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Had an interesting meeting recently with a company that is way ahead on the game with CSR and sustainability (15 years experience!!!). While they have management buy-in, there is still a lot of justifying that needs to take place for any new initiatives. The big barriers they're encountering, both internally and externally look something like this: 1) What are/were the key turning points for consumer markets on sustainability issues, especially ones in APAC? What did the culture look like and how did it transform? What were the events that changed how things operate? What might we learn and capitalise on here in conservative, slow-moving Singapore context? 2) How can CSR/Sustainability be harnessed to-- a) create quantifiable brand value (e.g. case studies, how was this measured/calculated), e.g. in such a way that it justifies expense of new initiatives signed off at the board level? How can marketing be brought on side when consumers aren't specifically targeting green criteria? b) realistically affect consumer preference and buying habits, especially in a market suffering from apathy/lack of education and awareness? 3) How have cities like Sydney and others in APAC progressed with sustainability, and what did the evolution look like? What can we learn from them and their government leadership (or lackthereof)? 4) How can we better quantify the ROI and justify further investment in CSR/Sustainability initiatives? How can we make the intangible tangible? 5) How can we help speed a change people's perceptions and priorities? These are probably what numerous business around the world are facing, even well-established leaders, so I thought I'd put the challenge out there publicly for discussion and sharing. We'd welcome your comments here or join the discussion on our Linkedin Group. What are your thoughts and experiences? 
We're pleased to announce the next Forward Thinking Thursday will be held on Thursday 16 September 2010 at Fou De Fa Fa from 7-9 p.m. The venue boasts a wide range of healthy food and drinks (wine too!) and is just steps off the Tanjong Pagar MRT. Please join us for an evening of making connections, progressing ideas, and being inspired.  This month we are also pleased to announce that we have a special guest joining us for the event. International CSR expert, and Director of Lifeworth Consulting, Associate Professor Jem Bendell is an advisor, educator, researcher and writer with fifteen years at the forefront of innovations in business responses to sustainable development. With a PhD in international policy, over 100 publications (including four books and four United Nations reports), Dr Bendell is an award-winning international authority on business-society relations, lecturing in fifteen countries, and quoted in media such as The Financial Times, International Herald Tribune, El Pais, Tatler and on CNBC. Dr. Bendell will be happy to mix and mingle and talk shop with any interested parties. He's a sharp guy with a good sense of humour.
We try to keep the crowd small and meaningful, so please RSVP if you'd be so kind. See you there! Venue details are as follows: Fou De Fa Fa - 168 Robinson Road - Phone 6327 9418 Restaurant reviews can be found here, in case you're wondering.
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The latest and greatest from around the web: - Toxic fish- bad enough that many fisheries are in collapse (or near collapse around the world), but the catch you might be eating could be screwing your health. Are you eating something really unhealthy? Find out what to avoid.
- Myles Allen of Oxford University and his team have produced a new model that links natural disasters with man-made greenhouse gas emissions. This means that Russian heatwaves, Pakistani floods, and other weather anomalies can be traced back and analysed to see how much a role humans played in the occurence of these events.
- Non-profit Energy in Common has set up a dedicated facility to bring microcredit loans to bring green energy to people in need. This is yet another great application of microfinance in developing countries.
- Want to get the lay of the land on green companies, orgs, and associations in Singapore? Our colleague Eugene Tay has updated the Guide to the Green Landscape. Free to download.
"How long can we go on and safely pretend that the environment is not the economy, is not health, is not the prerequisite to development, is not recreation? Is it realistic to see ourselves as managers of an entity out there called the environment, extraneous to us, an alternative to the economy, too expensive a value to protect in difficult economic times? When we organize ourselves starting from this premise, we do so with dangerous consequences to our economy, health, and industrial growth.
We are now just beginning to realize that we must find an alternative to our ingrained behaviour of burdening future generations resulting from our misplaced belief that there is a choice between economy and the environment. That choice, in the long term, turns out to be an illusion with awesome consequences for humanity."
Charles Caccia
Member of Parliament, House of Commons
WCED Public Hearing
Ottawa, 26-27 May 1986
This week's resource roundup brings you some really good bits from around the internet: First, Treehugger covers a quick and easy list of rebuttals for climate change deniers. Yes, we know those people are annoying, but at least now shutting down the lame arguments is available in short form (links to science also provided in case you need heavy ammo). Next up, check out some excellent coverage on the BP oil spill and its potential long term effects. Think that the oil is really disappearing as quick as "experts" say it is? Think again! Some good on-the-ground reporting from Mother Jones as we'd come to expect. One of our favourite mags. Now, for those of you who may have seen the "Story of Bottled Water"... ... we'd now like to revert your attention to the bottled water industry's own not-so-clever videos which can be found over here (along with a really good analysis of why they are so bunk). Good for a laugh, or to satisfy the cynic in you. Finally, there are some people out there allegeding that environmental groups are banding together with certain industries to promote economic protectionism-- the knock on effect is people getting screwed in developing nations. We report, you decide.  We've had a flurry of research come our way recently. We'd like to take a quick moment to poke around some of it and point out some things that seem to be painfully missing. First, let's have a look at McKinsey Global Survey on Biodiversity.
Their survey asked respondents about what biodiversity means, how important it is to their businesses, and why, what specific risks their companies might face from reduced biodiversity, what actions they are taking to address issues related to it, and what kinds of regulations they would support to maintain biodiversity. What we were particularly bemused by: that in spite of the UN and others highlighting some 30%+ of species will be extinct by 2030, and that an unprecedented human-caused destruction of the biosphere is taking place, 59 percent of companies responding to the McKinsey survey see biodiversity as more of an opportunity than a risk for their companies. Not to go all gloom and doom, but how is this possible exactly? If the locale where a company operates is environmentally degraded, if its core ingredients and materials are compromised-- how exactly is this an opportunity? An opportunity to change business operation and focus of the company operations, an opportunity for a dramatic paradigm shift away from business as usual? Sure. An opportunity to sell more business as usual and be Polyanna optimistic? We think not. In fact, we think a lot of the businesses responding were pretty naive: 32% came back on the survey saying that biodiversity was not at all important, and 4% said they didn't know. And getting back to that 59% of companies saying that biodiversity was more of an opportunity to their business-- the top reason why was "building, maintaining, or improving corporate reputation." Sorry guys, we think you've missed the boat. If your entire supply chain is challenged, your operations threatened, and business model made obsolete by a degraded biosphere, you're pretty stuffed-- nevermind the reputation. We'd also like to take issue with another piece of research put out by Accenture with the UN Global Compact on Sustainability and Perspectives from APAC CEOs. The study, as far as we can find, has one fundamental major flaw: they don't actually define what sustainability is before they go out to ask everyone about it and gauge the trends. As we've explored a lot on Forward Thinking, the word sustainability has a very fluid definition, and is an oft abused term. If we can't have a common definition of what we're actually talking about, how can we actually carry the conversation further to understand what it means and how it manifests in the real world? As you might expect, both reports feature bold corporate language and try to show that business is taking issues seriously. (Side speculation: this might be to actually influence business to take the issues seriously!). If our recent experience late last year at Business for Environment Summit, or on-the-ground observations in various markets across APAC are any judge: in reality, business is slow to change to critical issues like climate change, biodiversity, and sustainability. The reality is its more business as usual at a time when some critical shifts need to take place. Ever since Singapore launched its Green Mark programme for green buildings five years ago, the city-state has experienced a concerted shift towards the development of green buildings. The growing momentum for green buildings certified with the Green Mark has grown beyond Singapore’s shores into Thailand, Vietnam, Indonesia, and China, noted Dr Gao Chun Ping, Senior Executive Development Officer, Green Mark Department, Building and Construction Authority. 
Speaking at the National Sustainability Conference organised by the National University of Singapore and the University of Sydney, Dr Gao noted that the explosion of green buildings will also lead to 18,000 green collar jobs for building professionals in the Republic. Dr Gao on Thursday spoke on Singapore’s green building movement as a case study of how a combination of legislation and government incentive helped to spur the industry. As some 30 to 40 percent of global energy use and associated emissions comes from buildings, it was an imperative to drive a shift towards leaner, more efficient buildings, he said. Recent legislation had required all new developments and refurbishments on buildings in Singapore to meet the minimum Green Mark standards since April 2008. The Green Mark Certification for Non-Residential Buildings currently covers new and some existing buildings in Singapore. The assessment criteria include energy efficiency, water efficiency, environmental protection, indoor environmental quality, and other green features such as renewable energy. There are currently three levels in the programme: Certified, Gold, Gold Plus, and Platinum. Uptake of the certification has been steady due to government mandate for green buildings. The Inter-Ministerial Council for Sustainable Development (IMCSD) has a target that 80 percent of local buildings should be green by 2030. To increase certifications in the years ahead, the Government had launched a $20 million Green Mark Incentive Scheme for New Buildings. This scheme offers financial incentives per square meter to encourage high certification levels for development projects, explained Dr Gao. Another carrot available to developers is the Green Mark Bonus GFA Incentive Scheme. This offers up to 2 percent additional gross floor area (GFA) for Platinum rated projects, and additional 1 percent GFA for Gold rated projects. The Building and Construction Authority (BCA) also has an awards programme to recognise leaders in the industry. Called the Green Mark Champion Award for Developers, this accolade honours excellence in the area. It has previously been won by City Developments Limited (CDL), widely recognised as a local pioneer in green buildings. Mr Lee Chuan Seng, President, Singapore Green Building Council (SGBC) also spoke at the conference on upcoming developments in the Green Mark Certification tool. The ratings system will be upgraded to a higher standard, lifting the bar for green buildings in Singapore. According to the BCA 2nd Green Building Masterplan, there is also an upcoming shift in focus from new buildings to include existing buildings. To that end, the Green Mark tool will be updated to Version 4. This new version will come into effect at end of 2010 with both residential and non-residential building criteria. “Singapore has 210 million square meters of existing building stock, and approximately 2-4 percent new buildings developed every year,” Mr Lee said. “The main users of energy are commercial buildings.” As a result of this, the Singapore carbon intensity per dollar of gross domestic product (GDP) is a notable 0.35 tonnes. While this number has leveled out in recent years, Singapore’s greenhouse gas emissions are still an upward march. Thankfully, changes made to the building industry locally in Singapore are sped along by an effective public-private-partnership, Mr Lee said, and this applies to the green building space. This close partnership ensures that regulatory changes can be implemented rapidly, and is advantageous compared to many other countries like Australia which are more fragmented. Addressing the perceived additional cost of developing a green building, Mr Lee noted the latest statistics. Green Mark Platinum buildings may sustain an extra project cost of 1-2 percent, but have payback in approximately 2-4 years, demonstrating even faster payback than noted in recent years. Several Green Mark Platinum rated buildings already are demonstrating large resource and operational cost savings. Some include Ocean Center, Goodwood Residences, and City Square Mall. In one innovative example, Lend Lease created a Green Lease programme limiting the amount of energy used by mall tenants and measures to increase energy efficiency. “We invest resources to develop a calculator to help determine the energy use and carbon footprint of every fixture, and the cost it poses to the tenant,” said Mann Young, Head of Sustainability, Lend Lease Asia. “We then work with collaboratively with tenants to optimise their store fit-outs and cut their energy use.” Manufacturing industries in countries worldwide are steering towards cleaner technologies to stay competitive. For Singapore to maintain its competitiveness, its manufacturing sector must also take a low-carbon path, said Dr Song Bin, director of the Sustainable Manufacturing Centre, SIMTech. Speaking at the National Sustainability Conference on Thursday, Dr Song noted that countries such as South Korea, China, Japan, Germany and the United States have already begun this move. Global drivers for this shift include the raised awareness of environmental concerns, greenhouse gas (GHG) reduction targets, and increased customer awareness. Business considerations such as branding opportunities, energy and raw material prices, supply chain management, and cost savings are also some factors. Across these areas, both public and industry awareness has been on the rise since 2007, said Dr Song. While awareness is increasing, there is a need for more successful business case studies to help highlight the gains made by pioneering projects. Specifically in manufacturing, elimination of waste, a push for energy efficiency, and closed-loop processes were areas that needed attention. Some improvement measures include KPIs which centre on materials, processes, and the carbon footprint of these operations. According to Dr Song, businesses increasingly understands that waste should be viewed as a resource. In this light, waste can be a value-add through resource recovery. Many companies in Singapore are beginning to awaken to this commercial opportunity, he said. A case study of LHT Holdings demonstrated how a local company engaged in wood recycling from demolition turned out useful products from waste. Some of the company’s finished recycled wood products include flooring, doors, and shipping palettes, Dr Song highlighted. He also flagged significant potential for energy efficiency, especially through heat insulation and heat recovery. He noted that real-time visualization systems exist to monitor the energy consumption and production volume of manufacturing. These systems allow manufacturers to adjust their processes, and optimise it for energy efficiency. Securing new investment in technologies is often tricky especially if using traditional models. Dr Song questioned the typical calculations for return on investment (ROI) which are critical in swaying investment decisions. “Is the ROI correct?” he asked, noting that assumptions should include potential for return from branding impact, long term strategic advantages, and operational cost savings. Taking a broad-level, strategic view of technology investments will help enable a shift towards cleaner manufacturing, he said. 
In concert with Eco-business.com, we're pleased to announce the next Forward Thinking Thursday will be held on Thursday 12 August at Fou De Fa Fa from 7-9 p.m. The venue boasts a wide range of healthy food and drinks (wine too!) and is just steps off the Tanjong Pagar MRT. Please join us for an evening of making connections, progressing ideas, and being inspired. We try to keep the crowd small and meaningful, so please RSVP if you'd be so kind. (psst Forward clients: If you join us, your food/drink is on us!) See you there! Venue details are as follows: Fou De Fa Fa - 168 Robinson Road - Phone 6327 9418 Restaurant reviews can be found here, in case you're wondering.
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Electronic waste (or E-Waste) is a big problem worldwide. All those used computers, monitors, mobiles have to go somewhere. Often enough, it is to a developing country where the dangerous components are broken down with the release of all sorts of toxic nasties. Thankfully, the process can be handled correctly. Here's a look inside how to properly recycle E-Waste: There's a fascinating article over on Earth Policy Institute detailing significant trends in carbon emissions. Definitely worth a read. Among the most shocking bits in the piece: "The carbon dioxide that is not absorbed by these natural sinks remains in the atmosphere, where it traps heat. The level of carbon dioxide in the atmosphere, which stood between 260 and 285 parts per million (ppm) from the beginning of agriculture until the Industrial Revolution, has risen rapidly in the last two-and-a-half centuries, to over 387 ppm today. The last time carbon dioxide levels were this high was roughly 15 million years ago, when sea level was 25–40 meters (80–130 feet) higher and global temperatures were 3–6 degrees Celsius (5–11 degrees Fahrenheit) warmer." [emph FT]
Shocking to think about... consider that natural systems are going to face some dramatic changes in the years ahead. How would such a sea rise or temperature shift affect the area where you live? 
Jaime Lerner is an architect by trade, who served as the long standing Mayor of Curitiba Brazil. Both in Curitiba, and also as Governor of Paraná State, he lead sweeping changes that helped alleviate poverty, improve the quality of life, and attract some US$20bn in investment to the region. Winner of numerous awards and nominated by Time magazine as one of the top 25 most influential thinkers in the world, the maestro of civic leadership joined us to talk livable cities. Forward Thinking: At the World Cities Summit (WCS), there was a lot of talk about the important role leadership plays in making a great urban environment. For you, how much did leadership play a role in the transformation of Curitiba? Jaime Lerner: I think when you want to have change, you must first have political will. You have to have solidarity and strategy. You must know how to build a good equation of core responsibility, one that transforms problems to solutions. This will has to be a commitment from people to the areas that leadership wants to improve. It has to be a team effort. (article continues)
In concert with Eco-business.com, we're pleased to announce the next Forward Thinking Thursday will be held on Thursday 15 of July 2010 at Fou De Fa Fa from 7-9 p.m. The venue boasts a wide range of healthy food and drinks (wine too!) and is just steps off the Tanjong Pagar MRT. Please join us for an evening of making connections, progressing ideas, and being inspired. We try to keep the crowd small and meaningful, so please RSVP if you'd be so kind. (psst Forward clients: If you join us, your food/drink is on us!) See you there! Venue details are as follows: Fou De Fa Fa - 168 Robinson Road - Phone 6327 9418 Restaurant reviews can be found here, in case you're wondering.
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Businesses often associate corporate social responsibility (CSR) with philanthropy. While charitable acts are noble, businesses might not only be missing out on making a bigger positive impact, but also on opportunities to build brand value. Entrepreneur, traveller, and founder of Buy1Give1 (B1G1) Masami Sato shares the logic behind her social enterprise, and the key to unlocking the business benefits of giving.  Forward Thinking: As an entrepreneur running a food manufacturing business, you and your business partner David believed quite strongly in philanthropy and “giving back.” Could you explain what that meant for you running the business, and where your thinking was at the time?Masami Sato: As you know, the way business works in our world continuously evolves and that fascinates me and drives me to become ever more curious. There is no end to what we can learn in business. And I enjoy it the most when I see how a simple business idea can impact our life in a meaningful way. We first went into the food business 10 years ago. I used to be a chef and I believed that everyone deserves to eat nutritious and wholesome food no matter how our lifestyles change. So running a business that could provide what we believed was one way for us to take an active role in creating a better world. But there was something more. I traveled a lot when I was in my twenties and saw different realities of life. While there were people who had so much and were still feeling dissatisfied, there were people who had very little yet they were feeling more connected and contented. I’ve come to think that it’s not about how much we have or how much we get that make us feel fulfilled; it’s about how much we care and contribute that really nourishes our life. By running a company that aimed to do more than just trading commodities and making money, we wanted to be part of creating a new movement – creating a giving culture in business and as a result, in our everyday activities. (article continues)
Over on Orion Magazine, Eric Zency gives some thought provoking discussion to our favourite "S" word, sustainability. Noting both its potentials and drawbacks, he gives 18 points for consideration... it's a damn good read. Our favourite? Number 5: "ECONOMIC SUSTAINABILITY describes the point at which a less-developed economy no longer needs infusions of capital or aid in order to generate wealth. This definition is misleading: for many of those who use it (including traditional economists and many economic aid agencies), “economic sustainability” means “sustainable within the general industrial program of using fossil fuels to generate wealth and produce economic growth,” a program that is, of course, not sustainable."  Pending international regulation and turbulent financial markets, carbon market development is likely to remain uncertain in the near future. According to industry expert Lukas Heer of First Climate, the ongoing financial crisis has jeopradised investor interest in many projects, and increased the volatility of carbon prices. Big issues on the table include outcomes of the forthcoming Congress of Parties (COP) 16 held later this year in Mexico, and the next steps that will be taken there following Copenhagen late last year. The fundamental question it boils down to is which nation will take the lead? At the centre of the attention is the United States. In the U.S., President Obama proposed a 17 percent emissions reduction by 2020, but it is subject to legislation that is currently still pending. National climate legislation in the U.S. has been sidelined due to numerous setbacks including healthcare reforms that have been highly contentious. Some question if any serious solution will be politically feasible given sharply divided camps, as well as extensive lobbying by vested fossil fuel interests. Worth noting however is at state and local levels, a variety of climate focused initiatives, such as the Western Climate Initiative, are underway. China has pledge a reduction of carbon intensity of 40-50 percent, but relative to GDP by 2020. The good news on the ground is that China is rolling out substantial amounts of non-fossil fuel energy projects, as well as making progress on reforesting many depleted areas. There is also potential for a Chinese market emissions trading scheme (ETS). The European Union has taken a leadership role in emissions reductions and is likely to meet its 2012 Kyoto target of eight percent, in part due to slowed economic growth alongside concerted emissions reduction efforts. In terms of an international agreement, the EU has pledged 20 percent target by 2020 if no agreement is reached, and 30 percent reduction if there is an international consensus reached at Cancun and beyond. The localised EU ETS has also been in operation and garnishing some interest, though prices remain deflated due to only localised, rather than international demand. Surprising developments in recent months have been from South Korea. While South Korea is a non-Annex 1 country (e.g. one that is not considered historically responsible for the bulk of greenhouse gas emissions, and off the hook for Kyoto responsibilities), President Lee Myung-Bak has shaking the boat. He pledges that Korea will have a 30 percent reduction by 2020, and is working emphatically to make his country a cleantech capital through both legislation and industry incentives. It is the first time a “developing” country has taken a leadership position in such a manner. Countries like Brazil and Indonesia are facing steep liability from emissions due to deforestation. The good news is that at Copenhagen, there was some progress made on clean development mechanisms (CDM), including some clarifications on Reductions in Emissions from Deforestation and Forest Degradation (or REDD for short). Tackling deforestation with a variety of incentives for leaving forests intact will be critical for Brazil and Indonesia both going forward to protect their remaining forested land area. It is anticipated further clarification and agreement on REDD will take place in Cancun later this year. Given the internationally complex issues surrounding climate change and greenhouse gas emissions, it is easy to understand why progress has been so slow to date. When it comes to carbon markets and trading emissions credits, the financial uncertainty, as well as competing markets (such as between Kyoto related credits and localised initiatives such as the EU ETS) have driven the price of credits down. Mr. Heer of First Climate sees the price for carbon credits hovering at €10-15 at least through 2012. Under such conditions, he anticipates that EU demand will be the key price driver. Prices would be more robust if there was one unified market for global trading, he said. Currently, are 1.2 billion certified emission reductions (CERs) to be issued through 2012 by the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC). Of these credits, the majority of emissions reductions projects certified are in developing countries. China, India, and Brazil comprise some 72 percent of the projects, and primarily consist of renewable energy projects. In an attempt to tackle the loss of creative young people, stimy economic development, and address some serious land planning issues, Detroit Mayor Dave Bing has some bright ideas. Among them is to convert some 139 square miles of vacant urban land into urban farming developments and other uses. Check out more here.  Renewable Energy: If you're among the people who believes there's no potential for windpower in Singapore, think again. On Eco-business.com, we explore Cygnus and their unique vertical wind turbines, as well as get their CEO's thoughts on local attitudes towards wind energy.
New Economic Models: Coming out of the financially shellshocked EU, we found this take on economic growth really interesting. There has been growing dialogue in recent months on "degrowth". The synopsis: economy has taken the driver's seat for far too long, with growth being the only mantra. At the same time, this emphasis has meant outstripping ecosystem resources, the destruction of communities, and transfer of wealth to an elite group of people. Interesting though that there is a growing tide of people questioning this alignment, and the logic of unchecked economic growth. Watch this trend in the months ahead. Why Doubling Agricultural Production is Unnecessary: And on similar lines to above, have you heard headlines from major world organisations as well as industry groups pushing agriculture production increases? The idea is that we need to double our agricultural output by 2050 (where, on the other hand, is open for discussion...). The Soil Association is tackling these arguments head on. They've dug into the figures and found that, among other things, part of this called for "rise" is to cover meat production in certain developed countries. It turns out that part of the reason for these inflated statistics is entrenched business interests and farming groups pushing for a bigger piece of cake. The report only gets more interesting from there and we'd recommend a read. Pssst... by the way... Our colleague Paul Dunn, Chairman of Buy 1 Give 1 is giving several public talks in New Zealand at the end of June. He's a brilliant guy and we'd recommend you check it out if you're down under. Christchurch, evening of 29 June: http://bit.ly/fwdchch Wellington, evening of 30 June: http://bit.ly/fwdwell Auckland, evening of 1 July: http://bit.ly/fwdakl Since you're reading Forward Thinking and are quite enlightened, you can attend the talks... for free. Do enjoy! And finally, a parting word of wisdom on simplicity: "Eliminating unnecessary possessions also means you'll need a smaller home, which will save on rent and heating/cooling. Buying fewer things means less debt. Spendingtime with loved ones or doing things you love means you spend less. All of these things are good whether you're wealthy or not." - Leo Baubuta Climate Change: First, check out this hard hitting interview with author Clive Hamilton in the Ecologist on why he thinks "Solving climate change is out of the question." From tackling geoengineering to "green" consumerism, he holds back no punches and demands a critical examination of what systems we invest in during the decades ahead. The critical point that emerges: think not of people as consumers, but as citizens. "Individuals as citizens - that is political actors - can be very effective because it is only through far-reaching mandated policy change that we will get anything like the response we need." Well put!
Sustainable economies: Over on YES! Magazine, there is a fascinating recap of a native American society in Alaska that has thrived and adapted in the same region for-- get this -- 9000 years. Rome lasted 500 years by comparison, and while we won't put bets on the U.S., it's not looking particularly bright at the moment. What are the keys to long term economic stability and human survival? Find out in the article. There's a lot we can learn and implement. Water management: With a changing climate, water issues are pegged to be a major issue in the years ahead. Also from YES! Magazine, find out three keys to managing water resources around the world and how several communities have scored huge successes. 
In concert with Eco-business.com, we're pleased to announce the next Forward Thinking Thursday will be held on Thursday 17 of June 2010 at Fou De Fa Fa from 6-8 p.m. The venue boasts a wide range of healthy food and drinks (wine too!) and is just steps off the Tanjong Pagar MRT. Please join us for an evening of making connections, progressing ideas, and being inspired. We try to keep the crowd small and meaningful, so please RSVP if you'd be so kind. (psst Forward clients: If you join us, your food/drink is on us!) See you there! Venue details are as follows: Fou De Fa Fa - 168 Robinson Road - Phone 6327 9418 Restaurant reviews can be found here, in case you're wondering. If your organisation is trying to get it's head around greenhouse gases (GHG) and how to monitor and reduce them, Betsy Fargo from BSR has a really useful summary appearing on GreenBiz. She discusses the types of tools available, the leading ones on the market and their features, and how to select the most appropriate one. Geothermal energy has enormous potential for meeting the energy needs of low-carbon economies. How much? According to MIT, an "estimated that tapping just 2% of the potential resource from so-called enhanced geothermal systems between 3km and 10km below the surface of continental USA could supply more than 2,500 times the country's total annual energy use." Problem is, thusfar it has often been quite expensive to access and involves expensive drilling projects. Good news on the way however, as Guardian reports a new tool has been developed and tested by Potter Drilling. The tool has managed to reach a depth of 1000 feet deep in the earth, which is a good first step. The bulk of geothermal energy potential lies as much as 3-10km deep in the earths crust, so there is still some way to go. But the technology is proving very promising and it is likely this depth may eventually be reached. This would have a massive effect on lowering project costs and improving the potential for geothermal energy to be tapped worldwide. Something to watch in the years ahead. Courtesy of Green Habitat Design, here's a quick primer on how geothermal works: 
 “How dare they claim the right to block the sun? To colour the clouds? To change the chemistry of the ocean? Look at the oil gushing into the Gulf of Mexico. If we learn one lesson from this disaster, let it be that we cannot control the effects of our technology, nor is our technology capable of fixing the Earth disruptions that we unleash. It’s time for some collective humility in the face of awesome natural forces, not more eco-hubris.”
Naomi Klein, author The Shock Doctrine Word up Naomi. To anyone who agrees, please take a moment to join the Hands Off Mother Earth Campaign to stop geoengineering.  How will recent developments in Copenhagen and elsewhere affect progress on climate change?
Check out our interview -- Eco-business.com has an exclusive with Professor Tim Flannery, scientist, explorer, conservationist, and Chair of the Copenhagen Climate Council. (Special thanks to SAVE at NUS for helping us get access) On behalf of our client, we are looking for a large parcel of agricultural real estate in the larger north Auckland region. This includes Kumeu, Helensville, Riverhead, and Kaipara Harbour areas, as well as Matakana and Wellsford region. Approximate land area sought is 100 acres (30-50ha) that is at least 20-40 metres above sea level. For full information on our real estate requirements please click here. Please feel free to contact us if you know of a worthwhile site, or might be looking to sell your land in the near future. Note: land parcels currently under organic production are highly desired. Check out this month's issue of Idealog Magazine and see our article on New Zealand business leader's cleantech plan for the country. Two very interesting resources have come across the radar this week: 1) The Blue Economy: What would the world be like if we took the most promsing 100, nature inspired technologies and ganged them up together into one system? The answer Gunter Pauli insists is an economic "ecosystem" complete with symbiotic relationships, reinforcing technologies, and recycled nutrients. To the critics who might think this is just another researcher's impractical wet dream, Pauli involved a project team to review and assemble the ideas-- everyone from corporate strategists to economists to financiers and policy makers. The ideas go beyond the "less bad" in order to do "more good". The book is forthcoming and it looks damn promising. 2) AltUse: The website presents alternative re/uses for everything from egg cartons to banana peels. Some very worthwhile and economic ideas here, from coffee grounds in the garden to hairspray as a stain remover.  This week's resource roundup is very DIY on the gardening front. Gardening has been experiencing a huge resurgence in popularity, both from an economic point of view as a response to the financial crisis, as well as amongst people looking to reconnect with what they eat. Two really great resources have come across that are easy to pursue when space and resources are at a premium:
1) Balcony Gardening, courtesy of Callum Saunders-- some good pointers and references here. 2) How to make a Low-Tech Vertical Farm-- step by step instructions with illustrations from Kris De Decker. In other random oil related news (as we don't seem to be having enough about oil on here lately), check out the inside story of how a 22 year-old student caught out the IEA for fudging their energy numbers. Pretty gobsmacking article. COMING NEXT WEEK: Join us for Forward Thinking Thursdays, March 25th from 5:30 at Mezze Bar. Hosted in the heart of Auckland's CBD on Durham Lane, the event is a great chance to kick back with a glass of wine and connect with a small group of switched on professionals about what you're up to. It's a small crowd, laid back, and informal-- not your high pressure cattle car networking event. RSVP's appreciated. We hope to see you there! Check out this interesting analysis (in very simple terms) explaining why energy is difficult to store and harness, and why there is no easy substitute for oil. (Thanks to John T. for passing along good stuff as always) Scary: an 860-billion-tonne chunk of Antarctica's Mertz glacier broke off and is staying put in a precarious spot, one that is likely to upset the delicate flows of global ocean currents. Read the full story here. Here is the second series from Money as Debt. The videos put the complexity (and unsustainability) of our financial system into a very clear light, and present some possible alternatives for the future. [note: Series 1 available here]. It is incredibly easy to understand and runs about an hour in several parts. A must see for anyone who would like to actually understand what goes on with the banking industry and how it affects us all. Gloriously free from punditry and speculation that you'd see on the likes of major news networks-- it actually gets to the core of what's wrong. This week, Ray Skinner at Sustainability Matters practically did the job for us. Thanks for the great stuff mate. What you need to know: Around the world, earth has traditionally been used as a durable, readily available, and low-carbon building material. Check out this interesting documentary on the subject which explores earth building in the larger context of man-made environments worldwide. First Earth Documentary Home Page On 25 Feb 2010 at 10 a.m., Chris Tobias, Lead Strategist at Forward, will deliver a guest lecture at National University of Singapore's School of Geography. The lecture will cover Energy Production and Sustainable Societies. If you are interested to attend, please contact him for more information. ... It is something we are continuing to explore with much enthusiasm. A really great new source of information on the topic recently came from WWF, entitled Meeting Environmental Challenges: The Role of Human Identity. Touching on similar areas to George Lakoff's explorations of cognitive psychology, it looks into how environmental campaigns can avoid pitfalls and be more effective. Some pointers and highlights include: - To combat the power of self-enhancing and materialistic values, encourage people to place greater priority on values such as self-acceptance/self-direction, affiliation, benevolence, and community feeling/universalism.
- By previously embracing self-enhancing, materialistic values and life goals (e.g. playing by the current rules and norms of society, such as trying to put a $ value on ecosystems), the environmental movement has actually served to reinforce the dominance of these values and goals. These are the very values and goals that lead to more negative environmental attitudes and damaging behaviour.
- Studies have shown that a more sustained, reflective meditation on the feelings aroused by thoughts of death can actually decrease material strivings, bringing a greater sense of meaning in life.
- Highlighting the scale and finality of an environmental threat may actually be counterproductive. It is important to spread the understanding of such impacts, but should not be done in a way that stimulates fear.
- Exaggerating environmental impacts of simple and painless steps might actually encourage people to deploy strategies for diversion (e.g. avoiding the topic, seeking pleasure, or blaming the problem on someone else), and also potentially leave people less inclined to adpt other more difficult and signficant behavioural changes.
- Blaming other groups or nationalities (such as SUV drivers around carbon emissions for instance) also is counterproductive in that these campaigns might heighten the sense of threat of those targeted, encourage them to dig in further into their damaging behaviour, and engage others outside the group to deny their own responsibility, instead projecting the problems onto the target group (e.g., the target group becomes the "bad guys").
- Behaviour is a strong determinant of opinion, which is why one cannot drive behaviour with information based on opinion. People adopt views which explain or are consistant with their their behaviours.
- In terms of wider social/environmental movements, it has been commonly noted that "Any oppression helps to support other forms of domination." Basically then, wars that dominate one group over another, abusive treatment of animals, and oppression of women all have some common causes. Working systematically and connecting these dots shows promise to changing the bigger picture for social and environmental issues of global importance.
Check out the WWF study, and also a related post here on Forward Thinking. Energy involves many complex issues, from how it is sourced to where it is used. Crafting intelligent energy policy also means understanding how cultural, social, and political issues come into play. Dr. Michael Quah is one of the well versed experts in this area. With qualifications from Harvard and Yale, a 20+ year career in as an engineer and consultant, his latest work is with Energy Studies Institute and Institute of Southeast Asian Studies. He also does research and development for the U.S. Army around energy technologies. According to Dr. Quah, taking a systems-of-systems approach is advantageous. The bigger picture view, taking into account even some of the smallest details, is useful to understanding complex interrelationships. With energy, nothing can be oversimplified. Beyond that, energy projects-- whether from renewable or traditional energy sources-- need to be carefully analyzed for lifecycle costs and long term impacts. “Anyone who champions one source of energy doesn’t get it,” Quah says. “We need everything.” It is this diversity in supply and generation that will yield ultimate energy security and independence. (continues)  Like many countries, Thailand has an issue with waste. From buildings, to manufacturing and agriculture, to consumer goods and tourism leftovers, mountains of garbage go to landfill each year. Agriculture alone in Thailand churns out 58,190,000 tons of refuse annually (Land Development Department, Government of Thailand). Think about that the next time you frolic on a Thai beach. Throughput of industrial system today, from source to end consumer ends up in landfills or incinerator. For every truckload of product with lasting value, 32 truckloads of waste are produced. On a finite planet, it doesn’t take a genius to realize this sort of system is totally unsustainable. Singh Intrachooto is an unlikely hero in this pile of waste. Closing the loop on society’s byproducts has become Singh’s claim to fame. On one sunny afternoon just outside Bangkok, on the campus of Kasetsart University, we caught up with Singh for an intimate look at his work. (article continues)
In many developing countries, eco-tourism projects are heralded as one way to bring money into communities and create economic benefits for local people. The premise is simple: showcase the local culture and natural heritage and gain the tourist dollar. Unfortunately, this seemingly simple business idea gets messy when implemented.
Small communities are often overrun with waste from materials brought in for or by tourists. Mountains of plastic water bottles and other refuse are the usual suspects. Too, communities often lack sufficient water and sanitation infrastructure, which leads to sewerage issues. Local natural attractions can be overrun and degraded by unscrupulous tour guides and their groups. Culturally too, it is far too easy for communities to be culturally overrun by outsiders and lose the very elements that make them unique to begin with. Thankfully, in the Spiti Valley of northern India, one social enterprise is taking these concerns into consideration. Ecosphere got started in 2002 with the premise to take a holistic view on ecotourism and what it could provide the local community. The crux of the organization’s work is to couple economic empowerment, development, and conservation efforts so that no area goes lacking. (continues) 
Slammed by the economic crisis? Been laid off? Hating your job and wishing you were? Yearning for something more meaningful? Congratulations, you’re not alone. If you’ve been pounding your brain and the pavement in search of alternatives, look no further as there is something perfect for you. Called “ Half Farmer/Half X”, it’s a concept created by a rather astute Japanese man named Naoki Shiomi. The idea is simple: roughly half your time you devote to raising food and connecting with nature-- be it in a backyard garden, veggie patch, window box, or on a farm. The other half of the time, you spend developing your “X”— that is, your bigger purpose in life. Shiomi got the idea after being a “salaryman” (Japanese corporate hack) for nearly a decade in Japan. Back in 1995, he got tired of his day job and found himself wondering how else he might spend his time. Around that same time, he also became conscious of a number of environmental issues, as well as thousands of hectares of abandon rural land in the Japanese countryside. In exploring the issues and his own desire for change, he realized that most environmental problems are connected with people’s often misguided attempts at finding their identity. They consume to satisfy deeper emotional needs to the point it becomes addictive, an unquestioned pattern of behavior. (article continues)  As the keynote speaker at the Singapore Energy Lecture, Dr. Daniel Yergin was toeing his usual line of optimism on the subject of oil and energy. As the Founder and Chairman of Cambridge Energy Research Associate ( CERA), Dr. Yergin has a long career in the energy industry, though one some challenge as upholding the status quo of business and industry. “The century ahead of us will be defined by energy innovation,” he said in his keynote address. “We need availability and security of energy, and a depth and diversification of energy sources.” He spoke of the odd timing of the Copenhagen agenda of lowering carbon emissions (of which fossil fuel energy sources are a key contributor) by 2050, as well as projections that by 2030, there would be a substantial growth of energy needs worldwide. Some 80% of which these energy demands are to be met by hydrocarbon sources. Indeed, humanity faces some difficult decisions and conflict in the years ahead: development at what cost? (article continues) Previous Page | Next Page  | |