Consult, Manage, Change

Personal traits of professionals - time to shape up!

Recently I have observed some behaviours and traits of so called professionals that are in my mind are totally unprofessional.

I believe we owe it to our friends and colleagues to tell them if their traits of behaviours upset us or are out of balance with society.

It todays instant gratification society there is a tendency to become self-centred, over important, and narcissistic.

I have been asking my colleagues and clients about business behaviour recently and the feedback I get is that some common sense and personal ethics would go a long way these days. Is it me or are our schools and universities no longer teaching basic manners, behaviours and kindness?

It is time to make a stand on this! Don’t put up with pushy people behaving badly. Tell them their behaviours are wrong and it is time for them to grow up!

From my observation here are some behaviours and traits we don’t like:

• Rude people
• People who don’t say please or thank you
• Arrogant people
• People who think they get power from abusing service staff
• Serial complainers or whingers
• People who talk loudly on cell phones in public places
• People who send and receive txt messages in meetings
• People who drive aggressively
• People who eat like pigs in restaurants

And here are some behaviours and traits we should see more often:

• Random acts of kindness
• Call service staff by their names
• Saying please and thank you more
• People who are self-aware of themselves and others
• Positive attitudes
• Applying personal discretion when using phones in public places
• Using the mute button on your phone
• Leaving your phone in your pocket of bag at meetings
• People who make genuine eye contact with you at meetings
• People who know the basics of eating etiquette
• Holding doors open for others

I know I have probably missed some so let me know your thoughts on what we should add to both lists.

The Path to Business Sustainability

The most recent research on the move to transformational sustainability suggests that organisations go through five stages:

 

Stage 1 – elementary

 

Stage 2 – engaged

 

Stage 3 – innovative

 

Stage 4 – integrated

 

Stage 5 – transforming

 

The stage that an organisation is at is determined by what they are doing on seven key dimensions. These are:

• How is sustainability defined within the organisation?

 

• What is the strategic purpose served by sustainability?

 

• Do leaders support and lead the sustainability effort?

 

• How are responsibilities for sustainability managed?

 

• How does the organisation deal with issues that arise?

 

• How does the organisation engage its stakeholders?

 

• How transparent is the organisation about its financial, social and environmental performance?

 

The Development Path to the Sustainability Revolution – the 4 “C”s.

Credibility

Credibility is in the eyes of the stakeholders. They are looking for evidence that the organisation is not just meeting lip service compliance but going beyond that. Some evidence of involvement in solving societal problems will also be sought. The key here is systems and processes.

Capacity

As the organisation moves beyond engagement it finds there is so much more to be done and needs to develop internal capacity to do more. The key here is education and coaching that builds on the increasingly sophisticated systems and processes.

Coherence

This is where the organisation’s leadership needs to pull all the various programmes together and match up the programmes to a coherent vision and strategy. Strategic change including appreciative inquiry are the key factors here.

Commitment

This is where the sustainability programmes become so ingrained they become “who we are”

 

 

The Operating Model

So who has to make sure what happens on Monday morning?

The following table summarises a number of points that will need to be addressed as you work through the 4Cs model, gives a quick ‘headline’ summary of the issue and suggests where in a business organisation each issue would fit from a responsibility perspective and from the perspective of what organisational officer/manager is responsible for delivering each issue.

For smaller businesses and non business organisations, most of the responsibility falls on the CEO and leadership team as they will be lacking access to the specialist departments tabulated below.

The new position of Chief Sustainability Officer reflects our belief that we are seeing a paradigm shift that will place sustainability at the core of the organisational model for the foreseeable future. The CSO is responsible for the setting the leadership position on sustainability, engaging the rest of the C suite and top reports in the organisation to provide compelling leadership in each of their areas, setting policy and putting in place systems and procedures for ensuring organisational action is embedded in day to day routines. The CSO will have significant organisational power as well as significant influencing skills to ensure others buy in to the Sustainability programme.

Want more information?

www.sacnz.co.nz

http://www.sacnz.co.nz/resources 

Tell Me Where It Hurts ??

The following thought provoker is kindly reproduced under permission by Alan Weiss.  Alas provides us with sound advice and challenges us to think differently.

© Alan Weiss 2012. All rights reserved. Summit Consulting Group, Inc. "Reprinted with permission"

Source - Alan's BLOG http://www.contrarianconsulting.com/

When you’re coaching people or simply observing clients, you’re well served never to assume someone else is “damaged” or malicious. We tend to make too many assumptions about others’ motives without any evidence.

There are four key vectors to consider when, in fact, people are being hurt. Develop evidence to support your conclusion so that you can properly help in each instance.

1. Consciously hurting others. This may be through emotional manipulation, peer group humiliation, withholding important information, providing incorrect information, starting rumors, and so on. Passive/aggressive people deliberately hurt others, though seemingly unintentionally (though it’s highly intentional). Bullies (emotional, psychological, physical) try to hurt others because of their own perceived inferiority, attempting to lower others to their levels.

You must confront these acts with observed behavior and the ramifications of that behavior. If it continues unabated, it should be grounds for dismissal. I was the fourth in a line of coaches trying to prevent obscene workplace tirades and humiliation from an executive vice president whose division delivered large profits. He refused to stop his behavior or get counseling. I told the president that the entire workforce considered it HIS preferred behavior, and this man was his proxy, since the president refused to put a stop to it. A week later the vice president was fired. His division continued to produce large profits.

1. Unconsciously hurting others. These people are generally oblivious to the world around them and/or totally self-absorbed. They are the people who speak loudly on the phone in public areas, use inappropriate language, demand attention at others’ expense (they monopolize the help in a restaurant), or drive at 20 miles an hour on a 45 mile-an-hour road because they are talking on the phone.

It usually helps to bring the behavior and its ramifications to the attention of the transgressors, since they are unaware of both what they’re doing and how it impacts others. “Why are you changing the temperature in the room when all the rest of us are comfortable, and you haven’t even asked us? Put on a sweater.” If they are apprised and refuse to change their behavior, then they enter category 1 above.

1. Consciously hurting yourself. This can range from physically harming yourself (e.g., cutting) to emotional and psychological harm (e.g., constantly sacrificing personal objectives for others, denying yourself what is rightfully yours, and so on). This often stems from a need to punish, feeling alienated, and feeling unworthy.

In this case, people have to be encouraged to reveal their feelings of inferiority or lack of worth, or explore why they constantly accede to others because of intimidation or a false sense of protocol. Many people deliberately dress, use language, and comport themselves so as not to draw attention or praise. They are often afraid of exposing their own perceived ineptitude.

1. Unconsciously hurting yourself. These are people with very low self-worth who “automatically” and consistently place themselves in inferior positions. They never try to “win” or to gain praise, or to stand out favorably in a crowd. When I once forced such a person to explain why she couldn’t speak up to a prospect who was asking reasonable questions, she said, “I guess I just can’t imagine why he’d listen to someone like me.”

There are people walking around believing inherently that they don’t deserve, don’t count, don’t merit any success and, if it comes, it was an accident, a stroke of luck. Their defeats and setbacks of course, are because of their own lack of talent. I’ve found that people in this category are carrying “baggage” and self-limiting beliefs that are never examined or even apparent. But they are guided by them nonetheless.

Examine why and how people are hurting and being hurt. Don’t assume it’s always the same reason or situation or solution. And it doesn’t hurt to ask this of yourself, as well.

© Alan Weiss 2012. All rights reserved.

Alan Weiss, PhD

President

Summit Consulting Group, Inc.

Box 1009

East Greenwich, RI 02818

401/884-2778 Fax: 401/884-5068         

http://www.summitconsulting.com

http://www.contrarianconsulting.com (blog)

Alan@summitconsulting.com

 

• Professional Speaker Hall of Fame

• Fellow, Institute of Management Consultants

• Lifetime Achievement Award, American Press Insitute

• 48 Published Books

 

"One of the most highly respected independent consultants in the country. 

— New York Post

"One of the top motivational speakers in the country." — Providence Journal

Sustainable practice in ACTION

Sustainable practice in ACTION

Last evening I attended the Winery Tour http://www.thewinerytour.co.nz/dates.html#feb4 at Matakana just north of Auckland City.

The concert was held in the picturesque winery grounds of Ascension Wines http://www.ascensionwine.co.nz/home and it was sold out. As you can imagine with a full house there was plenty of food and wine and drinks being sold to a hungry and thirsty crowd.

As we sat down the concert announcer advised us that the concert organisers together with the winery and their sponsors the NZ glass packaging forum they were running a recycling system for all glass, packaging and general wast at the event.

What struck me was this was not just lip-service sustainability. It was sustainable practice in action. I will tell you how the organisers of the event made it work!

First of all they told the concert goers about what recycling and sustainable practices they where promoting. The concert tour operator had partnered with organisations like the packaging forum http://www.glassforum.org.nz/ and the Love NZ brand http://www.glassforum.org.nz/outabout.html#lovenz to give them the street cred with the audience.

Secondly there where many recycle bins located around the seating. There where 3 bins, one for glass one for paper and one for general rubbish.

However what struck me was that they had recycling ambassadors roaming thru the crowd collecting empty bottles and collecting rubbish. It was great to see audience members rushing up to the collectors with empty bottles and rubbish.

The result of all of this effort was as I left there was hardly any bottles or rubbish littler on the ground so this would make the overnight or next day clean up very easy.

However the day after the concert I had the following questions:
1. Was the mixed rubbish that was collected in bags at the event separated?
2. Where did the general rubbish get dumped?
3. How many bottles or tonnes of glass was recycled?
4. What are the event organisers going about their energy footprint?

So I decided to do some research.

I checked out the Winery Tour web site and on the HISTORY/ABOUT http://www.thewinerytour.co.nz/about.html page it states that the tours waste management is managed by the Glass Packaging Forum.

On the SPONSORS http://www.thewinerytour.co.nz/sponsors.html page the concert organisers tell us:

The Glass Packaging Forum is delighted to be teaming up with the Winery Tour for the third year to provide and promote recycling nationwide.

The Winery Tour will again promote the LOVE NZ brand to its anticipated 50,000 audience nationwide.

Every single glass bottle can be recycled back into new glass bottles or they can even be crushed and used as mulch in vineyards to increase the yield of our grapes. Recycling cans, plastic bottles and paper saves valuable natural resources.

Your bottles and cans can’t recycle themselves, they need your help so- use the blue GLASS recycling bins; YELLOW mixed recycling bins and if it can’t be recycled use the RED waste bins

We are lucky to live in New Zealand. All of us enjoy our environment and scenery. This year around 2500 Love NZ recycling facilities have been put in place on our streets and at events as part of a major public place recycling initiative inspired by the Rugby World Cup. So when you are out and about Love NZ and recycle with care - find out where your local Love NZ recycling bins are on www.lovenz.org.nz
But the above does not answer my questions above.
The glass forum’s home page tells me “The Forum is once again proud to support Civic Events and Classic Hits to manage the waste on the 2012 Classic Hits Winery Tour. NO GLASS from any of the 14 concert locations will go to landfill! We're closing the loop - it's either back to the furnace or into alternative uses”

From my research there is no real time updates on the event recycling scheme. I personally think this would be a good idea.

I have sent an email to the promoters of the event to ask the questions above. I will keep you posted.

It was a great concert event and I fully support the promoters and sponsors for their sustainable efforts.

This post is my entry in the blog competition for World Environment Day. Please tweet this with the hash tag #WED2012 and with reference to @onespec http:\\www.twitter.com/onespec

Ethics and beyond - Where do you stand?

The ongoing story and saga of Rupert Murdock reminds us all about ethics, trust, corruption and beyond.

 

The question I have about the tactics that New of the World used is how can the managers and so called leader involved sleep at night? If these individuals had any personal values they would in my mind have to have questioned the ethics of hacking into other peoples cell phone and medical records.

Or am I wrong?? Does the journalism industry by right have to report the news no matter what!

What do you think??

This raises the issue of industry ethics verses personal ethics. How many times in your job are you asked to undertake a task that is counter to your personal ethics? For example if you worked in the food manufacturing industry and you are a vegetarian would you mind selling meat sourced overseas as local produced?

As a Certified Management Consultant CMC, there is a global standard of ethics called the CMC Code of Professional Conduct.

One of the areas that becomes an issue on a regular basis is the confidentiality of client information. For example I was recently on a RFP panel for a client and had consultants approach me for information. These approaches breached the rules of the tender and for the CMC's that approached me the breached the code of professional conduct which states "A Member will treat client information as confidential and will not take personal advantage of privileged information gained during an assignment, or enable others to do so".

Rest assured they got reminded of their obligations, and due to my ethical standards I did not breach the code!

 

So how many times a day do you get asked to breach your own professional code or that of your industry? What stance will you take?

What is wrong and right with Public Transport??

 
Today I left the car at home and took the bus to the office in Auckland. The weather today 16 May in Auckland is very autumnal with strong wind and passing showers. Not that entrancing when a warm dry car awaits my use in the garage!

The 10 minute walk to the bus stop was nice apart from the down pour – lucky I grabbed the umbrella before I left the house.

The bus was on time – and the driver very polite. The smart card system worked. It is being replaced with the “snapper” card. The new readers where on the bus but the system is not live yet.

At 7am in the morning the traffic was light and before I knew it I was in Newmarket to change busses as the one from my suburb goes to the transport hub Britomart and due to the rain I wanted to go to the Aotea square (mid-town). I did not have to wait long for the connection but was not impressed that I had to pay another fare?? The driver told be that I was not able to transfer?

I arrived at my destination on time and the total cost of my journey was $5.20

For my return home this evening I will find a direct bus that will cost me $5.60

By not bringing my car I have saved a $13 parking fee and the petrol and running costs of my car.

 So what was right about using public transport today?

•  Bus arrived on time to pick us all up at the bus stop
• Arrived on time at my destination
• Got to meet my neighbours at the bus stop
• No stress of driving
• Got to look out the window
• Possibly reduced my carbon footprint for the day?
• One less car on the Auckland roading system today

 In my opinion, this is what was wrong about using public transport today?

•  Integrated ticketing on one platform for all modes of public transport is a must
• Printing out a timetable needs to be simplified
• Needed to transfer to get to my destination
• Was not able to transfer my original fare to my transfer bus
• Might have caught the flu from all the sick and coughing people on both busses
• Total journey time was double the usual

So how many of you use public transport? Have you started to use public transport again due to the rising cost of fuel? What are your views on cost verses convenience?

Please let me know your thoughts?

 

Work Life Balance? What's to worry about?

 

How many of us work more than 40 hours a week? How many of us work when we get home? Addicted to your iPhone or emails?

I have been asked recently about how to create work life balance. The easy answer is work and life are the same thing they do no happen in tangent or concurrently! Work is part of your life just like family, relationships, exercise, commuting, relaxation time and holidays.

The NZ Department of Labour tells us "Work-life balance is about effectively managing the juggling act between paid work and other activities that are important to us - including spending time with family, taking part in sport and recreation, volunteering or undertaking further study" http://www.dol.govt.nz/worklife/index.asp

Getting the balance right is a lot up to you and also having an employer that has family friendly policies.

What I want you to start doing is thinking differently and to use a new construct.

We all have 24 hours in a day, 7 days in a week and 365 days in a year for our life.

On average work should take up 8-10 hours per day, 40-50 hours a week and 220 - 240 days a year!

The new construct is to plan your life! How many of you have your next holiday scheduled? What are you doing at Queens Birthday, Labour Weekend and your summer holidays? What have you got scheduled this week for relaxation? What are you doing this week for fun? Cant answer this ?? Then start planning and scheduling.

My advice is to use a physical planner (not an electronic device) a 12 month wall planner is the best and start planning a scheduling. For example when you can see your holidays planned out you start to look forward to the holidays and they become fun as you start to look forward to your upcoming holidays. Also by planning in advance you can get some great early bird deals!

By the way want to know how to deal with iPhone or email addictions? Turn your iPhone off when you get home and don’t turn on that laptop! This does work! Better still leave the laptop at work and leave your phone locked in your car!

Novotel sustainability update

Good news
Back in room and the towels did not get changed and same with bed linen,
Well done Novotel Wellington.
Staff trained. Good systems and processes in place.

Hotel Sustainability Test

Ok Novotel Wellington time to test your sustainability practices!
Staying for the weekend and the notice in the shower is to hang up the towels and they won't be changed.
They tell me at Novotel your towels plant trees! 5 reused towels = 1 tree planted
Will they measure up? Have their staff been trained? Or will it be a case of lip service sustainability?
I will keep you posted on developments.

Top Emitters of GHGs from Agriculture, Total and Per Capita, 2005 (NZ does not rate)

The WRI Earth Trends web site has been updated with the following information you may find of interest.

For NZ based readers NZ does not rate a mention!

Emissions from agricultural activities account for about 14 percent of global GHG emissions. Major sources of agricultural emissions (methane and nitrous oxide) include soils management (where emissions result from particular tillage and cropping practices, such as fertilizer application) and livestock.

http://earthtrendsdelivered.org/node/342

Top Emitters of GHGs from Agriculture, Total and Per Capita, 2005.

 

The relaunch of Corporate Social Responsibility

 
I have been asked recently if CSR is no longer a focus for business. In recent times GREEN issues for business have been relabeled at PROCESS IMPROVEMENT or efficiency initiatives.

However the fundamentals still remain. CSR and being green is still good for business.

To follow is a recap. Let me know your thoughts!

Corporate Social Responsibility

The key to corporate social responsibility can be encompassed in a new social, governmental and corporate paradigm – Sustainability.

Corporate social responsibility [CSR] has many and varied definitions.

From the mushy

CSR is about how companies manage the business processes to produce an overall positive impact on society

to the hard edged

There is one and only one social responsibility of business-to use its resources and engage in activities designed to increase its profits

We suggest that CSR can be defined as a company’s commitment to operating in an ethical and environmentally, economically, and socially sustainable manner whilst balancing the interests of diverse stakeholders including improving the quality of life of the workforce and their families as well as of the local community and society at large

Ethics

Corporate ethics in the age of Enron seem to some to be an oxymoron, and many New Zealand companies have missed the mark in the way they have treated customers. This is largely because transactional managers have laid down and stringently enforced rules without providing an ethical and social context in which the organisation is to operate.

It is clear that some form of the ‘golden rule’ should govern corporate ethics. Recent research suggests that treating others well and in a way that you would want to be treated has positive social outcomes.

Organisations need to be completely clear about their ethical position, put in place systems and processes to monitor compliance, engage the hearts and minds of the people with exemplary leadership, and communicate this commitment throughout all the stakeholder communities.

Environmental Sustainability

Organisations need to be completely clear about their position on environmental sustainability, put in place systems and processes to ensure easy compliance, engage the hearts and minds of the people with exemplary leadership, and communicate this commitment throughout all the stakeholder communities.

Economic Sustainability

In the long run, an organisation will only be economically sustainable when it earns enough profit to pay for the total cost of capital.

The concept of economic sustainability is well understood and has been promoted by Peter Drucker since the 1960’s. In more recent times, Economic Value Added concepts, such as those promoted by Stern Stewart, have come to the fore.

It is clear that such concepts must be embedded into the organisation’s business model and clearly communicated to the stakeholder community.

 

 

Social Sustainability

It is in the area of social sustainability that CSR is usually played out.

Government, seeing itself as the representative of society at large, regulates and legislates to control an organisation’s social impact as well as its economic and ethical impact. In an increasing regulated environment, the position that the Government will take needs to be understood and factored into any consideration of CSR. The position government takes is conditioned by ideology as well as political pressure from the public and from other political groups.

Local government see themselves as the representatives of the local communities and thereby can have a similar position as central government. The overtly political approach of central government is conditioned somewhat at the local level by a more common sense approach in local government to getting things done.

Local communities interrelate to organisations as customers and partners, customers when consuming the organisation’s products or services and partners when consuming sponsorship resources.

The way an organisation treats its workforce and their families has many aspects. When an organisation lays off members of the workforce it is likely to receive attention in all areas of social sustainability – the ethics of outsourcing jobs to Asia – the economics of exporting jobs – the impact of government attitudes to free trade – local attitudes to sweeteners to keep jobs in a region, and so forth. Witness the comments made when Fisher & Paykel re-jigged its global supply chain at the cost of 430 jobs in Dunedin.

With an increasing competition for talent, the consideration of an organisation’s impact on the workforce and their families goes beyond social sustainability and affects the organisation’s economic sustainability. Without enough people to get the job done, organisational initiatives are choked off.

The organisation’s position on social sustainability needs to be viewed as a core value of the organisation. Therefore it needs to be lead, sustained, and managed by the CEO and the leadership team.

Forests, Climate Change and the Challenge of REDD | World Resources Institute

 

Forests, Climate Change and the Challenge of REDD | World Resources Institute

Posted using ShareThis

This is an interesting article that may be of interest to you.

To combat global warming, forests must be part of the solution. How can we make good forest stewardship a reality?

2010 is a crucial year for forests. In March, major donor countries and forest-rich countries will meet in Paris, Nairobi and Manila, each grappling with the same question: how can efforts to reduce deforestation also help tackle climate change? Their decisions, and those following in the next six to twelve months, could channel substantial amounts of money to protect forests. Manish Bapna, Managing Director of the World Resources Institute, answers questions about the current window of opportunity to address both forest loss and climate change, and what is at stake in getting these mechanisms right.

Why are forests important in efforts to tackle climate change?

Forests are one of the greatest environmental challenges—and opportunities—facing the world in the 21st century. Forests are well known for their ability to absorb carbon dioxide, but when they are destroyed they release CO2 into the air. This helps explain why Indonesia, a developing country with high rates of deforestation, now has one of the highest emissions rates in the world.

Forest loss contributes as much as 12-15% to annual greenhouse gas emissions, about the same as the entire global transportation sector. It will be practically impossible to avoid dangerous climate change without addressing this problem. That is why forests must be part of the solution.

WRI is adding up emission targets

 

The WRI sent on an email recently highlighting the Quantified economy-wide emissions targets for 2020.

This information is worth taking a look at. New Zealands contribution is list along side all the other countries that have made emission targets.

The WRI states:

"On January 31, Annex 1 (industrialized) countries wishing to associate themselves with the Copenhagen Accord were required to register their emission reduction pledges to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC).

WRI has analyzed the Annex I pledges received so far, as well as pledges by countries that have yet to associate themselves with the Accord. This analysis provides a preliminary picture of where the world stands post-Copenhagen".

Check out the list of country pledges HERE. (opens a PDF) We come in less than Russia!

The question we have to ask is "will these pledges make any difference?"

What is the answer?

 

 

 

What about your WATER FOOTPRINT?

We all know the importance of measuring your GHG emissions inventory. The only way to MANAGE your emissions profile is to have a base line measurement and to instigate specific initiatives to REDUCE real GHG emissions.

 

So in 2010 what are you doing about your WATER FOOTPRINT?

 

Water is a scare resource! As business users of water, we need to get smarter at managing our water usage! Are you including your water usage in your GHG inventory?

 

If not the following may help.

 

 

 

The Water Footprint Network [WFN] http://www.waterfootprint.org has launched its Water Footprint Manual, it is 131 pages covering a comprehensive set of methods for water footprint accounting. It shows how water footprints can be calculated for individual processes and products, as well as for consumers, nations and businesses, and includes methods for water footprint sustainability assessment and a library of water footprint response options.

 

WFN is a non profit foundation striving to promote the transition towards sustainable, fair and efficient use of fresh water resources worldwide, by advancing and applying the "water footprint" concept. The network has more than 80 partners (January 2010) from all relevant stakeholders in water resources management.

 

This information will be a great help to all of us who need to make a start in including water usage in our GHG inventories.

Development of your sustainability platform and the sustainability journey.

 

 

Green issues, climate change and sustainability issues in the last decade have become mainstream business practices.

 

There are a number of examples that support the notion that environmental sustainability is good for business. I urge you all to take a look at the Interface Carpets sustainability journey.

 

Interface sets the global standard for leading sustainability best practice. They state “the journey toward sustainability has been a momentous shift in the way we operate our business and see the world”.

 

It is my opinion that companies need to take strong and clear leadership in the management of reducing their GHG emission footprints and becoming sustainability leaders not followers.

 

The latest round of climate change talks in Copenhagen were an example of if we leave these issues to politicians and governments then we will be waiting a long time for a global approach.

 

This decade the focus will be on how businesses, communities and individuals take up the reigns and lead from the front.

 

Essentially the focus is on doing it for yourself rather than having it done to you!

 

What innovative responses can you offer to the 21^st century’s paradox of producing more, more effectively, while consuming less and reducing waste.

 

Being sustainable in its own right means that you manage your own resource intensity with the view of getting it as low as possible.

 

The current global recession and economic dislocation provide an opportunity to raise the focus on both cost savings and sustainability. We all have the chance to do well by doing good.

 

There is a great opportunity to use the current economic crisis to establish a sense of urgency around actions that will save costs and improve your environmental footprint.

 

We recommend being more direct with the marketing message by telling your clients and stakeholders exactly what you have undertaken on the sustainability journey.

 

There is one critical factor that I urge you to manage and that is the importance of you – you need to take a strong leadership role on this journey.

 

It is critical that you are brave enough to take a stand early, because the sooner you start actions the stronger leadership you can take. This will give you clear competitive advantage! 

 

Don't be scared to take a stand.

COP15 = Copenhagen Accord = Hot Air - NO result?

 

As predicted the Copenhagen Accord  is not what we wanted as a result from COP15!

How is it that the major nations cannot agree a way forward?

If this was a business merger meeting the CEO's would be looking for new jobs!

What would you have done if you had attended?

It is very evident that we should not rely on the world leaders or the UN to get the action we need.

2010 will be the YEAR for individual and community action to stop human induced climate change.

What will tomorrows children think of our legacy?

As we head towards the end of 2009 and the COP15 meetings in Copenhagen we all get the chance to think about our new years resolutions!

If you have children, grand children what do you think they will think of our sustainability legacy?

Will they look back and call us stupid? Will they say "at least some of them tried" or will the congratulate us for our vision and dedication to sustainability.

We would appreciate your comments on this!

   One thought on this I would like to share is a remarkable poem written by an employee at Interface Carpets. After a meeting with Ray Anderson the CEO this employee woke up to see that he was making unthinking choices that would affect his unborn child.

We have a choice. Will we make the right one?

On TED Ray Anderson read a poem written by one of his employees, Glenn Thomas, after Glenn heard Ray talk about his view on the business case for sustainability.

Tomorrow's Child
© Glenn Thomas

Without a name; an unseen face
and knowing not your time nor place
Tomorrow's Child, though yet unborn,
I met you first last Tuesday morn.

A wise friend introduced us two,
and through his sobering point of view
I saw a day that you would see;
a day for you, but not for me

Knowing you has changed my thinking,
for I never had an inkling
That perhaps the things I do
might someday, somehow, threaten you

Tomorrow's Child, my daughter-son
I'm afraid I've just begun
To think of you and of your good,
Though always having known I should.

Begin I will to weigh the cost
of what I squander; what is lost
If ever I forget that you
will someday come to live here too.

The Recovering Eco Plundering CEO - Ray Anderson

Are you aware of Interface Carpets?

Are you aware of Ray Anderson?

Then you need too!

If you are business owner who cannot get the "sustainability platform" and wants to understand the business case for sustainability then Ray and Interface will help.

Ray Anderson's company makes Flor, the line that made modular carpet tile sexy. But behind the fresh design is a decades-deep commitment to sustainable ways of doing business.

At his carpet company, Ray Anderson has increased sales and doubled profits while turning the traditional "take / make / waste" industrial system on its head. In a gentle, understated way, he shares a powerful vision for sustainable commerce.

Ray has made a great TED presentation in May 2009.

Please take the time to view this video. Ray speaks real sense and makes a excellent point about th relationship between sustainability and business survival.

 

 

new standards for Product and Scope 3 Greenhouse Gas Accounting and Reporting

 

We have just been advised that the GHG Protocol has a Product and Supply Chain Initiative and has Kicked-Off Stakeholder Advisory Group.

The GHG Protocol web stie tells us:

August marked the launch of two webinars presented to the Stakeholder Advisory Group for the new standards for Product and Scope 3 Greenhouse Gas Accounting and Reporting. The two-hour webinar was conducted for stakeholders in Europe and North America on August 6th and for stakeholders in Asia on August 27th. The webinars provided an overview of the standards’ development process to date, a review of the initial recommendations, and details of the upcoming comment process on the draft standards.

Over 240 stakeholders participated in the webinars. For those who were not able to attend, the webinar was recorded and is now posted on the GHG Protocol website.

The next steps for the Stakeholder Advisory Group will occur when WRI and WBCSD host four one-day stakeholder workshops to get valuable inputs on the drafts of the Scope 3 and Product Standards. Both drafts will be released for stakeholder comment prior to the workshops. 

We recommed that you get active in this group as Scope 3 emissions play a critical part in your GHG Emissions Inventory.

First drafts of Product and Scope 3 Standards have been released. CLICK HERE FOR DETAILS

Local Community Action

I have recently offered some volunteer time to help The Friends of Maara Roa.  

Here is some background information on the group:

The story is told that in former times a Maori woman, name unknown, tended a garden on a long strip of land somewhere in the northern side of this valley. She grew fruit and vegetables there, and shared them generously with Maori and Pakeha alike. So well-known did she become for her hospitality, that travellers called her home "The Long Garden - Maara Roa.The nearby Marae has honoured her by naming the Wharenui "Ukaipo Hiato" - the gathering place of the mother who provides for all the people.The Friends of "Nga Hoa o Maara Roa" intend to recreate a forest "garden" here, whose pleasures can be similarly shared by all in years to come.

Objectives

The objectives of the Friends of Maara Roa for this valley are to:
· Enhance and restore the native forest
· Guard and develop it for public ownership and enjoyment
· Cooperate with City and Regional Councils and other bodies
· Provide a venue for educational activities
· Protect all its indigenous flora and fauna

What the society does

· Grow native seedlings
· Plant and look after new native trees
· Protect existing bush
· Improve freshwater wetland
· Control pest animals and weeds
· Reinstate the big native trees
· Follow bio-diversity principles
· Open new walking tracks
· Plan for the future reserve

What we hope for

· The whole valley in public ownership
· Year round access for walks in the bush
· Mitigation of motorway impacts
· Future bush corridor across the hills to Petone

How can YOU help?????????????

· Native forest monitoring
· Collecting seeds
· Growing seedlings at home
· Helping with organisation
· Fundraising and sponsorship
· Removing exotic plants or trees
· Joining the pest control team
· Giving donations
· Lobbying, networking
· Environmental or planning advice
· Surveys

If you business is looking for an initiative to link to your corporate CSR activities then why not do you bit for nature by planting and caring for native trees in the 100ha Maara Roa Native Forrest? It is located in the Belmont Regional Park.

3 Ways to Help - Group Volunteers -Adopt a spot and Offering expertise!

For more information contact sylvan@actrix.co.nz for more information

Sustainability and risk management

I have just come across some information on Harvard Business related to why investors are taking note of companies sustainability platforms.

In a time when the "s" word is out of favour in the New Zealand Government area the "s" word still has pulling power with investors and customers.

In the article called :

Why Investors Should Consider Sustainability Risk Management
by Daniel Goleman

Goreman states: Here's yet another concern for investors: sustainability risk management, or SRM. While the basic concept has been around for years, emerging market forces are creating a new strain of investor sustainability risk: point-of-purchase reputation risk. Disruptive systems are on the verge of revealing ecological impacts of products that could sink some brands — and boost others

Investors are taking note. The Investor Network on Climate Riskhas 80-plus members representing over $60 trillion (including BlackRock and CalPERS). While climate concerns have been at the forefront for investors like these, social sustainability — such as how workers are treated — has been an additional focus of late. And as new ecological transparency systems come online, that focus will most certainly broaden.

TO READ THE FULL NARRATIVE - CLICK HERE

What sustainability position does your company have? How do you market your sustainability position?

Are you engaging with your suppliers and customers on your sustainability platform? Is this giving you competitive advantage?

In our view your "s" position is still as important as ever.

We come across many business that have yet to understand the business case for sustainability!

What are you doing in this regard?

The Business of Sustainability: What It Means to Managers Now

I am currently working my way thru the fall issues of MIT Sloan Management Review.  
This issue is focused on SUSTAINABILITY.

It is a must read as they have published information on their global research.

For example:

How are sustainability pressures altering the competitive landscape, and how are businesses responding? The first annual Business of Sustainability Survey and interview project found answers.

Key Findings

REVISED AGENDA

The survey revealed a strong consensus that sustainability is having — and will continue to have — a material impact on how companies think and act.

• More than 92% of survey respondents said that their company was addressing sustainability.

DOWNTURN?

Sustainability is surviving the downturn.

• Fewer than 25% of survey respondents said that their company had decreased its commitment to sustainability during the downturn.

BUT ACTION LAGS

Although almost all the executives in the survey thought that sustainability would have an impact on their business and were trying to address this topic, the majority also said that their companies were not acting decisively to fully exploit the opportunities and mitigate the risks that sustainability presents.

• The majority of sustainability actions undertaken to date appear to be limited to those necessary to meet regulatory requirements.
• Almost 70% of survey respondents said that their company has not developed a clear business case for sustainability.

Free Lunch Seminar - Is Being Environmentally Sustainable Good for Business?

 
How can sustainability initiatives help your business survive under the NZ Emissions Trading Scheme?

NZIM Central has partnered with with Gordon Shaw - Sempre Avanti Consulting to bring you this lunch presentation.

In light of the recent Government announcement on the NZ emission reduction targets for 2020 and ongoing media comment and coverage on this topic, NZIM and Sempre Avanti Consulting presents 2 workshops on the big sustainability issues facing small and medium enterprise.

NZIM invites you to a paper bag lunch information session to find out more about the workshop topics. Gain an overview on business based sustainability and links to economic sustainability, Carbon accounting and the NZ Emissions Trading Scheme.

Date: Wednesday 28 October

Time: 12 Noon - 1:15pm

Venue: NZIM Central,
Level 7 - Lumley House,
    3-11 Hunter Street,
    Wellington

Cost: Complimentary event

You are welcome to bring your lunch with you, tea & coffee will be provided.

Proposed dates for the workshops are:

Wednesday 18 November - 9am - 3pm

Wednesday 2 December - 9am - 3pm

More information on the topics and the costs of the workshops will be available at the teaser presentation.

To RSVP for the paper bag lunch email: penelope_england@nzimcentral.co.nz

 

Is there such a ting as a truly sustainable home?

Is there such a thing as a truly sustainable home?

If you attended the Wellington Home Show over the weekend then the answer is YES if you visited the ebode stand.

 

They state that their mission is to design and build beautiful, enduring homes in NZ for people who want to live a healthy sustainable life!

Check out there web site HERE - it is very impressive and their clients give great feedback.

I note that ebode do not have any information about their business environmental plan of sustainability platform.

I will contact them so I can find out more about their organisation sustainability platform and carbon status.

Is "sustainability" now a bad or dirty word in New Zealand?

I have been having a number of conversations with business owners and corporate managers regarding the business case for sustainability recently.

It seems under the National Government the word "sustainability" has been banned and is seen as a legacy of the previous Nanny State!

It has not helped the business community that programmes such as Govt3and the CNPS Carbon Neutral Public Service have been canceled and a number of key roles with in the Ministry of the Environment have been disestablished! What kind of message is this sending to business and our citizens?

If you are a reader of this BLOG you will know the mantra we make which is sustainability is good for business and that with the upcoming introduction of the ETS all consumers and business owners will pay more for certain commodities such as ENERGY.

But what can we do?

EECA CEO Mike Underhill gives some sage advice in the current edition of the IN-Business Magazine. He states " An energy audit of the business is often the best way to start an energy management programme. Typically,for every dollar invested in an energy audit, $10 of savings are identified"

So what Mike is telling us is that to minimise the impacts of energy price rises we need to be more efficient. If we measure it we can manage it!

If you are interested in more information on this debate check out the following LINK to a recent article in the idealog magazine.

Let you be assured in business sustainability is not a dirty word. As we dont need the Government to tells us what to do! Being a sustainable business makes prefect sense!

The Business Case for Pursuing Sustainability Strategies

 
I have recently come across this very useful video related to the business case for sustainability. If you are in business you should watch this!

About this video: Björn Stigson, President of the World Business Council for Sustainable Development, moderates the second of four roundtables on day two of the National Energy Summit and International Dialogue. Ahmet Dördüncü, Pierre Gauthier, Kris Gopalakrishnan, and James Quigley participate in "The business case for pursuing sustainability strategies

Please note this video is 57 minutes long!

VIDEO

http://www.compete.org/nes/event_videos/the-business-case-for-pursuing-sustainability-strategies/

 

 

The countdown is on for COP 15 at the UNFCCC in Copenhagen

 

The countdown is on and preparations are well underway for COP 15 at the UNFCCC in Copenhagen.  In recent days we have seen Japan, China and India all commit to ambitious targets.  Australia and the US are both still to gain legislative support for their targets.  UN negotiations are now back underway in Bangkok.  This is the penultimate negotiating session before COP 15 in Copenhagen in December, at which an ambitious and effective international climate change deal is to be clinched.

New Zealand will present its ETS to this meeting!

At a press conference held midway through the Talks in Bangkok (2 Oct), Yvo de Boer spoke of encouraging signals that the Talks can deliver the tools and rules essential to a successful climate change deal in Copenhagen. CLICK HERE TO VIEW THE VIDEO

What do you think of the speech? Is it all talk and will there be action!! Let us know your thoughts!

So right - So smart

Went to the opening night of the Fifth Environmental Film Festival at The Paramount in Wellington NZ.

The opening movie was the winner of the Reel Earth's best feature film award winner "So Right - So Smart".

The movie is about Ray Anderson and the sustainability journey of Interface Carpets.

This is an excellent and must see movie for all business owners and anyone who cares about the future of our planet.

Here is some background on the movie:

CO Directors: Justin Maine,Leanne Robinson-Maine,Guy Noerr & Michael Swantek

Producer:
Leanne Robinson-Maine

Executive Producer: Guy Noerr

USA 2008

Nominated for Best Feature Film

Winner: Destination Manawatu Award for Best Feature Film

"I was a plunderer of Earth; stealing my grandchildren’s future. And that is not the legacy one wants to leave behind.” One of the slickest, most professional films submitted to this year’s festival, So Right So Smart tells the story of how, in an epiphanal moment, Ray Anderson, founder of the hugely successful Interface Corporation, realised the implications of his company’s way of operating. Describing it as “like a spear in the chest,” Anderson accepted the ethical imperative to ensure Interface no longer imperilled but in fact contributed to a sustainable future. The decision, he believed, was “So right.” As his vision turned into action, he realised sustainability was also “So smart”—it helped, not hindered, his business goals. So Right So Smart also shows how ecologically sound business practices foster better business in general, using examples such as clothing company Patagonia, the Green Mountain Coffee Roasters, rock stars the Bare Naked Ladies and others. Insights from luminaries like Paul Hawken, David Suzuki, Lester Brown, and many others entertain and inform, and the narration by Daryl Hannah links the various aspects of the film to help create a truly inspirational film that should be required viewing for all our politicians and captains of industry. Highly recommended.

CHECK OUT A TRAILER OF THE MOVIE HERE

 

Proof that supports our claim that sustainability is good for business!

If you have read this BLOG on a regular basis you will know the mantra of "sustainability is good for business" here is some proof that supports this claim.

EurActiv.com, 21 September 2009 - Global revenues from climate-related businesses such as energy efficiency rose by 75% in 2008 to $530 billion and could exceed $2 trillion by 2020, HSBC Global Research estimated on Friday (18 September).

In the 2006 Stern Review on the economics of climate change, climate-related revenues were forecast to climb to $500 billion by 2050.

"We can see that this seemingly huge figure has already been surpassed well ahead of time as more and more businesses adapt their business model," said Joaquim de Lima, global head of quant research for equities at HSBC.

The climate sector has surpassed the size of the global aerospace or defence industry, with the United States, Japan, France, Germany and Spain accounting for 76% of global climate revenues, the report found.

For revenues to rise to $2 trillion, the way energy is generated and used needs to change and continued government support is needed.

The four core investment pillars will be low-carbon energy production, energy efficiency, control of water, waste and pollution and climate finance, the report said.

Energy efficiency recorded the highest investment returns in the year to date at 30%, followed by carbon finance at 24%.

"This is a very significant trend given the substantial share of climate stimulus funds that have been directed at energy efficiency and energy management by governments across the globe," HSBC analysts said.

New Zealand business should take not of the content above. As we go forward into the NZETS it simply makes economic sense to be sustainable in business!

ETS 101 - a starting guide

There is much debate in NZ on the proposed NZETS. We must remember that an ETS is not the total solution to all of the emission problems nor is it the only response.

To follow is a 101 guide to ETS.

It has always been our position that being sustainable is good for business! This is now bearing fruit as there is a direct positive economic impact related to the cost of carbon under and NZETS.

For example if the power price is set to rise in the NZETS then being more energy efficient will save you money! We think this is a "no brainer"!

Emissions Trading

 

Emissions trading is a policy instrument available to mitigate GHG emissions. It involves putting a limit on the quantity of GHG emissions that can be emitted to the atmosphere over a set period of time – the “emissions cap”

 

Government policy documents state that emissions trading schemes are internationally recognised as an equitable, effective and efficient way to reduce greenhouse gas emissions.

 

Emitters of carbon will need to purchase carbon credits. As carbon is emitted, the credits that a business holds/processes will need to be surrendered, effectively “paying” for the greenhouse gasses produced.

 

GHG emissions are usually converted to their carbon dioxide equivalent [CO₂e]

 

Trading participants can then purchase and sell emission allowances in order to meet their emissions cap.

 

Emissions trading operates like a commodity market where the price is determined by the Market based on the relative supply.

 

The price of the emission allowance [the carbon price] is the financial incentive to limit emissions.

 

Emissions trading alone will not be sufficient to achieve the global reductions in GHG emissions that are required to stabilise atmospheric GHG concentrations, but ETS is the principal instrument that governments are employing in the first instance.

 

Any ETS system has advantages and disadvantages. Potential advantages of an ETS include:

 

• The guarantee of a specific emissions reduction [abatement] outcome which is set by an emission cap
• Can lead to the use of innovation and business responses to reduce the resource intensity and affect of business on GHG emissions

 

Potential disadvantages can include:

 

• The carbon price is not known in advance
• Can be costly to establish
• If free rebates and permits are offered then economic distortions can occur

 

Cap and Trade

 

New Zealand has chosen a cap and trade system. This involves setting a specific limit (a cap) on the quantity of emissions that can be released to the atmosphere from a specified group of emission sources over a given time period.

 

For an ETS to be effective and efficient as a mitigation instrument the trading  system should cover some of the following key principles:

 

• Maximum emissions coverage
• Provide a clear market incentive to reduce emissions
• Be embodied in long term government policy
• Maximise administration efficiencies to reduce compliance costs
• Have a clear set of standards that allow for accurate emissions accounting
• Provide economic efficiency and equity

 

What is the ETS

 

Under an ETS, prices are established for units to emit greenhouse gases. It is hoped that these prices influence decisions by producers, consumers and investors, in their decision making around the reduction of emissions and to look at viable alternatives.

 

Put more simply, essentially, if you create emissions, say by using fossil fuels by driving your car e.g. petroleum, it costs you units (so called carbon credits). If you create a carbon sink (plant trees) that then soak up carbon emissions, you create credit units that can be traded.

If you have any questions or comments let us know?

[WRI's EarthTrends Delivered] Climate and Energy Charts and Figures

I recently signed up with the WRI's earth trends service which I have previously mentioned in this BLOG.

I have received my first update and wanted to share one set of data with you.

Global CO2 Emissions Growth in Select Sectors: 2000-2005

Total global emissions grew 12.7% between 2000 and 2005, an average of 2.4% a year. However, individual sectors grew at rates between 40% and near zero percent, and there are substantial differences in sectoral growth rates between developed and developing countries.

This chart shows emissions growth by region in four select sectors: electricity & heat, transport, industry, and building use. Emissions growth in every sector is primarily attributable to developing countries, which now account for the majority of emissions from electricity & heat, as well as industry. However, developed countries still account for a majority of emissions in the transport and building use sectors.

These figures are quite sobering. At a time when there is still lots of debate here in NZ about the implementation of the NZETS these figures show why every country must do something to reduce consumption, resource intensity and the release of CO2e emissions.

The following graph is courtesy of the WRI service.

Reel Earth Environmental Film Festival - Wellington NZ

MEDIA RELEASE

3 September 2009

THE PROOF THAT SUSTAINABLE BUSINESS IS GOOD BUSINESS HITS THE BIG SCREEN

An award-winning film showing what is possible when a multi-national company, with operations in New Zealand, commits to a more sustainable path, will open the Wellington season of the Reel Earth Environmental film festival.

So Right, So Smart, described by judges at this year's Reel Earth Awards as 'a truly inspirational film that should be required viewing for all politicians and captains of industry' will screen at the Paramount on 1 October.

The film presents a good news story at a time when business needs good news stories.

So Right, So Smart tells the story of how, in an epiphanal moment, Ray Anderson, founder of the hugely successful Interface Corporation, realised the implications of his company's way of operating and decided to take a different path. He set about changing their business practices and setting a goal of having no environmental footprint by the year 2020. In the process, he realised that the changes he was making were actually very good for business.

Anderson's philosophy reaches across the company's many international operations, including here in New Zealand.

Managing Director of Interface NZ, Robb Donze, says that the key to making better business practices work is leadership from the top.

'Ray has set the bar very high for the company globally. Interface NZ works hard to lower its own environmental footprint here in New Zealand. All products are certified as climate neutral. Our entire footprint locally is offset through Landcare's carboNZero program.

'We are active members of the NZ Business Council for Sustainable Development and are sponsors of the Green Building Council's Interior Fit Out Tool. We take our leadership position very seriously and continue to show the business case for sustainability by our own example.'

Robb Donze will speak at the screening, giving the audience a chance to hear first hand what worked and what is necessary to successfully implement sustainable business practices in New Zealand.

So Right, So Smart shows how ecologically sound business practices foster better business in general, using examples such as Patagonia and the Green Mountain Coffee Roasters. The film features insights from world experts such as David Suzuki, Paul Hawken and Lester Brown.

So Right, So Smart won Best Feature Film at this year's Reel Earth Environmental Film Festival Awards.

The Wellington Season of the Reel Earth Environmental Film Festival is hosted by the Wellington Branch of Forest and Bird and sponsored by Graphic Press.

The Festival runs from the 1 - 15 October and features films on environmental issues and the natural environment. More details are at

www.reelearth.org.nz

Ends

CONTACT - Vicki Connor, Forest and Bird, Wellington Branch, by e-mail until 8 September envirofilms@gmail.com <

mailto:envirofilms@gmail.com

> , after 8 September 027 222 2943

WHAT: So Right, So Smart film screening and talk by Robb Donze, Managing Director Interface NZ

WHEN: Thursday 1 October, 5.30pm (screening at 6pm)

WHERE: The Paramount, Courtenay Place, Wellington.

TICKETS: In advance from the Paramount or by e-mailing envirofilms@gmail.com <

mailto:envirofilms@gmail.com>

Tickets are $20 and include a glass of Yealands wine, an award winning boutique vineyard committed to sustainable viticulture.

Making sustainability work - communities of expertise

 When I cleared my mail box today the latest edition of Idealog magazine was waiting for me.

In this months issue they are promoting the following:

Subscriberswill have a nice, new and generally fresh September-October copy of Idealog in their letterboxes by now. The rest of you will have to huddle at the newsagent Monday onwards, for your copy.

This time around, members of the media will wince uncomfortably at reading Matt Cooney’s story Free Thinking, but there’s plenty more in the rag to feast your eyes on.

I’m looking forward to Matt Suddain’s yarn about the Sony Walkman—yes, it was 30 years ago today when it made that C-90 play—and how it’s changed our world. Then there’s Orion Health that plans to help Barack Obama with his healthcare reforms, four dancing women, corporate sabotage, a new advice column from Lance Wiggs and a magazine typically full of creative ideas and business thinking.

But wait—there’s more, and we’re not talking infomercials either. Folded inside Idealog you’ll find a copy of Celsias. It’s our new eco-news magazine, featuring stories like the new venture that former Bendon baron Stefan Preston has launched with one-time joya teacher Jyoti Morningstar; plus, it’s asking quarrelsome questions like ‘Is Sustainability Dead?’ Well, is it? Read for yourself, and head over to www.celsias.co.nz to get an idea of what the magazine’s all about (hint: it’s not all about the magazine).

I had a read of the sections on Sustainability and decided to register with Celsias.

Celsias state that sustainability is not a spectator sport!

I commend any initiative to raise the profile of sustainability. The only way we collectively will make a difference is by our strong networks and it looks like Celsias is a good one to be involved with.

Let me know your thoughts and if you will join?

Green Pen update #8 It still looks like a pen!

The last green pen trial update was on 3 June 2009. Since then we have had a hard winter in Wellington.

Today has turned sunny after a rainstorm and gale winds over night!

To follow are the latest pictures of the pen sitting in my garden. As you will notice that more than a year after I put it there it still looks like a pen and the printing is still very clear!

 

 

 

Making the environment sexy! The Age of Stupid Movie

Did you know that the producer of the movie THE AGE OF STUPID is a kiwi? Lizzie Gillett cut her teeth in Dunedin.

Will this movie be the next Inconvenient Truth?

From my research it looks like they are using some strong facts and information as a basis for the movie.

The Age of Stupidis the new four-year epic from McLibel director Franny Armstrong. Oscar-nominated Pete Postlethwaite stars as a man living alone in the devastated world of 2055, looking at old footage from 2008 and asking: why didn’t we stop climate change when we had the chance?

I will check the movie out in the next week and post my review. Please post a comment and review if you have seen the movie.

Carpooling - Greener, cheaper and more fun?? Maybe?

In this mornings Dominion Post print edition I read an article on page A2 about a new Wellington based car pool scheme.

One of the factors of reinstating the car pooling system is the ongoing problems with the regions commuter trains!

The article tells me that 700 people have signed up for the system. How may vehicle journeys does this take off the regions roads?

It is a fine balancing act between the potential of more vehicle trips as a result of commuter fleeing the trains! But at the current moment who want to use our truly 3rd world system?

I comment the Regional Council for the Let's carpool web site- however I ask the questions is this not the same regional council that has progressively let our trains get run down thru lack of investment!

Roll on 2010-11 for the arrival of our new trains and good luck to those trying car pooling. Let us all know what it is like if you use the service?

2020 or 2040 what should the target be for NZ

It is interesting times when it comes to the announcement of New Zealand's 2020 and 2040 emission reduction targets.

The Government has strongly rejected the Greenpeace Sign On initiative!

Here is some information that you may find of interest? It is about 2050 targets in the USA.

This is reproduced courtesy of WBCSD and Greenwire

U.S. can cut half its transportation emissions by 2050 -- report

The United States can cut greenhouse gas emissions from transportation in half by 2050 with strategies ranging from cutting speed limits to imposing road pricing, according to a report released today by federal agencies and environmental and industry groups.

Examining about 50 transportation strategies, the report found transportation emissions could be reduced 24 percent by 2050 by acting to change travel behavior and land-use patterns. The emissions reduction hit 47 percent by adding road pricing techniques, ranging from pay-as-you-go insurance to charging Americans for every mile driven.

The report found environmental gains from advances in fuel efficiency would be mostly undermined by increased travel and population, making it important to address the efficiency of the transportation sector by investing in public transit, land-use planning and other low-carbon alternatives.

John Porcari, deputy secretary at the Department of Transportation, said the report shows that lawmakers looking to recast the nation's transportation system to curb emissions and fuel consumption will need to look for combinations of policy changes. "There is no magic bullet," he said. "There is no single strategy that can be pursued to help us turn our corner. We need to look at a number of options."

Transportation accounts for roughly 28 percent of the United States' greenhouse gas emissions, and the sector has been one of the fastest-growing in the past two decades -- representing nearly half of the nation's total increase in greenhouse emissions since 1990.

The sweeping energy and climate measure that the House passed last month, H.R. 2454, would require carbon dioxide emissions to drop 17 percent below 2005 levels and a total of 83 percent by 2050. The study released today finds that making the transportation sector more efficient is critical to meeting those goals.

"We can't get there from here without reducing emissions from transportation," said Colin Peppard, climate and infrastructure policy director for Environmental Defense Fund, one of the groups that commissioned the report.

The report was written by consulting firm Cambridge Systematics. Its sponsors include DOT, the American Public Transportation Association and Shell Oil Co.

MAKES FOR INTERESTING READING!

WRI Report - Emerging Risks: Impacts of Key Environmental Trends in Emerging Asia

Are you on the WRI World Resources Institute emailing list? If not you should be.

Here is one good reason - they send you emails updating you on studies and reports.

Here is one that will be og interest!

Emerging Risks: Impacts of Key Environmental Trends in Emerging Asia

Emerging Risks: Impacts of Key Environmental Trends in Emerging Asia lays the groundwork for analysts to understand environmental issues as financially material, and for companies to see the financial benefits of reducing their environmental impacts.

This report is the first in a series establishing the link between issues like climate change, air pollution, water supply, and natural resource depletion and traditional financial analysis on corporate value and financial strength for companies in six key Asian economies – India, Indonesia, Malaysia, Philippines, Thailand, and Vietnam.

The report lays the groundwork for analysts to understand environmental issues as financially material, and for companies to see the financial benefits of reducing their environmental impacts.

The report is 58 pages and the PDF file is 2.3MB and it is well worth a read!

Some good advice for business - Sustainability study

I have just come across some great sustainability information on the AT KEARNEY web site.

A.T. Kearney was a sponsor of the Economist Intelligence Unit’s report titled Doing Good: Business and the Sustainability Challenge. This report summarizes the learning from a global survey of over 1,200 executives and interviews with leading sustainability experts.

This is global information and the findings and conclusions apply to the NZ Situation.

The findings outlined in the report reinforce many of the insights we have seen in our own research and in our sustainability work with clients across the globe. The report shows that many companies are still working to figure out what sustainability means for their business and how to ingrain a sustainability strategy in their organizations.

Key findings from the study include the following:

• Business knows that it needs to raise its game but is often confused by such new and poorly defined demands
• The conventional wisdom that North American firms lag on sustainability is partly deserved, but partly a matter of perception
• Competitors are a key driver for change in North America, in Asia-Pacific governmental officials are the key driver, and in Europe it is consumers
• Many companies lack clear leadership on sustainability
• The supply chain is the weakest link
• Sustainability reporting needs more work
• Sustainability pays – and a correlation appears to exist between corporate action and strong share price performance
• Gains can be expected from cost reductions, new markets and enhanced reputations, although concerns about the expense affect firms
• Increased investor attractiveness is not yet a key hook
• Business leaders are open to more regulation on social and environmental issues

What do you think of the list above? Are there issues listed that you are thinking about? Are you factoring in increased business costs when the NZETS is implemented?

Check out the downloads from ATK and remember that you need to be thinking how economic sustainability and environmental sustainability go hand in hand.

Business owners are still focused on SUSTAINABILITY

Sempre Avanti Consulting was an exhibitor at the Bizzone Business Expo in Wellington last week.

It was pleasing for us to engage with numerious passionate business people and business owners who have a focus on sustainability.

In the current recession it would be easy to follow the Governments lead and put "sustainability" issues on the back burner! We have always maintained that sustainability is good for business!

The business owners we spoke with agree. We had a number of visitors at our stand who wanted more information about carbon accounting, emissions inventories, waste audits and how to be more environmentally sustainable which leads to economic sustainability.

CLICK HERE TO SEE PHOTOS OF THE SAC STAND AT THE EXPO

We had a number of visitors ask us about the carboncounted system - more information can be found here

We look forward to talking in more detail with those who visited our stand that have requested more information.

Envirostep - could you use this tool? Would you use this?

 The Ministry of Economic Development has developed a entry level environmental measurement tool called ENVIROSTEP.

The web site states:

Envirostep is a free, entry-level environmental management tool for small to medium enterprises (SMEs) in New Zealand. It was developed by the Ministry of Economic Development in collaboration with a number of other contributors (see panel to the right), and provides users with:

• An environmental performance score & profile.
• Recommendations (to reduce operating costs, environmental impacts & risk).
• An action plan (to implement selected recommendations).
• Over 300 links to other environmental tools, service providers & further information.

If you are a regular reader of this BLOG you will have read about GHG footprint certification, greenwashing and carbon credits.

We have not signed up to Envirostep as we use the CarbonCounted system to measure our GHG footprint.

If you are a small business would you use this system? Let our reads know what you think?

If you use Envirostep please give us some feedback!

Hyundai introduces the Elantra LPI

If you have read this BLOG for some time you know that we have written about the pros and cons of Hybrid cars.

It is interesting to see that Hybrid cars are one of the biggest selling segments in Japan.

I was made aware recently of a new Hybrid model being produced by Hyundaithat rather than being a petrol electric hybrid it is a LPG electric Hybrid. Unlike conventional hybrids (the Toyota Prius and the Honda Insight), the Hyundai has a liquid-petroleum gas engine (with a 1.6-liter displacement) mated to its electric motor. The motor runs on a lithium-ion battery pack.

This got me thinking of the glory days of LPGin New Zealand when you could apply to the Ministry of Energy and get a loan to convert to LPG. I remember doing just that - I had a big Valiant Regal straight 6 and converted it toLPG.

When I visited my local petrol station the other day I noticed that you could still fill up on LPG.

So with this new models being released by Hyundai it got me thinking would this be a great model to introduce here?

The issue with Hybrid vehicles at present is the price differential between standard petrol models and Hybrids.

Having said that maybe this model would be an excellent choice for the Taxi industry?

Proof - consumers do have real power

 I have been an interested observer of the consumer backlash over Cadbury Chocolates decision to add palm oil to its Chocolate! Not only that but they reduced the size of products and kept the same prices.

I looked at a slab of Diary Milk at the supermarket yesterday I was pleased to confirm that the slab was made in Australia from local and imported ingredients!

This raises an interesting issue of how local is your food? And also what impact does the production have on the environment.

Cadburyhas a production plant in Dunedin but they only make novelty bars there not slabs of chocolate.

Twitter has been awash with consumer comments - all negative for Cadbury and their competitors in NZ are dining out on it. You just need to check out the Whittakers TV add.

It will be interesting to see if Cadbury sales reduce in NZ as a result and if Whittakers sales increase?

Do you read the labels when you go shopping? It makes scary reading sometimes!

Carbon Certification - good or bad for consumers? You be the judge!

If you have read this BLOG before you will know that we have posted information about carbon certification, carbon credits, green washing and the need for consumers to understand more fully any carbon neutral claims.

Recently the local cab company here in Wellington - Wellington Combined Cabs have gone certified carbon neutral by using the carboNZero certification system.

As a user of taxis I have witnessed first had that changes this cab company has made to its fleet make up. First they allowed hybrids in the fleet and then diesel vehicles and now there is a total focus on emissions efficient vehicles and vehicles that can use alternative fuels. Yesterday I saw a Hyundai i30 diesel on the cab rank on Lambton Quay.

The Wellington Combined summary of certification document makes interesting reading for any user of taxis. I suggest you consider the exclusions from the GHG emissions inventory and how this might apply to you or your business?

It will be interesting to see how another Wellington Cab Company "Green Cabs" responds to Wellington Combined marketing strategy?

As we have always said the use of taxis needs to meet the "fit for purpose test" and you need to consider a number of factors when selecting your preferred taxi suppler.

To follow is the latest marketing material from Wellington Combined on its carboNZero certification.

Oil vs. Sustainability! UAE earmarks $136 mln to fund green energy agency

I have just read an interesting press release:

Reuters, 22 June 2009 - The UAE is ready to spend $136 million to fund the International Renewable Energy Agency (IRENA) if its bid to host the agency's headquarters is successful, a senior official said on Monday.

The world's third-largest oil exporter wants to place itself at the forefront of developments that may shape the future energy industry and hosting IRENA was part of that plan, Sultan al-Jaber, chief executive of Abu Dhabi's state-owned green energy initiative Masdar told Reuters in an interview.

"Oil exporting countries can either see renewable energy as a threat or as an opportunity and we know that this is the future so that's why we are committed to IRENA," Jaber said. "If we win, the Abu Dhabi government will fund the agency with $136 million until 2015."

READ MORE .........

The information about the IRENA makes interesting background reading.

Do you think the UAE is the right place for this agency?

We hear a lot about "peak oil" and the end of oil as we know it!

I find it interesting that their is now engagement by oil producers on green energy issues. In my view this raises some challenges about oil ethics and the commitment to find sustainable energy solutions for the generations to come?

LET ME KNOW WHAT YOU THINK????

350.org can we all make a difference???

I came across 350.org on twitter the other day.

Dear World,

This is an invitation to help build a movement--to take one day and use it to stop the climate crisis.

On October 24, we will stand together as one planet and call for a fair global climate treaty. United by a common call to action, we'll make it clear: the world needs an international plan that meets the latest science and gets us back to safety.

This movement has just begun, and it needs your help.

I would like to suggest you check this out and see if this is something you want to get involved with?

Please let me know your thoughts? I believe than any activity that raises the profile of global warming and climate change is good. It creates discussion and debate which is a good thing.

AIRpod the air powered car

I have just com across the airpod the air powered car.

CLICK HERE

Let me know what you think?

Green Pen Update#7 One Year on!

The first BLOG post on the "green pen" was 28 June 2008 and so it is now nearly one year since I wrote about my informal trial of the green pen.

My last update was in February and I just took a photo of the pen after the coldest May in 10 years.

As you can see it still looks like a pen, the vege ink has not degraded at all and the only noticeable degrading is at the clip end of the pen!

As this pen was advertised as biodegradable within 90 days do you think that statement was BS? Could we class the claim as Greenwashing? Let me know your thoughts?

Will Mr Chu be the next big player in the global fight for saving the planet?

Mr Chu was chosen by President Obama to head up the Department of energy and be Obama's advise on Climate Change and Sustainability and Energy Issues.

You should check out the Department of Energy's web site as it has some great resources to call on.

Mr Chu is quoted here inNZ today and tells us all to paint the roof of our house white as positive action in the fight for climate change. Do you agree or do you think this is crazy science?

If Mr Chu is going to play a major part in the upcoming meetings in Europe at the end of the year then I suggest you check this guy out.

I am not sure if you can call him a science geek, green guru or not and I have not made up my mind on if this guy can make a difference and get the USA to play a leadership role in the post Kyoto world?

Let me know what you think?

40% cut by 2020? Do you agree and will it work?

Has anyone visited the "Sign On the word needs us" web site yet? If you have I am keen to find out what you think and to see if you signed up and why?

Greenpeace NZ is behind this mainstream attempt to get our Government to engage on a tougher target on New Zealand Greenhouse gas emission reduction target.

From my understanding of this initiative the goal is to get the powers that be to acknowledge that a 40% reduction on 1990 levels by 2020 is better than 50% by 2050. They make some good points and have a range of high profile people endorsing the position.

WHAT DO YOU THINK?

I think that no matter what your opinions of greenpeace are they are making some noise and generating interest in this issue that under National seems to have been brushed under the carpet.

If you have read this BLOG you will no that the position we have is that the delayed ETS and the economic slow down is not a excuse to do nothing!

Our stance has not changed - GREEN IS GOOD FOR BUSINESS and being sustainable in business is common sense and on so many fronts.

If you run a business then there is NO WAY that you do not want to save money on the bottom line! By taking sustainable business practices and calling them process review and improvements you can save money and become more sustainable. Remember economic sustainability is the name of the game.

So I congratulate greenpeace for raising the awareness of this issue and look forward to you comments on your visits to the sign-on site.