes out in Copenhagen this month, the zero sum game is worth playing to calibrate our economy to new realities. What trade offs would you make?
More on the migration of media. This time, it's not only migrating from traditional to niche, it's moving countries and embedding itself in foreign lands.
How's this for a foreign exchange program? Coming to a Chinese university campus near you: an official ABC News bureau.
Received this story in an email from Ying Chan at University of Hong Kong:
The American Broadcasting Company cooperates with six US universities already to provide online and on-air news. HKU’s Journalism and Media Studies Centre is the first international branch of the venture.
Director of the Broadcasting Programme at the JMSC, Jim Laurie, who worked at ABC for more than twenty years, has compiled a team of thirteen students to take part. MJ student Zela Chin and BJ student Liyi Chen will coordinate the project here in Hong Kong and are in charge of pitching ideas to the commissioning editor in New York, Christina Caron.
Thirteen students take part in this project led by Laurie, and they have already pitched their first stories.
They are pitching stories about Hong Kong and also across Asia. The first idea up for grabs is about white collar workers in Hong Kong who are bankers by day and boxers by night. Liyi [Chen, a first year Bachelors in Journalism major] was pleased with the team’s first pitch.
“Lorea’s White Collar Fight Night story went quite well. ABC accepted it pretty much immediately, so it was really encouraging. I think we have a lot of interesting stories to tell from Asia, and we’ve had a good start, so I’m hopeful!”
Pretty soon, American students are going to want to go to China to learn how to do journalism here.
Climate talks got underway in Copenhagen on Monday with representatives from 192 nations.A great many people around the world see climate change as the greatest global threat we face, likely to adversely affect billions of people in the decades ahead if nothing is done.The feeling is not universal though; some people and businesses view efforts to fight climate change as the threat.For businesses changing their perspective to match a changing world, efforts to fight climate change and build a greener economy hold the opportunity of a lifetime.
Recent commitments by the US, China, and India are creating new momentum for real progress at the meetings, even if an actual treaty is unlikely to emerge.President Obama will announce a commitment to reduce US greenhouse gas emissions 17% below 2005 levels by 2020, consistent with legislation pending in Congress.And the administration may not wait for Congress to act; the EPA announced Monday that greenhouse gases pose a threat to health of Americans and can be regulated under the Clean Air Act.Many, including the Obama administration, see a cap and trade system as a better way to drive reductions in greenhouse gas emissions, but are willing to regulate them through the EPA if a legislative solution cannot be produced.
In addition to the US commitment, China has announced that by 2020 they will reduce greenhouse gases 40-45% per unit of GDP.In a similar move India has pledged to reduce greenhouse gas emissions per unit of GDP production by 20-25% by 2020 compared to 2005.
For those pushing for big change, these commitments seem insufficient.For China and India these are not actual cuts, but reductions in the rate of growth.For the US, the commitment is less than Europe’s and not enough compared to what some scientists say need to be achieved.The US is already halfway toward a 17% reduction from 2005 levels due to the recession alone.
These commitments by some of the largest producers of greenhouse gases may not be enough, but they are important progress and are more than sufficient to stir up opponents.Many in China and India are worried that overly aggressive action to tackle climate change could harm economic growth, and some US businesses have similar concerns.
For some businesses, the opposition is based on cost.The US Chamber of Commerce has made it clear that so far they’re opposed to either proposed EPA action or cap and trade because they feel that these moves would be expensive for business and would curb economic growth.The estimates of what cap and trade would cost vary widely.The estimates of what a cap and trade system would cost households have ranged from thousands of dollars per household to the EPA estimate of $80-$100 a year.The true value is probably closer to the lower end of the range.
Certainly there are many businesses with a vested interest in the status quo.If your business is coal, it is not surprising if you’re not the first in line to support climate change legislation, regulation, or treaties.Past funding of climate skeptics by big oil seems pretty clearly linked to the profit motive.
Often though it seems that opposition to fighting climate change goes deeper than money, stemming from a deep resistance to change.
Climate change is slow in the human scale of time, and it is hard for us to track slow changes like this.I rarely notice how much my kids are growing from day to day, unless I compare a picture we took a year or two ago.But the changes are happening whether we like it or not.Massive stands of pine trees are dying on millions of acres across the US West because the warming climate fails to kill pine beetles off in the winter.The science shows that the past ten years are the warmest on record, Arctic ice continues to melt, and glaciers continue their retreat around the globe.Its getting to the point that you don’t need a computer model to see what is happening – you just need to look around the world at the changes that are already underway.
The recent flap over leaked emails from climate scientists, termed “ClimateGate” by some, does not change these conclusions.The emails may reveal that scientists are prone to the same petty issues that everyone else is, but they do not overturn the science.
Fear also plays a role in the reluctance to take on climate change.In the Great Recession a great many businesses in crisis mode have focused strictly on the immediate needs of keeping their doors open.As the danger fades they can move from crisis mode to recovery mode, rethinking where they’re headed to take advantage of the continued shift in the business world toward sustainability.
Many of the biggest businesses are already doing a surprising amount to move sustainability forward, as Jared Diamond described in his recent Op Ed “Will Big Business Save the Earth”.Wal-Mart continues to push for efficiency within its organization, and a measurable improvement in sustainability throughout its supply chain with their Sustainability Index.Doing more sustainable business also means more efficient, less-polluting, less-consuming, and less greenhouse gas-emitting.Not to mention more profitable.
A global agreement to fight climate change will create huge opportunities in renewable energy, and many other industries.Offset projects, properly managed, and energy efficiency investments will provide worldwide growth for green businesses, with billions likely to be committed by developed nations to help the developing world to adjust to this new world that is emerging.What is changing is not just an isolated industry.While we have often talked about the green economy, the entire economy is shifting toward sustainability with efforts like these.
The world is changing, and the bigger the change, the greater the fear and the greater the urge to hold back.This changing business environment reminds me of the book “Who Moved My Cheese?” The book describes the reactions of mice, or people, to a changing environment, with some of the players adjusting more effectively to a changed environment and finding new opportunities, while others seem unable to adapt.
There are those who will fight, deny, and avoid the changes, trying to stick to old ways.And there are others who are adapting to the changing world and succeeding by being a part of the shift to more efficient, cleaner, and more sustainable ways of doing business.
The question to ask is not whether you can afford to fight climate change, but whether your business can afford to be left out.
Glenn Croston is the founder of StartingUpGreen.com and the Green Biz Blast, helping entrepreneurs and small businesses to start and grow greener businesses. He is also the author of "75 Green Businesses You Can Start to Make Money and Make a Difference", and "Starting Green", a nuts and bolts guide to starting and growing a successful green business.
The best board members will trample each other to the exit door, and hand in their resignations by the weekend, if board meetings are poorly handled. So…
DON’T
Allow the CEO (executive director) to lecture the board.
Let committee chairs recite a series of reports, one after another.
Fail to provide financial information, and in a clear format.
Allow board members to chat on about irrelevant matters.
Let the board get involved in discussions about day-to-day operations, unless they’re related to a larger strategic decision.
Allow contentious board members to hijack the meetings.
You’ll attract and retain the best board candidates, and get the greatest value from them for the benefit of the organization and the community, if you…
DO
Start board meetings on time and end on time.
Make sure people know who everyone is. Quickly going around the table with introductions is helpful. So is having largely printed name plates at each place.
The board chair leads the meeting, with the CEO (executive director) at the chair’s side.
Board materials are sent out 4 – 5 days in advance--clear, relevant, and concise, including the agenda, minutes of the prior board meeting, a CEO’s report of activities, the dashboard (metrics showing organizational activity according to mission and core programs), committee reports, and financials.
Extra copies of board materials are available at the meeting.
The board chair should open the meeting by thanking board members who have made special contributions of money, valuable introductions, or other significant resources since the prior board meeting. Not only is recognition important, but it also signals to other board members what is valued and how they can help as well.
Routine matters are addressed at the top of the meeting, including the presentation of the minutes of the prior meeting by the secretary of the board, and the presentation of the financials by the treasurer (which should have been carefully reviewed by the treasurer with the CFO and/or CEO prior to the board meeting).
The CEO and the board chair should each make BRIEF presentations. The CEO’s focus is where the organization is in terms of what it seeks to accomplish (note the dashboard mentioned in #4 above), what adjustments have or need to be made, and key external forces that relate to the organization. The chair’s comments should focus on the role of the board and how the board can help advance the organization. Both CEO and chair should remind the board of the mission. And at least one of them should tell a meaningful and first-hand story about how the organization has recently made a difference in the life of a person, family, or the community--a story to inspire and a story that people are likely to repeat to others.
The centerpiece of the meeting should be a robust board discussion around a key strategic, organizational decision (examples: a strategic alliance, a new fees for services revenue opportunity, a move to a new site, adding or eliminating a core program). This should be led by the board chair with the CEO. There should be thoughtful preparation for this board discussion, possibly with two or three options presented in a concise presentation for the board to consider. The board might not be asked to make a decision at the meeting; this might be a decision that will take more time to decide. But the board should be engaged in understanding the matter and sharing their diversity of perspectives and expertise. The board chair should make sure that the conversation is inclusive. And the board chair should conclude the discussion by explaining the next steps and the timeframe in the process to address the strategic matter.
Although committee reports should be sent in advance, there should be brief discussion around key committee topics, perhaps emphasizing one or two at each board meeting. Fund raising and development should always be a key topic, and the board chair and committee chair should be role models and leaders in engaging board members in “giving and getting.”
The chair should conclude the meeting thanking board members, and the host, and providing a brief summary of next steps, noting how board members can be helpful to the organization from then until the next board meeting. And the chair should remind board members of the date, time, and location of the next board meeting (which should be in an annual board calendar).
After the board meeting, the chair should make sure that the CEO, staff, and committee chairs follow up to engage board members in advancing the organization by providing expertise, making introductions to prospective donors, and making contributions.
You want people to leave the board meeting more deeply educated about the organization, having had an opportunity to engage in a key strategic issue, and inspired about the work of the organization.
It’s also important to help facilitate board member visits to the sites where the organization performs its work, even if that’s global.
Tomorrow at 11 a.m. EST (9 a.m. PST) I will be holding an executive briefing on ePrize, the world’s largest interactive promotions company. Sign up now for this FREE webinar by clicking here. Join me as I speak with ePrize’s CEO Josh Linkner to uncover the secrets of ePrize’s success.
When you log on to
a web site and punch in a code you found under a bottle cap, there is a
good chance you are experiencing ePrize’s work firsthand. The company
works with three quarters of the top 100 brands and has more than
doubled in size in the last two years. Since its inception, ePrize has
consistently produced about 40 percent annual revenue growth.
Linkner has created a uniquely innovative company and uses unorthodox methods to motivate employees. Linkner and his team also spend a lot of energy and dedication developing business strategy, and I’ve identified three clear-cut strategies that have helped ePrize reach true dominance.
1.Invite your competition onto your roof
Nothing
consolidates a team and brushes away internal squabbles like the threat
of a common enemy. Because ePrize’s next largest competitor is too
small to raise its blood temperature, the company created a fake enemy named Slither Corp. to keep its employees on their toes.
2.Seize the opportunity
Linkner started ePrize in 1999 when he saw a gap between traditional promotional companies and internet advertising.
The promotional industry is actually a relatively large part of many businesses’ marketing dollars, and those leading
the industry at the time were making plenty of money. Fat and happy,
those companies may have seen that promotions were heading toward the
internet, but they were slow to jump on board.
3.Force a two-front battle
ePrize’s current market share is directly related to the foundation and creation of the company. They
compete with traditional promotions companies, online marketing
companies and traditional advertising agencies. But those competitors
see ePrize as a technology company and choose not to compete on that
level.
By
being a combination of parts, ePrize created a whole that others cannot
compete with. Traditional promotions companies cannot justify the
technology investment ePrize has already made to produce highly
sophisticated technology-enabled promotional campaigns. And technology
marketing firms lack the experience to do promotions as efficiently and
effectively as ePrize.
ePrize
owns the interactive promotional market, but the management refuses to
accept the status quo. Its aggressive approach to growth and new
innovations makes ePrize an industry leader and an effective category
killer. By using a playbook that consists of several tactics, including
invite your competition onto your roof, seize the opportunity and force
a two-front battle, ePrize outthinks it competition and scares off
would-be opposition.
Ask yourself the questions below to see if you can use one or all of these strategies.
1. How can I find new ways to encourage my employees?
2. Do I see a gap in my industry's products or services?
3. How do I see our company? How do I see my competitors' companies? How do they view us?
I have come to be at peace with the way anonymous naysayers treat the Internet as some kind of unending playground. So-called Internet "trolls" roam comment boards trashing articles in what I can only assume is a desperate outcry of boredom, something to fill the void between flash games and checking their email for the 1000th time. So, I was shocked when Michael Strong, an author (with a semi-professional profile pic) decided to slander Danielle Sacks' feature on John Mackey. Normally, I would ignore this kind of silliness, but he then used my comment as a soap-box for more half-baked ranting. Thus, I decided to reply.
To bring readers briefly up to speed, Danielle did a piece on John Mackey, CEO of Wholefoods, and his transformation from hippy to libertarian social entrepreneur. Mr. Strong, a co-author of Mackey's, railed against Danielle's article, and then responded to a comment I made as an excuse to further complain about not getting his way (I've excluded them from the post for the sake of brevity--and because they're not particularly insightful). Strong's main issue was that Danielle didn't profile Mackey's nuanced philosophical ideas.
But, there is a good reason: Fast Company is a business magazine, not an academic journal. Had the article been entitled "A 5-part essay on a CEO's social philosophy," I wouldn't have read it. And, to be clear, I'm doing my doctoral research in this area. I'm so interested in democratic capitalism, I've subjected myself to 7-years of voluntary servitude at the hands of sadistic academic overlords.
I read Fast Company for the latest trends in edgy, yet unmistakably practical business models. There's an entire underworld of dewy-eyed social visionaries who never see the light of day. Fast Company is unique in giving a platform to the tip of this iceberg, those that have molded their daydreams into a workable and inspiring profit model. Were I Mr. Strong, I'd be thrilled that my co-author was front page featured. And, had Mr. Strong a humble and open mind, he might have learned a new way to explain his ideas to a different business demographic.
Moreover, I have noticed that the biggest names in social entrepreneurship are relentless in building bridges (not burning them down with catty comments). At conferences, I've seen celebrities hand out person emails to relatively no-name participants, happy to help a grass-roots cause. They know while capitalism isn't inherently opposed charitableness, it certainly requires the collaboration of every available hand. Were Mr. Strong strategic in his comments, he might have said, "Danielle, thanks for giving me and Mackey a platform. We have also articulated a more thorough philosophical stance in a book. Here's a link to a review for more interested readers." and everyone would have still been friends. Unfortunately, as his comments stand, they turn readers off to both Fast Company and his own work.
In the words of the Grateful Dead, "Ain't no time to hate. Barely time to wait." Mr. Strong, tact would have been the better way to go, Gregory Ferenstein
The $375 million appropriated to the SBA for
decreased loan origination fees and an increased loan guarantee of 90%
was the foundation for an amazingly successful program. In fact, the
program was so successful that its subsidies depleted three months
earlier than forecasted.Since February 2009, the initial
$375 million was instrumental in originating over 37,000 SBA loans
comprised of over $14 billion.
As of November 23, the loan guarantee rate
decreased to 85% for loans under $150,000, and to 75% for loans over
$150,000. Reduced guarantee rates will result in a greater exposure to
potential loan losses for banking institutions.Most likely, this will diminish lending activity to small businesses as well. Small business might have to seek funding elsewhere.
The Obama administration
has proposed a seamless continuance of the program through an
additional $100 million appropriation to the SBA program, intended to
last until mid-February 2010.
Nydia Valasquez, Chairwoman of the House Small
Business Committee, and Mary Landrieu, Chairwoman of the Senate Small
Business Committee, are both working to approve that proposal.However, the Congressional schedule is filled health care discussions and other issues.Therefore, the SBA appropriation might have difficulty gaining needed attention before the end of the year.
New research from Cairo shows that rats become more belligerent when exposed to gasoline fumes and tailpipe pollution. If the same thing happens to humans, that might explain why the guy in the Escalade was waving his Smith & Wesson on the freeway in L.A. the other night, but it may also highlight the co-benefits of a low-carbon economy.
While all of us probably feel like trapped rats from time to time, a more relevant recent study, published in the British medical journal Lancet, reports that cutting carbon emissions could save human lives. For example, using cleaner cars in London, England (like those now mandated by California law) would save 160 total person-years of life per million residents every year. In Delhi, India, such a switch would save nearly 1,700 total person-years of life per million people each year, largely because of reduced lung disease, heat stress, and related heart problems.
As the focus in Copenhagen next week turns towards how to pay for cutting the carbon, it may be useful to be honest about the real cost of business-as-usual. These health studies certainly show that we’re already paying for the cost of burning fossil fuels, but not all of those costs are included in the price at the pump or on the electric meter.
Among those who might benefit from exposing those hidden costs is the National Railway Equipment Company. National has begun to sell their “N-ViroMotive” locomotives that are to railroads what the Prius is to highways. Using sophisticated generator technology and controls, these green engines cut pollution up to 90% and fuel use by as much as 70%. Put another way, business-as-usual costs shippers 70% more in fuel bills and costs taxpayers 90% more in pollution-related health and climate change costs.
An even bigger winner may be General Atomics, a defense contractor that is demonstrating an electric maglev freight carrier that could soon replace trains in the busy ports of Los Angeles and Long Beach - - where 40% of all goods imported into the US pass through - - speeding shipping containers out of ports, while reducing traffic congestion and air/carbon pollution on local highways. Transrapid, in partnership with Siemens and Thyssen Krupp, is doing similar cargo moving demos in Germany and China.
When President Obama and the other climate conference participants in Copenhagen next week ask “how do we pay for decarbonizing the global economy”, the better question should be “how can we afford to keep paying the true fossil-fueled price of continued pollution?” So here’s hoping they get busy and cut the carbon, reduce the harmful pollution, save money - - and let both people and rats breathe easier.
Trending Meaning Of late CultureofFuture has
been called to speak at a number of venues and more and more it is a request
for direction and meaning. The think tank Demos.fl of Finland brought us to
present a LoCarbon Lifestyle Trend presentation to 20 journalists and a
Meaningful Brands presentation to over 200 creatives in Helsinki via SUBtv.
Demos knows how to influence a topic forward! We will write more on this experience later, but it gave us many ideas one of which is a call to various trenders to submit content on meaningful trends.
Kristina and I met while presenting at the lovely Malmo,
Sweden DesignBoost.se sustainable design conference and exhibition. Kristina is
sharing here her perspective as she spends time in Japan.
Factors that influence
Japan’s approach to sustainability Kristina Dryza, http://www.kristinadryza.com/
Least possible wastage Historically, the small size
of the country and its limited resources meant extravagance in the use of space
and materials was seen as immoral. Getting the most out of every thing is
deeply engrained in the Japanese psyche. This is why recycling is such a strong
feature of daily Japanese existence.
Blaine Brownell, an
architect and sustainable material researcher, said in an interview that many
Japanese architects practice sustainable design in Japan without necessarily
labeling it as such. They just naturally make the most of limited space and
resources with highly imaginative solutions. They are conscious of space and
know how to enhance it.
While today Tokyo is the
sky-high neon city we all know, there are still objects and utensils used whose
production hasn’t changed in centuries. The secret behind this long lastingness
according to the Louis Vuitton City Guide is “the simple fact that from their
origins, the objects produced in Edo were meant for daily use. They were
functional, adapted to the lives of ordinary citizens and not objects of grand
luxury intended for ostentatious display - like the daimyo - who held power.
They were designed in a spirit of craftsmanship where economic imperatives
(such as the least possible wasting of materials) were key.”
In previous centuries the
humility poverty instilled led the Japanese to appreciate a rustic simplicity.
This quiet dignity and Zen austerity still influences their designs today
allowing them to refine concepts down to their essence. True beauty is not
showy; it's considered and thoughtful and gets to the heart of all things.
Seasons Life in Japan is driven by
the seasons. The four seasons are so clearly felt, seen and experienced, and
the whole culture supports the celebration and acknowledgment of seasonality.
Japanese cuisine especially
places paramount importance on expressing the joys of each season. For example,
Japanese sweets (called wagashi) represent
the different seasons with both elegance and feeling. They are inspired both by
nature and emotion, and express natural and abstract phenomena. These sweets
are to be served graciously, enjoyed leisurely and appreciated delicately and
attentively. Each bite brings with it the emotion of the season.
The Japanese also know when
each food is in its prime - like the first harvest of a seasonal crop - whether
it’s bamboo shoots, melons or wild mushrooms. The ‘first of the season’ idea is
incredibly important to a culture so attuned to the cycles of nature.
Attention to detailThe Japanese ability to
attend to details is what made the nation the economic powerhouse it is
today. Their efficiency and precision is known the world over. This attention
to detail and the ubiquitous pursuit of perfectionism leads to fast adaptation,
compact editing and their clean, modern design aesthetic.
Shigeru Uchida in his book
‘Japanese Interior Design - Its Cultural Origin’ says the physical sensibility
of the “culture of sitting down” and “culture of taking off shoes” means the
Japanese pay attention to fine details. “People of the climate, of the forests,
sit on the earth and observe nature, imagine and infer. Their attitude is one
that pays careful attention to very subtle occurrences, and one that discovers
beauty hidden in fine details. The manner of being one with nature is felt by
listening to the insects in the garden, appreciating the changing seasons and
admiring the glories of nature in the peaceful flow of time.” These
sensibilities are directly reflected in the design of Japanese spaces.
Ikebana Traditional Japanese flower
arrangement (called ikebana) is not
just about floral display. It’s used as a tool to convey the creator’s own
feelings.
Flowers and plants aren’t
just beautiful, pretty things to be admired - they have their own energy. Ikebana artists learn to read and
enhance the energy these plants have. As nature tries to grow to the sun, the ikebana artist finds the best expression
for each branch by finding its ‘front face’ - its highest possible
representation.
By reading deeper into the
energy it’s possible to have a two-way communication with nature that enhances
the artist’s own creative expression. Ikebana
teaches its students to step back and see the bigger picture, yet also to
pay attention to details. Ikebana
artists learn to work in multiple dimensions balancing space, containers and
materials.
But one of the central
aspects of ikebana is the
appreciation for the different stages of nature, respecting each of the changes
that happen to a tree. For example, the wilting bark, the falling leaf and the
hole the bug made in the leaf. As Kisho Kurokawa, an architect, concurs, “We
used to consider things that could live forever to be beautiful. But this way
of thinking has been exposed as a lie. True beauty lies in things that die,
things that change.”
Sense of quality It’s well known that the
Japanese have a keen sense of quality. But more than that, they have a deep
respect for exquisite quality that goes beyond the product to include the
person who sells the item to them, the creator, and any thing and every person
that touches the item in between. This sense of holism means the Japanese look
beyond the surface of things and equally judge quality by what is not visible
to the naked eye.
Japanese concept of beauty Soetsu Yanagi, a famed
handicraft authority, described the keys to Japanese beauty using the terms shibui, yugen and myo. Myo refers to a special spirit that
imbues the truly beautiful, a spirit that goes beyond mechanical skill to
express a delicate mystery. Yugen
expresses both a mystery and subtlety that lies modestly beneath the surface of
things in delicate, perfect harmony. And shibui
refers to a restrained, highly refined beauty that epitomises classic
simplicity and also exhibits the quality of myo
and yugen.
This is why there is
artistic merit in almost every item in the Japanese home. This holistic
approach to beauty leads the Japanese to have a refined aesthetic sense that
they take with them into all aspects of their lives.
Bringing the outside in Gardens in Japan aren’t just
for palaces or Zen monasteries, but to be brought into one’s own world. The
Japanese have always been bringing the outside into their homes and office
buildings. As author Boye Lafayette De Mente says, “Shintoism, the native
Japanese religion, holds that all things in nature, including trees and rocks,
have a spiritual essence of their own. In this philosophy, the apprentice
carpenter cannot fully master his craft until he is able to recognise and
respect the spirit of the wood used in his trade.”
Learning to look to the
spirit that lies beyond all things means nature is not something separate to
the Japanese. Bringing things that are a part of nature into their surroundings
is essential to promote the flow of spiritual harmony.
Some examples of these
approaches in practice: Least possible wastage Reben is a wall paint that
consists of powdered Japanese washi
(paper), seaweed glue, scallop-shell powder, titanium dioxide and natural
pigments that actually ‘clean’ the air: http://transmaterial.net/index.php/2007/11/04/reben/
Seasons As the season’s change, so
do the look and taste of Toraya's sweets: http://www.toraya-group.co.jp/english/
Attention to detail Utilising computer network
technology, Toyota's new Home Energy Management System can
display the amount of energy consumption and control operations of home
appliances: http://www.japanfs.org/en/pages/029108.html
Ikebana The Cerulean Tower Tokyu
Hotel employs ikebana artist Eikou Sumura to craft installations as a
form of communication with their guests: http://www.ceruleantower-hotel.com/en/
Sense of quality The directors of 21_21
Design Sight - Issey Miyake, Taku Satoh and Naoto Fukasawa - each create in
different mediums and exhibitions here are testament to their holistic view of
design: http://www.2121designsight.jp/index-e.html
Japanese concept of beauty The porcelain in designer
Gaku Otomo's tea cups is so fine, green tea literally ‘shines’ through: http://www.gakudesign.jp/
Another view: Leonard Koren's classic books on Japan explore Wabi Sabi For Artists and Poets, Japanese Flower Arranging and How To Take A Japanese Bath. For complete collection of books on Japan: http://www.leonardkoren.com/
Bringing the outside inThe ‘Fiber City: Tokyo 2050’
concept describes four strategies - Green Finger, Green Web, Green Partition
and Urban Wrinkle - for an alternative metropolis: http://www.fibercity2050.net/eng/fibercityENG.html
Culture
of Future is Jody Turner, the founder, and Kathy Baylor, the VP of research.
Jody holds US West Coast and European perspectives from San Francisco and Los
Angeles, while Kathy covers Asia and East Coast perspective from NYC and
Tokyo.
While
anyone can track trends, we have the time and resources to do so. Our mission
is inspiring and assisting country, community and company in the redesigning of
how we live, work, and play with creative and conscious consumption
innovations.
Our client list includes top brands and top innovation influencers. Our
dynamic culture network includes some of the world's influential designers,
style arbiters, eco power players, retail gurus, tech innovators, artists and entertainment media pros. Kristina Dryza is one such brilliant
influencer.
We are in the midst of a shift in the way many of us look at the world, the shift toward a greener world.It’s a change in how we think, the decisions we make, and the actions we take.It’s a change from living just for today, to living in a way that can last for all the years, decades and centuries to come.It’s a big change, but when we’re talking about the future of our planet it’s worth it.Pete Green and Morrisa Zimmeth at “I’m Green. Are You?” are challenging us all to join in.
We’re not likely to make a big change like this without stirring up some controversy, though not always the way you think.The big conflict today is not between the red and blue states, or between planet lovers and planet haters.I don’t think there are very many earth haters around really anyway.But there are plenty of us who feel we just have too many other things to worry about now, and need to put the environment off until later.
The real conflict is between those who feel environmental issues are important enough and urgent enough to do something about them now, and those who don’t.If you’re in one group then you’re ready now to change how you live for the sake of your kids, your neighbors, and your future.If you’re in the other group then you’re not.
Which group are you in?That’s the question that “I’m Green. Are You?” is asking.Morrisa and Pete at www.ImGreenAreYou.net are creating a community of awareness all based around this one simple question.On their site you’ll find eco-apparel, bags and accessories all asking the same thing.The more people who wear this question everywhere they go, the faster the wave of change will spread in your neighborhood, your school, your group, and your workplace.
It’s not just about buying and selling things.It’s about spreading the word.It’s about living the change you want to see in every aspect of your life, and provoking others to do the same.By getting others involved, going green becomes the normal accepted way of doing things, the new standard.
Going green is about the environment, but it’s also about helping people, and this is important.The green community recognizes the importance of giving back to both ecosystems and to other people.To show their commitment, Pete and Morrisa are donating 10% of sales to eco-charities like the Captain Planet Foundation, teaching kids about the environment, or the Nature Conservancy.In addition, they’ve pledged to give another $1 for every t-shirt sold, hoping to see a million people wearing a million t-shirts that catalyze the change and generate a million dollars to help the cause.
“I’m Green. Are You?” is more than a question, and more than something you wear.It’s a challenge to think about which group you’re in today and which group you want to be in.It’s a challenge to get more of us into action to do the right thing.There are many great things happening, positive changes underway, but so far it’s only the tip of the iceberg.We have far to go, very far, and the stakes are high.But the more people that join in, the closer we are to creating a better world for us all.
Glenn Croston is the founder of StartingUpGreen.com and the Green Biz Blast, helping businesses to start green and grow successful. He is also the author of "75 Green Businesses You Can Start to Make Money and Make a Difference", and "Starting Green", a nuts and bolts guide to starting a successful green business (Entrepreneur Press, October 2009).
