Fastest Cube!?

This is an interesting video the developments of the worlds fastest smart car which gets roughly 96 mpg. This car looks fun but is it practical? Certainly in Europe it is and why not here too. Check out the video below for more information on this little speed demon!

Further details on this little car that packs a punch can be seen at Bloomberg: http://www.bloomberg.com/video/93631839-famed-f1-designer-unveils-96-mpg-100-mph-smartcar.html

Ecological Foot Print Calculation

After recalculating my ecological footprint appears to have shrunk by 1.1 planets from the original 4.5 to a current 3.4 (see pictures below).

New Ecological Footprint

Old Ecological Footprint

At the start of this experiment I wasn't sure that my action steps would have a big impact. I committed to:

1. Eat meat at two meals per week.
2. Limit non-carpool driving trips to 15 miles per week.
3. Go two days a week with-out purchasing products that use packaging or purchasing only products that contain at-least 80% recycled materials.
4. Three nights a week actively pursue unplugging all unnecessary electronic devices when not in use. *New objective as of 4/26.

However by sticking to these commitments I made a lot of progress, as the recalculations display above. Going forward I do believe I will be able to maintain these practices because the whole process showed me that you really don't have to sacrifice much. Sticking to these actions just requires a little more thinking and planning. At times it was difficult to maintain my commitment, such as when presented with a free meal that contained meat after I had filled my quote. But because these little steps go a long way I plan to keep up my commitments. When circumstances call for me to break my commitments I will work to reverse any of the adverse effects and make sure to get back to my commitments as soon as possible. All in all I am rather impressed that reducing my meat consumption, focusing on car pooling, unplugging electronics, and reducing my consumption has had such a large effect on my ecological footprint.

Reinventing Fire

In this compelling Ted Talk Amory Lovins, Founder and Chief Scientist at the Rocky Mountain Institute, discusses how the United States can nearly eliminate its dependence on fossil fuels while increasing economic progress. Through a reworking of infrastructure, incentives for energy efficiency, and the end to subsides for producers of fossil fuels, Lovins argues the United States could save $5 trillion at net present value not accounting for the externalities which these fuels cost us. In addition to this such an energy structure would support economy that is 158% bigger. Bellow you will see that he outlines this energy plan in a clear, concise, and highly persuasive manner.

To pass up such a a plan would seem to be senseless, which may lead one to ask why is it so difficult for us to implement this or a similar plan? This inability to act on a wholly beneficial plan is largely due to our fear of departure from the status quo. In marketing we have the ability to shape the status quo and peoples perceptions of where the status quo should be. In simple terms reinventing fire will largely depend on marketers ability to engage and encourage the population to participate in and push for a more sustainable energy structure.

Paradigm shift in economics and the implications on marketing

The traditional role of marketing has been to link the customer with the product or services. This is based on the idea that the customer will in one way or another benefit from the purchase of such a product or service. How to define benefit is another topic but it can be assumed to include quality of living, happiness, and social status among other variables.  On a national scale we measure this benefit in strictly financial terms through the indicator of GDP, Gross Domestic Product. However, as Joseph Stiglitz (winner of the Nobel Prize in Economics) argues GDP does not properly indicate the well being of a nation or even its productivity.

Instead of GDP, Stiglitz (among others) argues for a more holistic measurement such as happiness to determine the benefits produced by and for the society of a nation. This approach is neither unheard of nor impractical. Indeed the small nation of Bhutan determines its progress based on GNH, gross national happiness. and has seen this as a worthy indicator of national benefits. According to a recent article in The Guardian titled "Bhutan leads the world to a new economy of happiness" since adopting GNH life expectancy in has doubled and 99% of primary-age children are in school. The article goes on to elaborate that according to the Bhutanese government "(happiness) has nothing to do with the common use of that word to denote an ephemeral, passing mood – happy today or unhappy tomorrow due to some temporary external condition like praise or blame, gain or loss. Rather, it refers to the deep, abiding happiness that comes from living life in full harmony with the natural world, with our communities and fellow beings, and with our culture and spiritual heritage, – in short from feeling totally connected with our world." What's more GDP fails to display the benefit of natural and human capitial, and on the contrary GDP incentivizes the destruction of these assets. Clearly with all of the discontents associated with GDP as an indicator of national well-being a new system to account for progress must be adapted.

The concept that consumption for ones self-interest does not generate happiness, similarly is not a new idea and recent studies have further developed this idea. In a recently posted Ted Talk Michael Norton further elaborates on the notion that purchases for oneself bring don't generate the same amount of happiness as purchases made for others.

With the understanding that GDP is not the most appropriate indicator of national progress and that selfish purchases don't equate to happiness, its time for a shift in economic structure. Marketing will play an integral role in this shift from selfish consumption to beneficial collaboration. Marketing strategies will have to be adapted to develop and promote products that generate happiness as apposed to those that satisfy personal greed. Moreover marketing will be necessary on a macro-level in order to educate and inform the populous as to how happiness is an integral part of the marketplace.

Rio+20

20 years ago this June the Brazilian city of Rio de Janeiro hosted the UN Conference on Environment and Development also known as the Rio Earth Summit. During this conference Agenda 21 which hosted a comprehensive plan on how humans could seek and achieve "sustainable development" was adopted by more than 178 governments, Agenda 21 and its components can be reached here for further details. One major step that the Rio Earth Summit and the Rio Declaration, which is a section of Agenda 21,  took was to engage businesses and NGO's (non-government organizations) in the sustainable development of developed and developing countries. The Rio Declaration, constituted by 27 principles, outlines the grounds of agreement required for, and the goals of sustainable development. These principles range from the sovereign rights of nations to the importance of trade in achieving global "sustainable development", the full Rio Declaration can be viewed here.

Now 20 years later the city of Rio de Janeiro is playing host to the Rio+20 conference, which seeks to reaffirm the goals and strategies of the initial Rio conference while outlining additional strategies and goals needed to achieve "sustainable development". This conference yet again will seek to incorporate business into the process as a major participant. One of the major ways in which the Rio+20 conference is seeking to incorporate business into this "sustainable development" frame work is through mandating corporate sustainable reporting. More information on this process is presented below in an interview with Global Reporting Initiative Deputy Chief  Executive Teresa Fogelberg.

To many of the proponents of sustainable reporting the UN, in its preliminary drafts for Rio+20, is taking a weak stand by only encouraging public and large private corporations to integrate material sustainability issues within the annual report. Paul Abberley, CEO Aviva Investors, displays the importance of such information, "[e]mbedding an explanation of the sustainability of a company's strategy in its reporting will allow investors to better understand the associated investment risks and opportunities, and will make it more likely that global financial markets will allocate capital in a manner better aligned with sustainable development." While corporate reporting on sustainability measures won't in and of itself achieve sustainable development, it does create incentive for companies to become more sustainable.

More information on the Rio+20 conference and corporate sustainability reporting can be found at the following sites, which were also used as references in this post:

1. Will Rio+20 make a difference: http://www.guardian.co.uk/sustainable-business/readers-response-rio-2012-sustainable-development
2. Deliverinag an invesment-grade outcome at Rio+20: http://www.guardian.co.uk/sustainable-business/investment-green-economy-rio-zero-draft
3. The role of governments in mainstreaming sustainability reporting: http://rioconventionsreporting.net/the-role-of-governments-in-mainstreaming-sustainability-reporting/
4. Report or Explain: A policy proposal for sustainability reporting to be adopted as a common practice for the advancement of a Green Economy for the UN Conference on Sustainable Development (Rio+20): http://www.uncsd2012.org/rio20/content/documents/ReportOrExplain.pdf
5. Can Rio+20 deliver systematic change in the private sector?: http://www.guardian.co.uk/sustainable-business/corporate-models-green-economy

The Real Cost of Going Green

"The Real Cost of Going Green" is an informative article from Bloomberg.com which discusses current environmental and economic trends in U.S.

Bloomberg.com

Full of interesting facts this article discloses that in 2011, "34 percent of adults saying they are worried about the planet -- down from 43 percent in 2009" yet "Americans spend about $175 billion a year on eco-friendly goods and services according to the Environmental Protection Agency." Additionally the article displays that there are many efforts Americans can make that will lessen environmental  impact while reducing costs. One such money and environment saving effort is to invest in a $42 low flow shower head which leads to savings of up to $100 annually. Beyond these interesting ideas the article covers topics ranging from: "clean indoor air" to "Eco Friendly Paper Products" and "Green Mattresses", all the while discussing eco-friendly products.

Although this article is very interesting and would likely change many consumers thought buying behavior it has one core issue. The core issue that this article displays is the obsession with consumption, while this article promotes "green" products it fails to recognize and display that in most instances the most "green" action is to reduce consumption.

Ecological Footprint Update

To date my ecological footprint goals have widely been met, with one exception. That exception being that instead of eating meat for only one meal per week I have generally been eating meat at two meals per week. I have found that when presented with the opportunity to eat meat for free whether at social, scholastic, or extracurricular events I often jump at the opportunity even if I have already eaten meat for one meal during the week. Below is my updated ecological foot print with revised goals.

From here on I will commit to the following goals:

1. Eat meat at two meals per week.
2. Limit non-carpool driving trips to 15 miles per week.
3. Go two days a week with-out purchasing products that use packaging or purchasing only products that contain at-least 80% recycled materials.
4. Three nights a week actively pursue unplugging all unnecessary electronic devices when not in use.*

*New objective as of 4/26.

The Other Inconvenient Truth

In his presentation "The Other Inconvenient Truth"(below) Jon Foley offers insightful information to one, if not the biggest threat man kind faces, the degradation of land through agriculture. In this presentation Foley discusses a host of topics ranging from depletion of fresh water sources to destruction of native ecosystems. Through-out the presentation Foley offers provocative images that display the negative impacts agriculture, in its current state, has on the environment including updated pictures of the Aral Sea nearly a desert and the Colorado River which no longer reaches the ocean. The discussion brings up the dilemma of how to feed not only a growing world but also one that is increasingly affluent under the pressure of diminishing cultivatable land. To this dilemma Foley asserts that "Terraculture" is the only solution that can feed the growing world food demands while minimizing environmental impacts.

By and large I agree with Foley in this assertion, that there is no one solution but rather a holistic implementation of several approaches. I see this as fundamental not only to developing an agricultural system that will feed the world but also this approach is very much what is need to meet our energy needs. No one energy source can power us through the future just like no one agricultural approach will feed a growing world because anything in excess is pollution, and pollution is not sustainable.  The idea that any one solution will fix our global problems is myopic, illogical, and outdated what is needed is a dynamic approach that is focused on meeting the needs of today's generation while maintaining the ability of the future generations to meet their needs. What Foley presents here is such an approach.

Head and Shoulders Shampoo

Writing Exercise # 2: Head and Shoulders Shampoo

Overall Risk Rating: 5 (Limited data)

Which of the ingredients turn up on these lists?

Benzenemethanol

Benzoic acid, Sodium salt

2-Methyl-3(2H)-isothiazolone

Carbonic acid, Zinc salt (1:1)

Sulfuric acid magnesium salt (1:1)

5-Chloro-2-methyl-3(2H)-isothiazolone

1-Hexadecanol

Pick an ingredient and do more research on it.

Benzoic acid, Sodium salt:

Benzoic acid is converted to its salts and esters for the use of preservative application in foods, drugs and personal products. Sodium benzoate, sodium salt of benzoic acid, is used preferably as one of the principal anti-microbial preservatives used in foods and beverages (but it's concentration is limited usually not exceeding 0.1% because it is poisonous), as it is about 200 times more soluble than benzoic acid. Sodium Benzoate is also used in medications, anti-fermentation additives and tabletting lubricant for pharmaceuticals. The industrial applications are as a corrosion inhibitor, as an additive to automotive engine antifreeze coolants and in other waterborne systems, as a nucleating agents for polyolefin, as a dye intermediate, as a stabilizer in photographic processing and as a catalyst. Wide range of benzoic esters are used as solvents, dying carrier, disinfectant additive, penetrating agent and pesticides and manufacturing other compounds. http://www.chemicalland21.com/industrialchem/organic/benzoic%20acid.htm

All in all this chemical isn’t particularly harmful as it is even used in food products.

Will you continue to use this product? 

No, with the wide array of earth conscious products out there I will not and I will encourage my roommates to buy products with less negative impacts on the environment however I will continue to use shampoo.

Could you eliminate this product from your personal care ritual?

Yes for the same reasons as stated above.

If not, could you meet the same need by substituting a service or another non-toxic product for the original?

Yes for the same reasons as above.

A link to the EWG full disclosure can be found here: Head and Shoulders Toxicity

Ecological Footprint:

As the image below displays a large majority of my ecological footprint is due to services and mobility. Although such areas are often useful in achieving greater productivity these are areas I will have to focus on in order to reduce my foot print. Like many citizens of Western society I have become highly reliant on energy to increase productivity and leisure, I can reduce my footprint in this is an area by taking local vacations, using community transportation and limiting my indoor heating.

I have committed to:

1. Limit meat consumption to one meal per week.
2. Go two days a week with-out purchasing products that use packaging or purchasing only products that contain at-least 80% recycled materials.
3. Limit car trips that don't involve carpooling to one trip per week.