Because he was a hero of mine, and he deserves more than one single blurb.
A reminiscence from Joel Makower, founder of GreenBiz.
His eulogy, delivered by Paul Hawken, entrepreneur and author.
8.12.2011
8.08.2011
Painful goodbye
The business world has lost a true leader and, in many ways, a pioneer. The sustainability world, especially, has lost a cornerstone. Ray Anderson, founder and CEO of Interface--a carpet and flooring innovator--has died today.
In his honor, here's his TED talk from 2009.
R.I.P., Ray.
In his honor, here's his TED talk from 2009.
R.I.P., Ray.
Know your hometown
My past several weeks have been consumed by reading voraciously, applying and interviewing for jobs, learning computing languages, and re-teaching myself calculus, so I'm taking a moment to break the silence with an interesting link that has little to do with anything else I write about here, except in my continued obsession with Durham.
A new site talks about the history of Durham, and the nomenclature for its streets and buildings.
A new site talks about the history of Durham, and the nomenclature for its streets and buildings.
7.04.2011
happy birthday, America
On this fourth of July, to celebrate the American colonies declaring their independence from the British crown, I thought it seemed appropriate to post articles about British and Mexican politics. ...what?
The way I see it, despite the fact they're talking about other countries, they address issues that are at the heart of American potential. Ideas that it's important to remember. Particularly that these United States of America are supposed to be the land of opportunity. Somewhere along the line, we've forgotten this in our politics--ceaselessly bickering about health care, taxes, and immigration. Which brings me to the articles.
First up, a well written piece by J K Rowling addressing the state and direction of Britain's social programs. It succinctly explains why I'm in favor of social welfare programs. When you get down to it, if a person has to choose between rent and groceries, the rest of us have failed as human beings. If it happens systemically, we've failed as individuals and as a nation.
Second, the immigration issue. My problem with the vast majority of anti-immigrant discourse is that it's stunningly ignorant of the conditions faced by people in other countries. Many of the so-called "first-world" countries have no idea what abject poverty and widespread corruption even look like. If you want to slow immigration, you need to help others up. When the tables start to turn and things get better in your own neighborhood, the grass looks a little less green on the other side. Case in point.
Anyway, here's to a great anniversary, America. Let's hope we get our priorities straight and become the country we have so much potential to be.
The way I see it, despite the fact they're talking about other countries, they address issues that are at the heart of American potential. Ideas that it's important to remember. Particularly that these United States of America are supposed to be the land of opportunity. Somewhere along the line, we've forgotten this in our politics--ceaselessly bickering about health care, taxes, and immigration. Which brings me to the articles.
First up, a well written piece by J K Rowling addressing the state and direction of Britain's social programs. It succinctly explains why I'm in favor of social welfare programs. When you get down to it, if a person has to choose between rent and groceries, the rest of us have failed as human beings. If it happens systemically, we've failed as individuals and as a nation.
Second, the immigration issue. My problem with the vast majority of anti-immigrant discourse is that it's stunningly ignorant of the conditions faced by people in other countries. Many of the so-called "first-world" countries have no idea what abject poverty and widespread corruption even look like. If you want to slow immigration, you need to help others up. When the tables start to turn and things get better in your own neighborhood, the grass looks a little less green on the other side. Case in point.
Anyway, here's to a great anniversary, America. Let's hope we get our priorities straight and become the country we have so much potential to be.
7.03.2011
barbecue patriots
A digression from my normal posts on sustainability, politics, business, etc., but deeply relevant to my interests nonetheless.
A narrative examination of what makes traditional wood-cooked NC barbecue so great.
Having wood-cooked my own whole-hog and shoulder-only barbecue over wood and only wood, I can definitely concur that it's tough work, and even harder to get right. The places that consistently serve up a good plate have worked barbecue magic and learned lessons only time and practice can teach.
Appreciate the work that goes into your foods. And don't mess with the basics of what makes it great. Barbecue is simple, but made with sweat and care. "Artisanal" is just a fancy term for how we've always been doing it.
A narrative examination of what makes traditional wood-cooked NC barbecue so great.
Having wood-cooked my own whole-hog and shoulder-only barbecue over wood and only wood, I can definitely concur that it's tough work, and even harder to get right. The places that consistently serve up a good plate have worked barbecue magic and learned lessons only time and practice can teach.
Appreciate the work that goes into your foods. And don't mess with the basics of what makes it great. Barbecue is simple, but made with sweat and care. "Artisanal" is just a fancy term for how we've always been doing it.
6.06.2011
(Belated) Spring cleaning
Clearing out my inbox and reader, I have a few links I've been meaning to share.
1. Every time someone states the obvious, an angel gets conked over the head by a wiffle bat. This is only relevant if you're stating that across all business, there's no unified view from CEOs of what sustainability's implications are. I start to understand why consultants are seen as so frivolous. It's partly a misunderstanding of what they do (ideas vs. implementation), but partly because they tend to make obvious and/or redundant statements.
2. Like the new plate-based nutrition guidelines, I dig the better presentation of information on the new fuel economy stickers. I'm a fan of the QR-enabled interactivity, and think it does a far better job of helping consumers visualize their choices.
3. A rough roadmap to true sustainability. The emergence of natural/climate capitalism as a philosophy, and what it means to pursue climate capitalism in the near-term and long-term, excerpted from L. Hunter Lovins's latest book. As an aside, I've heard her speak, and she's a truly effervescent thought leader in this area. I've been really pleased by the increasing authority lent to her and Amory Lovins as they work toward impactful change in the business world.
1. Every time someone states the obvious, an angel gets conked over the head by a wiffle bat. This is only relevant if you're stating that across all business, there's no unified view from CEOs of what sustainability's implications are. I start to understand why consultants are seen as so frivolous. It's partly a misunderstanding of what they do (ideas vs. implementation), but partly because they tend to make obvious and/or redundant statements.
2. Like the new plate-based nutrition guidelines, I dig the better presentation of information on the new fuel economy stickers. I'm a fan of the QR-enabled interactivity, and think it does a far better job of helping consumers visualize their choices.
3. A rough roadmap to true sustainability. The emergence of natural/climate capitalism as a philosophy, and what it means to pursue climate capitalism in the near-term and long-term, excerpted from L. Hunter Lovins's latest book. As an aside, I've heard her speak, and she's a truly effervescent thought leader in this area. I've been really pleased by the increasing authority lent to her and Amory Lovins as they work toward impactful change in the business world.
5.14.2011
This oath I make freely, and upon my honor.
I just thought I'd give a little shout-out to the fine folks who put together the MBA Oath, an attempt to hold business professionals to the same standards of doing no harm to society as doctors, lawyers, and other trade professionals.
Check it out here.
Check it out here.
from the trenches
I'm in the midst of trying to graduate with my MBA (tomorrow at noon, formally!), and have been absent. I know all of you missed me terribly, right? (Or at least my mom.) Anyway, just wanted to post an interesting bit of research from Boston Consulting Group dissecting how the rapidly inflating labor prices in China and the increase in the Yuan's value will ultimately result in a total landed cost favorable to onshoring labor within the next few years. Interesting, and also related to a post I made long ago about how the US was already becoming gradually rediscovered by services and manufacturing firms that had previously (often hastily) fled toward lower labor costs.
I don't necessarily think the US will become the primary most-attractive country overnight (if at all--I suspect, rather, that some other country will replace China as a low-cost workhorse), but it's an interesting thought.
I don't necessarily think the US will become the primary most-attractive country overnight (if at all--I suspect, rather, that some other country will replace China as a low-cost workhorse), but it's an interesting thought.
4.12.2011
Breaking Wind News
Er, I'm ashamed to say that was intentional.
Still, Spanish wind developer Iberdrola has accomplished what seemed like the impossible: creating a plan for a large-scale wind farm in NC that has yet to draw controversy.
What's that feeling in my heart? Is it heart failure?
"Hope"?
What's that? Is it terminal?
Still, Spanish wind developer Iberdrola has accomplished what seemed like the impossible: creating a plan for a large-scale wind farm in NC that has yet to draw controversy.
What's that feeling in my heart? Is it heart failure?
"Hope"?
What's that? Is it terminal?
4.07.2011
Another link-dumping
This time, on sustainability:
I: Top Ten Cleantech Companies
II: Given the current political things of note (i.e., potential shutdown of the government), it only seems appropriate to post this bit on where the states are going on clean energy. Generally not in a good mood about politics lately.
III: I think without commentary, you can come up with your own conclusions about Del Monte's latest "green" initiative. Maybe you can even come up with clever names for them.
In brighter news:
IV: North Carolina's bright opportunity
V: If you can believe Walmart is in the "in brighter news" section, their efforts have really blown the top off of others' corporate sustainability programs. It may not be perfect, but it's moving things.
VI: In vaguely related news, it seems that shareholders respond to sustainability initiatives, but only when they appear to have real teeth.
VII: Iceland is looking to make a big investment in clean tech infrastructure and transmission.
and just for kicks:
Arty photos of TVs being turned off.
I: Top Ten Cleantech Companies
II: Given the current political things of note (i.e., potential shutdown of the government), it only seems appropriate to post this bit on where the states are going on clean energy. Generally not in a good mood about politics lately.
III: I think without commentary, you can come up with your own conclusions about Del Monte's latest "green" initiative. Maybe you can even come up with clever names for them.
In brighter news:
IV: North Carolina's bright opportunity
V: If you can believe Walmart is in the "in brighter news" section, their efforts have really blown the top off of others' corporate sustainability programs. It may not be perfect, but it's moving things.
VI: In vaguely related news, it seems that shareholders respond to sustainability initiatives, but only when they appear to have real teeth.
VII: Iceland is looking to make a big investment in clean tech infrastructure and transmission.
and just for kicks:
Arty photos of TVs being turned off.
4.05.2011
Craig's Vision
Just thought I'd share what may well be a paradigm-buster for non-profits. Or, it could just be a bust. Time will tell, I suppose. Still, Craigslist founder Craig Newmark sets his sights on bringing together non-profit organizations in much the same way Craigslist brought together buyers, sellers, missed connections, and "escort" services.
4.02.2011
on Saturn and other stuff
Yesterday, friends, was my first anniversary. How did I celebrate it? After team meetings at school, Ian and I grabbed dinner with some friends at Pop's for some delicious cheesesteak action. Yes, so romantic, right? Well, fine, but after that we went to a fire circle in the country where the stars were crazy-bright, bluegrass was playing, and someone had a telescope set up.
Through that telescope, you could see Saturn, rings and all. It appeared ablaze with light. Looking online, I see Saturn is, at its closest, 1.2 billion km away from Earth. That I could so clearly see the thing from a distance my brain can't even comprehend makes one feel deceptively less small than one probably ought feel in the universe.
Still, my anniversary rocked.
In other news, I had the second half of a Saturday short-course today. In it we discussed the business case for sustainability, especially issues facing large companies. There are some things that have bothered me a lot about the sustainability discussion of late:
1. Certifications. One big one recently touted has been the ISO 14000 family. ISO 14001, in particular, simply certifies that you have an environmental management system that you track. The goals and performance metrics are set by the company. In one way this is great, since it allows flexibility across industries and disciplines, but on the other, it doesn't necessarily guarantee much at all.
2. Trade-offs. This is the subject of some of the major "sins of greenwashing"--shielding trade-offs or implying false trade-offs. This has been a major gripe of mine with use of compostable products and "biodegradable" packaging. Turns out, if you do an actual life-cycle analysis, it's terrible to put in landfills. If you're going to have compostable service ware, COMPOST.
3. Businesspeople think sustainability is at its zenith. It's not. It's in its infancy, and there's no dialog on how to realistically advance past mere efficiency in the long term. What happens when everyone is equally efficient and your efforts no longer offer you competitive advantage? What happens when consumption increases and disposal options decrease and/or become more costly? Let's brainstorm on this, folks.
That's all for now. Exhausted.
Through that telescope, you could see Saturn, rings and all. It appeared ablaze with light. Looking online, I see Saturn is, at its closest, 1.2 billion km away from Earth. That I could so clearly see the thing from a distance my brain can't even comprehend makes one feel deceptively less small than one probably ought feel in the universe.
Still, my anniversary rocked.
In other news, I had the second half of a Saturday short-course today. In it we discussed the business case for sustainability, especially issues facing large companies. There are some things that have bothered me a lot about the sustainability discussion of late:
1. Certifications. One big one recently touted has been the ISO 14000 family. ISO 14001, in particular, simply certifies that you have an environmental management system that you track. The goals and performance metrics are set by the company. In one way this is great, since it allows flexibility across industries and disciplines, but on the other, it doesn't necessarily guarantee much at all.
2. Trade-offs. This is the subject of some of the major "sins of greenwashing"--shielding trade-offs or implying false trade-offs. This has been a major gripe of mine with use of compostable products and "biodegradable" packaging. Turns out, if you do an actual life-cycle analysis, it's terrible to put in landfills. If you're going to have compostable service ware, COMPOST.
3. Businesspeople think sustainability is at its zenith. It's not. It's in its infancy, and there's no dialog on how to realistically advance past mere efficiency in the long term. What happens when everyone is equally efficient and your efforts no longer offer you competitive advantage? What happens when consumption increases and disposal options decrease and/or become more costly? Let's brainstorm on this, folks.
That's all for now. Exhausted.
3.29.2011
WTF moment of the day
This slime materials mover is just absurdly cool to watch in action. At first it seems like there's not much purpose to it, but you can totally imagine it might come in handy in a laboratory setting, working with a variety of different materials. It could also be handy in art, really. Picking up media and moving them to a precise spot has a lot of potential.
I had a conversation with someone about it where we also recalled a nanotechnology exhibit at the Museum of Life & Science in Durham. The exhibit showed surface materials composed of nanoscale tech that was meant to imitate the way water rolls off cabbage leaves without the regular surface tension water displays when rolling on other things. I guess this is a similar phenomenon to what happens when water rolls off a duck's feathers. Biomimicry at its finest.
It's interesting to think of how difficult we find it to imitate what occurs automatically in nature (though I suppose nature has billions of evolution-years on us).
I had a conversation with someone about it where we also recalled a nanotechnology exhibit at the Museum of Life & Science in Durham. The exhibit showed surface materials composed of nanoscale tech that was meant to imitate the way water rolls off cabbage leaves without the regular surface tension water displays when rolling on other things. I guess this is a similar phenomenon to what happens when water rolls off a duck's feathers. Biomimicry at its finest.
It's interesting to think of how difficult we find it to imitate what occurs automatically in nature (though I suppose nature has billions of evolution-years on us).
3.23.2011
Retired subway cars given new life
Worth clicking through to the original link: Dramatic Photos of Retired Subway Cars Being Tossed Into Ocean
I wonder what the environmental implications are. It's a cool photo series, though, regardless.
I wonder what the environmental implications are. It's a cool photo series, though, regardless.
3.07.2011
well, it's about time
A long time ago, when my parents were convinced that my interest in alternative fuels and energy and in corporate sustainability was some kind of fringe theory, I framed it in terms of national defense on a tactical level.
What could be better evidence of the need for alternative fuel vehicles and greater fuel efficiency than military vehicles in the desert? In addition to reducing the military's fuel sensitivity in dire situations, it would also mean carrying less resupply on the vehicles, which would have a virtuous cycle of benefit. Apparently the U.S. military is starting to agree.
What could be better evidence of the need for alternative fuel vehicles and greater fuel efficiency than military vehicles in the desert? In addition to reducing the military's fuel sensitivity in dire situations, it would also mean carrying less resupply on the vehicles, which would have a virtuous cycle of benefit. Apparently the U.S. military is starting to agree.
3.03.2011
Trendspotting
An interesting hypothesis that sooner or later, Kindles will be free. Stupendously clever on their part, if it's true. As an Amazon Prime member, I'm obviously a major fan.
2.15.2011
optimistic supply chain nerdery
Is the economy improving? At least for supply chains and manufacturing, signs point to yes.
Oh, did I say for manufacturing? Make that non-manufacturing, too.
It seems health care is finally starting to get the picture on supply management. Turns out better managed hospitals may actually improve patient care. Who'd've thought?!
Increasing public scrutiny of environmental practices means supply chains in the developing world are getting the shakedown. This is a good thing in the long run, though I'm sure business leaders are pretty unhappy with it right now.
Oh, did I say for manufacturing? Make that non-manufacturing, too.
It seems health care is finally starting to get the picture on supply management. Turns out better managed hospitals may actually improve patient care. Who'd've thought?!
Increasing public scrutiny of environmental practices means supply chains in the developing world are getting the shakedown. This is a good thing in the long run, though I'm sure business leaders are pretty unhappy with it right now.
On "shared value"
Michael Porter has become one of the greatest, most articulate advocates of business's increasing impetus to create shared value for the community as a means of competitive advantage. It's something that seems intuitive to us CSR/sustainability nerds, but has been thought anathema to good business by many for a long time. Porter also has some great publications on the subject, but I figured I'd link to the recent HBR interview, which sums up the articles nicely.
Rethinking Capitalism - Video - Harvard Business Review
Rethinking Capitalism - Video - Harvard Business Review
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