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.

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.

What color is Triple Bottom Line sustainability?

A thought-provoking question from Joel Makower of GreenBiz.com. Just what color is the Triple Bottom Line? "Green" seems inappropriate, but is "blue"--as is suggested at one point--too loaded with political baggage? Is there a better term for folks concerned with the 3 P's (People, Planet, Performance/Profit)?

I'll be interested to see what emerges in the common lexicon.

An open letter to hotels

(hotel name removed to protect the guilty)

Dear Every Hotel I've Ever Stayed In:

Can we talk? I know you claim that you want to help the environment and save resources by reusing towels. That's technically fair, since not washing things means you're not expending the water, electricity, and chemicals to wash and dry those things. Still, I'm going to call bullshit.

Yep. I said it. Your "environmental" claims are a sham, and not the ornamental pillow covering kind, either. I've seen this placard pop up in any number of hotels in the US and internationally. It's fine, and I usually reuse my towels anyway. Still, if you *really* cared about the environment, I'd have seen ONE hotel EVER with recycle bins in the rooms. ONE. EVER. I have not yet encountered this elusive hotel (even in eco-friendly areas), though I hear claims that they exist. Maybe there's one in Shangri-La, and it's staffed by unicorns and happy-faced gnomes.

I mean, it's not like it's much more labor intensive (if at all), and the tipping fees for recyclables are generally cheaper than tipping fees for landfill dumpsters. It's kind of a common sense thing, really.

More than that, you'd also make some effort to have more energy-efficient lighting, and every hotel room I walked into wouldn't be approximately 62 degrees in the summer or 86 degrees in the winter. Seriously. It's downright frigid.

You wouldn't keep your rooms supplied with individually-wrapped disposable nightmares, and you'd have water-efficient shower heads and low-flow toilets, and sink aerators (which I think you might occasionally have, so bravo). And why are none of the appliances in my room Energy-Star? Don't you know you can get tax breaks for Energy-Star compliance?

Anyway, there's a laundry list of other opportunities for you to improve, but for Pete's sake, these are seriously the ones that should be universal.

Anyway, I hope we can work things out.

Sincerely,

Stacie

Happy 4th of July

In its honor, an ode to what makes me love my country, and what makes me miss it while I'm gone--diversity.

In that vein, I'd like to share a brief post on English acquisition by foreign-born individuals. Pretty concise.

As one who has traveled through more than a couple of countries, openly as an American, it really grinds my gear to hear Americans scoff "Learn to speak English!" Generally, they'll say this of people who a) already speak English, but with a noticeable accent, b) can't understand their own dialectic English, or c) look brown.

Having traveled in other countries, I've found almost every region outside th U.S. to be quite encouraging of foreigners (especially Americans) who try to speak their native tongues. In Spanish-speaking countries, every person is a Spanish teacher. What's more, they'll laugh *with* you, rather than sneering about your choppy textbook grammar.

Moreover, having worked alongside a number of immigrants (especially Spanish-speakers and Asians), I can tell you that most of them are trying hard to learn English, but may have limited time (2 or more jobs) or resources (frequently minimum wage) to take formal classes. Often, they learn English from their children.

I find it somewhat ironic that in a nation characterized by its diversity, we can be so uptight about our language. This wrongheaded notion of a great "melting pot" leads to a devaluation of what makes our nation truly impressive--that so many cultures can coexist, pretty much as one.

Anyway, this graph is a nice exposition on why ignorant people shouldn't make assumptions about people's ability to speak English or efforts toward learning it.

Capital Q

Last post of the day, I promise. Well, okay, I don't promise, but I'll cross my fingers on your behalf.

I sometimes get a little annoyed at the LGB community for forgetting the T's and us Q's. Q's--generally accepted as "Queer," sometimes stated as "Questioning"--don't really fit in the fairly binary boxes of L, G, or B. Likewise with T's, but as an outsider, I don't feel qualified to speak on their behalf today.

Anyway, that's really just a side rant.

In Queer news, I wanted to share a couple of links here.

First, a post from Offbeat Bride on the crossroads between heteronormative expectations and Queer identity in the wedding planning process. As a Queer female who married a Queer male, and who was pronounced married by Luke Skywalker in front of an abandoned building while dressed as Mr. and Ms. Pac Man, I totally get this. My partner and I wanted to break from the normative politics of a traditional wedding. Mostly, though, we wanted to have fun.

Still, we were pressured into paying for catering rather than having a pot luck or going Dutch, guilted into sending paper invites by expectations of some attendees, and instructed to have a gift registry (we hadn't wanted gifts, but figured we could have the option of charitable donations). Moreover, as the wedding got closer, the stress of planning a "real" wedding started to hit. This wedding was supposed to be fun, like having a party; why had that changed?

Anyway, it's worth a read, and made me think a lot about Queer identity and the way it can be hard to reconcile with the institution of marriage. Which we already knew, but despite our feelings on marriage--and especially on the lack of marriage rights for all--US immigration laws wouldn't acknowledge our partnership without a certificate. So, anyway, we figured we'd make a big old Queer spectacle of it and try to preserve our own values while still honoring the commitment asked of us.

Bit I digress...

The second link is just a pretty awesome link someone shared with me about an international Queer film festival in Mumbai, Maharashtra, India. I really appreciate the way foreign films tend to deal with LGBTQ issues more intricately, and with less stereotyping, and I'm excited to see how many of these films I can find on Netflix and online.

wait, what?

So Chinese LGBT activists are picking up/ramping up the good fight. Which is, obviously, good. But one thing I found just fascinating was this snippet:

Li’s research in cities suggests about 91% of people are happy to work with gay colleagues – a higher rate than in US surveys – and that 30% back gay marriage.

a step in the right direction

Filed under "it's about doggone time," the Department of Labor is preparing to extend FMLA rights to LGBTQ employees.

Maybe I live in a bubble, or maybe it's because I have so many LGBTQ loved ones, but I can't understand why, in 2010, there are so many loud, angry voices trying to dehumanize and deny the queer community. Here's hoping for a sea change in the next few years.

sister values

The more I read this list of tips to improve supply chain visibility from the Global Transportation Management newsletter, the more I think transparency and sustainability (along all 3BL dimensions) are analogues for one another. Really, they go hand in hand.

We'll take a few points and compare:

1. Accommodate Multiple Fulfillment Models.
Visibility solutions need to be highly configurable to accommodate all of the various fulfillment models in operation across the enterprise. [...] Supply chain visibility solutions that are flexible enough to accommodate multiple fulfillment models allow benefits to accrue across the enterprise and not within a specific product line or operational model.

Like supply chain fulfillment, sustainability is definitely not a one-size-fits-all model. It requires flexibility, meeting businesses' unique needs, and adapting to differing demands across industries, geographies, and business sizes.

2. Create an ‘Information Hub’.
Visibility solutions not only extend processes outside the four walls, but must integrate and aggregate key information from within the four walls of the enterprise. The ‘Information Hub’ creates a one-stop-shop for key order, shipment, and inventory information from all internal ERP, TMS, WMS and other inventory planning systems.

Having a central location for all data surrounding business-related activities helps not only track and manage a business's social and environmental footprint, but also aids in continuity in the event of turnover or promotion.

And we'll cherry-pick through the rest, but I think all points are pertinent.

3. Don’t Assume Data Quality.
Aberdeen Research recently conducted a survey and discovered that only 16% of Visibility implementations have data quality above 91%.

Always try for better data. If your data are corrupt, noisy, or just incomplete, you may be missing a big part of the picture regarding your business's impact.

6. Push Visibility Back to Origin

This should go without saying. Informational linkages back to the source mean easier, more complete tracking of your impact, especially if these informational linkages are high quality and automated.

7. Finally Manage Trading Partners with Scorecards.
The by-product of operational Visibility is a rich repository of supply chain data that can be aggregated across the enterprise and with all trading partners year after year after year.

Once you aggregate data on yourself and on your suppliers, you should aim to evaluate your suppliers with a well-defined scorecard at least once a year. If suppliers fail to meet sustainability goals, and if they can't be pressured to meet them, it's a big ocean out there, and rapidly increasing in size.

8. Track Landed Costs Along the Chain.
Aberdeen reports that companies that implement visibility are twice as likely to reduce total landed costs over the past two years.

This should go without saying. If you know what the impact of your business is along its chain and at each stage, then you can manage and improve it.


Again, I think the case could be made for any of the ten tips, but these are the most obvious ways in which visibility and sustainability are really complementary values.

making up for lost blogging

Okay, I'll post this and shut up for a while.

RSA animations are pretty great. They're ultimately 10-minute talks by subject matter experts with white board visualization to accompany the talk. This one by Barbara Ehrenreich seemed interesting to me, but maybe that's because I'm not a naturally sunny person, and eye-bulging optimism makes my face muscles hurt.

Thoughts?

...and one on Wal Mart

Despite the fact that I still can't bring myself to set foot in a Wal Mart without my gag reflex acting up (yeah, I know, I'm such a stereotype), I'm pretty routinely amazed by some of their new initiatives. Case in point, their new move to promote local agriculture.

If a store as big as Wal Mart can promote local, diversified agriculture, it could really shift the balance of power in agronomics.

More BP fun, and then some Alabama love... sort of.

In he spirit of the Great Gulf Debacle, Green Energy Reporter posted the top five BP "eco-friendly" ads. While I was a longtime fan of BP's solar efforts, when Tony Hayward stepped in, he kind of shot that all to hell and has been gradually reducing their efforts for three years. Maybe that will change now.

Now, on to Alabama.

*sigh*

Alabama's just not content to stay in Mississippi's and South Carolina's embarrassing shadows. Nope, we've got to represent with the crazy!

This guy clearly has a first-grade understanding of history and civics, and just comes off as a total nutter. The sad bit is that I'm sure many folks will vote for him.

The Great Gulf Debacle

I'm not going to get into a detailed opinion of the events that have taken place since mid-April, but I will voice my agreement over this bit of the whole mess--that a criminal investigation while the spill is still happening is making things worse, not better. I recommend a read for a much more detailed understanding of the argument, but here's a snippet:

"[I]magine being a hospital physician who discovers he is under criminal investigation for causing a situation—hard-to-control hemorrhaging or sepsis, perhaps—in which he is still desperately trying to save the patient. Suddenly, every decision—whether in treatment, testing, or diagnosis—would be haunted by possibly increasing the likelihood of going to prison after the episode is over."

Dis Orientation

I've just completed orientation for my summer fellowship. For those not familiar, I'm working with a non-profit that consults with small businesses and non-profits on Triple Bottom Line sustainability and how to improve their performance on the different dimensions of people, planet, and performance.

It was a long orientation, with a significant time investment (generally 9am to 9pm every day), but it was pretty superior, as orientations go.

Obviously, whenever you get together with a new group of people there are always ice breakers involved. Most of the time these are painful and contrived, but I actually think these folks did a decent job of keeping it casual and organic.

One question I appreciated quite well was thus: If you could change one and only one behavior of everyone around you, what would it be?

There were some great responses on composting, eliminating disposable water bottles, educating, and more. By the time it got to my turn, I was worried I'd have nothing left.

Still, having spent so much of my life in school buildings and windowless dungeons offices, I've been thinking a lot about how much harm our architecture is doing us.

In the end, I suggested that I'd like for people to better understand how our environment (both ecological and social) affects us mentally, physically, and spiritually, and how our use and/or abuse of it can harm or help us as individuals and as communities.

The purported reason school buildings all look like prisons is because windows are a distraction from learning. I have to say, though, that natural lighting helps keep the soul from being deadened by its surroundings. Plate glass windows in each classroom with sun tubes and exposure to outdoor and to constructive social time would do wonders for most kids (and adults in offices, for that matter).

Anyway, that's just been on my mind a bit, and I figured I ought to post an update on my silence while I'm waiting in this (naturally lit, open) office for a meeting.

Finally, reason

The top 10 myths about immigration, most of which I have to repeatedly explain to people. From an economic perspective, immigration (even "illegal" immigration) is beneficial to the US economy.

The Productivity Myth

...it's exactly that.

Personally, I always strive for greater and greater efficiency, but at some point, I know it comes at a cost.

Illegal Education

It's interesting that, despite the general trend of the long arc of history to bend toward justice (forgive me, Dr. King, for butchering your beautiful words), how generally xenophobic we're becoming. Take, for instance, this missive I received on international export laws and how they apply to international students. My international classmates are already having an incredibly difficult time finding internships in the US. It's not that the process of sponsoring an intern is that complicated, and it's not that it's expensive. Someone explained to me--in a more approving way than I'd have mustered--that it's because they use internships as funnels for employment, and to hire a non-citizen for a position, you have to prove that there was no qualified US citizen that you could have hired instead.

Frankly, I'm a fan of US citizens being employed, but I think it's pretty malicious to lure students here with scholarships and the promise of world-class educations, educate them with US resources, then refuse to hire them. Ultimately it hurts the US most, by choking out talented knowledge workers, and by wasting resources on a person who'll eventually be forced to leave the country for work (thus never paying back into the tax base). Even factoring out all moral arguments, it's fiscally irresponsible to treat international students and applicants that way.

Add to that, international students will probably no longer set foot in Arizona, since they can be stopped and detained until the Feds can prove their legal status on the basis of an assumption by a state or local police officer. Nope, no racial profiling going on there!

Megatrends lead the Decepticons to victory

(I can't help it--Megatrend in my head evokes all sorts of "Megatron" linkages)

Anyway, that's a really pitiful excuse for an intro to an article that's both well-written and highly specific on the need for businesses to not only acknowledge sustainability, but to incorporate it into their core missions. The Sustainability Imperative, from the hallowed HBR, posits not only a roadmap forward, but also a few key strategies (at least half of which are not advisable to take). But, in the end, this is what says it all:

In this new world, the sustainability strategy imperative will be systematized and integrated into the day-to-day practices of firms of all sizes in all industries. Like the IT and quality megatrends, sustainability will touch every function, every business line, every employee. On the way to this future, firms with a clear vision and the execution capabilities to navigate the megatrend will come out ahead. Those that don’t will be left by the wayside.

incomplete at best

A somewhat disappointing slideshow from HBR on the wage gap. In the end, it's not all that lucid or convincing.

seems a bit obvious

but, sometimes HR departments seem to miss the obvious.

How to make HR relevant.

HBR ideacast about how to create a customized HR experience.