If there is one thing that I run into, and get frustrated by, it is the fact that many of the "solutions" to issues we face are always too big for the average person. That, while we can all certainly recycle and buy organic clothing, the rest of it should be left to new technologies. Technologies who will be subsidized by large organizations, developed by people smarter than I, and whose impact…
This weekend, I gave my first keynote speech entitled What Sustainability Means to Me at the ecodesign fair. It was a speech that required a lot out of me, more than most, because I had to not only boil down several years of ranting into 30 minutes. I had to do it in front of people who were in the know. People who are respected members of the community. People would call me out. ... an…
Last year, I watched Chris Buckley from Torana speak about the process of moving his production of rugs from chemical based dyes to natural dyes (see interview here). Chris Buckley is an Oxford science graduate and PhD, who has lived and worked in Asia since 1994. He worked as a product development specialist for a multinational company before leaving to pursue a new career in handmade textiles…
With nearly every analyst report, news column, blogpost, or conference, I usually find myself wondering how that particular voice or medium would achieve the goals of sustainability, and more widely, the more I read... the more I realize we (as a people) need to sit down and work out just what exactly the goal of sustainability is. Is sustainability about green jobs for a district, or about cle…
With 193 MBA students, 7 topics, 50+ subtopics, and 20 potential corporate, non-profit, and social enterprises partners in place, I am ready to kick off the first Sustainability and Responsible Leadership Course at CEIBS next week. Already, I am happy to say, I have been speaking with students who have "heard" about the class and are excited to get moving (2 group are already working on small 2 w…
What would a summer in China be without an algae outbreak on a major body of freshwater? Would it be like a day without industrial contamination? Recent cases have only served to highlight the fact that there is a dearth of systems in place. That, contrary to the announcements of 24/ 7 monitoring of bodies of water, a system has yet to be put into place to take the measurements and do anythin…
Well, for anyone hoping for a quick turnaround, think again. A few reports out today that covered the release of the 2050 China Energy and CO2 Emissions Report are putting the peak of emissions in the 2030.. 2050 timeframe, The Reuters Coverage of the release also included a bit on where the government will look to study and address the "imminent threats" that pretty much everyone are in agreem…
In the run up to the Olympics, Beijing was perhaps the most active construction site globally. It was a massive concert of cranes and cement that built some of the most advanced event venues, transportation networks, and parks. For many, including myself, it was a process that left little doubt as to where the environment stood, and how often it stood in the way, but a recent presentation on the…
Last week I was invited to speak at the Net Impact Event Is The Expo Sustainable about the Social Impact that the Expo would bring. The problem for me was, that while my presentation was interesting, the presentations by the representatives from Hill & Knowlton and ARUP were simply fascinating... and have sent my brain into hyperdrive. Lindsay Messenger's message (I bet she hears that all…
When discussing "sustainability", the topic of populations is one of those topics that can quickly lose out to solar panels, cap and trade, and biofuels. The problem is that population is a core consideration not only in looking back in history, but in plotting the path forward, and it is the subject of a recent study at Oregon State University. A study that found in the United States, th…
While recently speaking at the Net Impact Event, ARUP's Kate Dunham told the crowd that she felt there were three constraints that limited China's potential for adopting sustainability: 1) Regulatory Standards - standards she says have roots to the 1950s. 2) Business Environment - many have failed their responsibilities to the environment and are still unconvinced 3) Lifestyle Choices - T…
Getting back to the roots of a problem can be a painful process, especially when it is known far in advance that the truth is going to hurt. It is in many ways perhaps the biggest inhibitor to growth, change, and progress around the world, and in China that is no different. When discussing the differences between the US and China's approach to the environmental issues they face , one of the poi…
Dear Green Drinkers, 亲爱的GREENDRINKS会员们, What: It’s that great time of the month again: Green Drinks! 每个月最让您愉悦的集会: "GREEN DRINKS"! When: August 13th from 6:30-8:30 PM8月13日 晚6:30-8:30 Where: BAU International Lounge (4th Floor) Lane 1252, Fuxing Mid Road (near Xiangyang Road), No.17. Tel. 5466 6969国际四楼休息室 复兴中路1252弄17号 近襄阳路 电话. 5466 6969 Who: Everyone is welcome and it is FREE. 所有人皆可免费参与 Why: Those interested in making the world a better and Greener place. 想要让世界变得更好更环保的人 How: walk, bike, take a bus, or take the subway (line 1 ShanXi South Road Exit). 步行，单车，乘公车或地铁 （一号线陕西南路站） Drinks and light snacks will be provided thanks to our sponsor The Quiddity Partners. If you or your company is interested in a more active role with Green Drinks please contact us. 感谢我们的赞助商The Quiddity Partners，我们届时提供饮料和小点心。如果你或是你的公司希望可以在Green Drinks中扮演更多的角色，请联系我们。 Arc8X Design will offer its monthly, easy idea to easily Green your life. Arc8X Design 将主持这次的活动,给我们的绿色生活注入更多的想象力和帮助. Next Action: Green Ideas Green Action (GIGA) will be in the same spot at the same time next week. www.giga-china.com 下一个活动： Green Ideas Green Action (GIGA) 将在下周同时同地举办。 www.giga-china.com Our featured speakers this month are from Greenovate and Quiddity Partners (more below the break)
Submission from - David Sutton PhD, Professor of Ecology The first commandment of economics is: Grow. Grow forever. Companies must get bigger. National economies need to swell by a certain percent each year. People should want more, make more, earn more, spend more - ever more. The first commandment of the Earth is: Enough. Just so much and no more. Just so much soil. Just so much water.…
When the average consumer thinks of clean transportation, they will think of hybrid cars, pubic transportation, or walking, but for the industrial world it has a whole different meaning. It is a world made possible by carbon as trucks, ships, and airplane move goods around the world from factory floor to retail shelf. You have warehouses, container yards, and distribution centers where goods ar…
