| Forward Thinking Blog
Move FORWARD: explore the issues. Learn about the latest in innovation, design, and philosophy here. From high-tech possibilities, to no-tech solutions, to exciting new ways of living… we’ve the bases covered. Got a topic you would like to see explored? Get in touch with us and send the details. And of course, feel free to leave us your thoughts.
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 Working alongside our local Tiong Bahru community, together with the Seng Poh Residents Council, Tanjong Pagar Town Council, and NParks, we're happy to announce that the Seng Poh Community Garden is now officially launched.
It is a work in progress and still a lot of things need to get done, but off to a good start with some very good momentum from the local community. If you're in the area, please feel free to join us. Planting days are every Sunday from 8:30 a.m. outside Block 21. This month we're pleased to be featured in Singapore's Good Paper where we go further into the notion of thrivability. Check it out. Hard copy hits shelves around the island at the end of the month. Forward's Chris Tobias discusses "The Next Step in Human Evolution" at TEDxNTU: TedxNTU from Chris Tobias on Vimeo. Why should we be "less bad" when we could be doing more good? Targeting a university audience using momentum and large doses of humour, Chris explores global challenges like climate change and resource security, and questions the notion of sustainability in this TEDx talk. Find out where humanity is headed in the future, and why the TEDx audience rated this talk the best of the event. Download available: PDF of presentation can be found here. Keen to engage your crowd? From TEDx to Green Drinks, educational institutions to conferences-- we've helped raise awareness and motivate action. If you'd like us to inspire people at your event, please contact us. Thanks to everyone who came out to the talk. It was really enlightening discussion. Please find a copy of the presentation here for reference. Thanks to everyone who came out today and joined in our interesting discussion. Feedback welcome, and presentation available here. See you again later in the semester! ... busy Q1 ahead with guest lectures planned.... stay tuned for more info. If you haven't checked this project out yet, we'd highly recommend it. Kampung Temasek is started by Jack Sim and some colleagues to re-acquaint Singaporeans with the kampung lifestyle and older traditions of learning and understanding their environment. There's a chance we'll be involved with the project in the months ahead. Stay tuned! Check out the interview on energy saving LED technology on Reuters and Washington Post: In other news, thanks to everyone who came out for our sustainability talk last night at Singapore Cricket Club. If you'd like a copy of the presentation, it can be found here. 
We're pleased to announce the next Forward Thinking Thursday will be held on Thursday 11 November 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. 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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We'll be giving a talk on energy and the human factor at the Asian Youth Energy Summit 2010 at NUS. Join us for the morning slot from 10-11 a.m. to catch our talk and panel discussion. From LED artwork to biofuel powered projects-- come and see the iLight Marina Bay Festival. We hope to have you along to check out what all the fuss is about. Festivities kick off from dusk at Marina Bay in Singapore!  Join us tomorrow, Thurs 30th September, when we give a public talk on Singapore's Energy Future - Challenges and New Opportunities. Green Drinks is hosted by Olivia Choong of Sustainable PR, and runs from 7-9 p.m. at Artery Bar, at the Red Dot Design Museum Building. For more information, check out the Green Drinks Singapore website.
 Join us TOMORROW, Friday 17 September for a Public Roundtable Forum on climate change, a discussion on 350 and why it is important, as well as 10:10:10 initiatives going on around Singapore. We'll be helping introduce the panel discussion to be moderated by Straits Times Correspondent Jessica Cheam. For more details, check out the event website.
(post-script... check out the video below)  We're pleased to announce our collaboration with Smart Light Singapore (SLS) to handle sustainability for the "iLight Marina Bay Festival" event, from 15 Oct-7 Nov. 2010. The event will feature a wide range of art pieces from international and local artists, all themed around light and urban environs.
Forward will be working with the organisers (SLS) and the Urban Redevelopment Authority, as well as numerous stakeholders to manage and mitigate the environmental effects of the event. This years festival comes hot on the heels of a similar event being held in Sydney. Stay tuned for more details on the festival as their site goes live. 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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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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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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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. 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. 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.
Join us for yet another great edition of Forward Thinking Thursdays. Chill out and have a chat with other switched on people and share what you're up to. No cost, RSVP's appreciated. See you there! PS: Have you gotten on www.Celsias.co.nz yet? Check it out and join the many other people involved on this great kiwi website! What: Forward Thinking Thursdays Where: Mezze Bar and Tapas Restaurant, Durham Lane (between High St. and Queen St., behind Whitcoulls) When: 24th September, from 5:30 onward Why: Relax and mingle with a group of switched on professionals about the issues that matter. Enjoy good food and drinks and great conversation!
This month on Forward Thinking Thursday, we have a really special sneak peak of Celsias! www.Celsias.co.nz is a hub for professionals working in the sustainability space to share their stories, intiatives, actions, and thoughts. We're interested in helping share the stories of kiwis who are making things happen! Accompanying the website is a 6-monthly magazine put out by HB Media. All attendees to Forward Thinking Thursday will get a FREE copy of the magazine. Join us for good conversation, yummy food, fabulous wine, and highlights of a really cool project. No cost, RSVP's appreciated. See you there! What: Forward Thinking Thursdays Where: Mezze Bar and Tapas Restaurant, Durham Lane (between High St. and Queen St., behind Whitcoulls) When: 27th August, from 5:30 onward Why: Relax and mingle with a group of switched on professionals about the issues that matter. Enjoy good food and drinks, and get a FREE copy of Celsias magazine. The online portal for New Zealand's eco-system has arrived! Join us online today: www.celsias.co.nz (and keep an eye open for Celsias Magazine bundled with Idealog coming out August/September!) 
 Some June/July announcements (in no particular order):
1) Check out the latest Idealog Magazine for two articles from us: one on permaculture in business and another on the stunning New Zealand film This Way of Life. 2) The latest Forward Thinking Thursdays event held on the 25th of June was another success! See you at the next one on the 30th of July at Mezze Bar. 3) For the month of July we'll be overseas attending the 15th Annual International Sustainable Development Research Conference in Utrecht, Netherlands. We'll also be exploring cultures in Eastern Europe, as well as checking out an organic farm and landfill-cum-wildlife sanctuary in Singapore. Sound interesting? Stay tuned! In the coming months, Celsias.com in cooperation with HB Media will be launching Celsias.co.nz, a hub for the professional sustainability community nationwide in New Zealand. We’re currently helping pull together contributors and content for the project. If you or your organisation would like the routine opportunity to share what’s on in your area of interest, send an email to info@celsias.com with your contact details and what you’d like to share. Celsias is open to organisations, local and national government, non-profits, community groups, business, consultants, and informed individuals. We hope to involve you in this great online community in the months ahead.
Thanks to everyone who made it out to last night’s terrific event. We had around 15 people from all backgrounds show up for a few hours-- and a lot of meaningful conversation. People stayed on well past 6:30, with the last minglers clearing out at 8:30. We hope to see you for a glass of wine next time and hear what you’re up to. The next event will take place at the end of June: What: Forward Thinking Thursdays
When: Thursday 25th of June, 5:30-6:30 ish (not fussed about being on time or leaving early/staying late), and every last Thursday of the month
Where: Hosted at Mezze Bar + Tapas Restaurant, 1st Floor, Durham Lane in Auckland’s CBD – Meet us at the back of the space overlooking Queen St. and grab a drink/nibbles at the bar on the way!
Why: Have meaningful conversation about issues that matter, get new ideas and constructive feedback, meet more switched on people in a small, manageable group, chilled out group setting We have a column on Results Only Work Environment out in Issue 21 of the award-winning Idealog Magazine this month. Check it out!  Finally! Some images from an earth building workshop I attended a short while ago, facilitated by the renowned New Zealand architect, Graeme North. Check out the process here in images as we built an experimental structure using cob, mud brick, bamboo, and lightweight concrete.
It was a fantastic workshop and really inspiring to get hands-on with readily available, natural, local materials. The building project (complete to the final picture you see at the end) took two teams working over 16 days. I was involved in the first group that got the foundation layers put in, as well as a good portion of the walls and roof. The second group took over with the structure and improved on the rest. Not bad for a bunch of novices.
The final structure will likely be used as a storage shed on the property, and be monitored over time to see how the combinations of materials have weathered the NZ elements. We encountered a few difficulties due to rain and wind, but it was amazing to see what a beating the materials took, and how well they cured in spite of the conditions. In better weather and with a bit of practice, it would seem likely that a larger structure could go up much faster than what we experienced. Thanks Graeme for your expertise and showing us which end was up!
In recent chats with our colleagues Jill Caldwell, Nick Jones, and Maggie Buxton, we realised a need: talented professionals working in the “sustainability space” could use the occasional chance to connect and share ideas. If you’ve been yearning for feedback on a project, find yourself needing inspiration, want to collaborate, or just want to stay on the pulse of what others are up to, feel free to join us.
When: Beginning Thursday 28th of May from 5:30-6:30, and every last Thursday of the month
What: We are kicking off Forward Thinking Thursdays Where: Hosted at Mezze Bar + Tapas Restaurant, 1st Floor, Durham Lane in Auckland’s CBD Why: Have meaningful conversation about issues that matter, get new ideas and constructive feedback, meet more switched on people in a small, manageable group We envision keeping the group an intimate size of around 10-15 people (or so) to keep things manageable. More small-talk with interesting people, less getting lost in the crowd. Think of it as Green Drinks meets Pecha Kucha in a smaller room without fuss or formality. Keen? RSVP – chris@forward.net.nz Bill McKibben's first book The End of Nature was highly influential in putting climate change firmly at the top of the agenda for world leaders like Al Gore. More recently, McKibben founded 350.org. This rapidly growing global movement is working to raise awareness about, and action on, climate change issues. During his New Zealand visit, McKibben will be spreading the word about what it means to genuinely deal with climate change. We need to go beyond being more efficient or carbon neutral, and we need to start absorbing more carbon than we release.
Monday 4th May
Waitakere City: 9am – 11:30am, Central Auckland: 1pm – 3pm
for more info about the tour contact Aaron 027 351 9994
for more info see www.350.org.nz alsowww.350.organdwww.billmckibben.com | 350 parts per million (ppm) is the safe concentration of carbon doxide in the atmosphere for the planet. The current global concentration is 387ppm and increasing at 2ppm per year. Let’s turn it around! |
As of 1 December 2008, Forward's lead strategist Chris Tobias will also be handling the role of Editor at Celsias.com. The site specialises in climate change issues and taking action. Visit the site and check out their blog: www.celsias.com This month kept us busy with a wide range of client work. We put the finishing touches on two modules for BRANZ's Level website that should be live later this year. The launch of Organic Explorer's Second Edition at The Grange in Ponsonby also went off without a hitch. Some great times were had by all who attended the event. We are now hard at work on a Sustainable Development Reporting toolkit for the NZICA which should also be completed around early 2009. In other news, Good Magazine is syncing with the Forward Events Diary in their Dec/Jan edition. Join us in supporting this fantastic publication, and keep a lookout for Forward. We have a big announcement coming up in early November, so stay tuned! 
~Drinks and Nibbles at the Organic Explorer Launch, hosted by The Grange Ponsonby. Thanks Saskia and Blair! | |