While working for a former company, the CEO decided to become enlightened with a new conscientiousness to what harmful effects his product had on the environment. Not just the natural environment, but also socially and economically. Taking one step at a time to learn and grow then in-turn, teach and educate the employees.
In his decision to change company processes, it led his employees to change the way they looked at their jobs/positions. In deciding to do what's right environmentally, it became fun to look at new ways of performing duties/responsibilities and actually look forward to arriving at work and spending the day.
It brought about a new attitude to take home to families and friends. Everything flows down. Will you "do the right thing" and change your life so that it influences real, permanent change for the environment?
His decision changed mine, not purposely, but the effects of that decision rearranged my future with a new direction. Doing what's right doesn't leave harmful effects behind, it builds a better environment around everything and everyone.
Monday, December 21, 2009
Saturday, December 5, 2009
User-Friendly Term
Many people ask for a simple explanation to understanding Sustainability. After sometime of answering this question and many moments of frustration, its, finally, come down to two words. I challenge anyone to break down Sustainability into a better "user friendly" term.
It's finding balance in every intellectual, value-added or operational process. After trying to educate stakeholders for years to still have them look at you with a lost sense of feeling at the end of a workshop was frustrating. So in putting together a simplified form of training brought about a workshop built around two words. This brought revelation to my students of sustainability that has had overwhelming success and they leave confident to achieve greatness by applying two words.
People understand "Green" because they relate it to recycling. They understand "Conservation" because of extinction. But why weren't they understanding "Sustainability" through the same form of successful publicity that Green and Conservation had received? They were hearing "Zero to Zero," or "no longer taking from the Earth," but weren't grabbing the concept for reapplication. How do I know this? Ask a person saying they've heard about sustainability to explain it to you. Nine out of ten times they stutter or pause before being able to find the appropriate wording to apply and answer. Many will interpret sustainability as "green" or "conservation."
Now ask one of my students to explain sustainability! An immediate response will be...rolling off the tip of the tongue...they will say, ..."finding balance."
It's finding balance in social sustainability between community and workplace, or economic balance between a town losing business and enticing SMART business. Last but not least, it's environmental sustainability finding balance between wildlife and human life. Although, these are just a few examples in the three areas of sustainability, it will help you find better answers while learning or applying sustainability.
It's finding balance in every intellectual, value-added or operational process. After trying to educate stakeholders for years to still have them look at you with a lost sense of feeling at the end of a workshop was frustrating. So in putting together a simplified form of training brought about a workshop built around two words. This brought revelation to my students of sustainability that has had overwhelming success and they leave confident to achieve greatness by applying two words.
People understand "Green" because they relate it to recycling. They understand "Conservation" because of extinction. But why weren't they understanding "Sustainability" through the same form of successful publicity that Green and Conservation had received? They were hearing "Zero to Zero," or "no longer taking from the Earth," but weren't grabbing the concept for reapplication. How do I know this? Ask a person saying they've heard about sustainability to explain it to you. Nine out of ten times they stutter or pause before being able to find the appropriate wording to apply and answer. Many will interpret sustainability as "green" or "conservation."
Now ask one of my students to explain sustainability! An immediate response will be...rolling off the tip of the tongue...they will say, ..."finding balance."
It's finding balance in social sustainability between community and workplace, or economic balance between a town losing business and enticing SMART business. Last but not least, it's environmental sustainability finding balance between wildlife and human life. Although, these are just a few examples in the three areas of sustainability, it will help you find better answers while learning or applying sustainability.
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