As I read up on Treehugger's blog I came across a very interesting article about their 2010 most sustainable companies list. Called the Best of Green, this list is the second annual list by them displaying who the top sustainable companies are in various categories including fashion, automotive and culture. The first annual best sustainable companies list was in 2009 and only included input from the editors on Treehugger. This year is different as Treehugger asked the public to come up with the companies who will make the list (of course with added input from Treehugger editors). After selecting a master list of companies they are now asking people to go in and vote to see who truly makes the list. I like this idea of consumer generated lists not only because I recently did a project on a similar idea, but that a listy generated by consumers will be done so in the mind of the consumer. here are so many lists out there that boast top sustainable companies, but they all differ from each other because they re done so with different motives. But what is the real reason these lists are created? For the better knowledge of the consumer. So what better way to make a list that is actually relevant then have it created by the people who it is made for? I believe this list will be one of the more reliable lists to come out because of the manner in which it is created.
I have been hearing a lot about Sun Chip's new biodegradable bag and wanted to look more into it. At first I didn't believe this claim at all, calling BS and green washing the instant I saw their first ad. But as I looked more into it, they might actually be on to something here. Hell, they even have an ad on treehugger's blog, and they wouldn't allow for green washing there. Here is some of the stuff I found on Sun Chip's (possibly) revolutionary bag.
The bag, which is apparently made up of plants, is supposed to completely breakdown in 14 weeks. That is very impressive, at least a hell of a lot better than what we currently got. Now this doesn't mean that a bag tossed on the side of the highway will disappear in 14 weeks. The bag must be placed in a warm, compost pile in order to breakdown in the said time. On their site, Sun Chips has links to a ton of info on how they tested the bag and came up with the idea. Also notable is the plant they make the bags in. Solar powered and filled with Eco-goodness any sustainable follower would enjoy.
The only issue I had withtheir site was the pictures in the background. Each page had some group of twenty-somethings standing on a hill during a sunset. Yeah, I'm an ad major, but it looks a little too cliche, especially for such an interesting twist to an old product. If there is any green washing that I could find it was in these pictures. Lets be real here, it's not like they came up with a way to rid our need of oil or completely reduce their carbon footprint, they just made a bag that will disappear in a few months. But, when all is said and done, Sun Chips is taking some good steps here. Who knows, maybe every company will have to incorporate some form of biodegradability in their bags in the near future. Sure would make for some cleaner highways.
Imagine you wake up tomorrow, quit your job, and go back to school to learn about sustainability. Think that's crazy? Many people think that it might be the smartest move they will make for their career. Today, more than ever, the demand for sustainable knowledge is huge, and soon jobs in this field will boom. To meet this demand, Universities across the country are adding various sustainability to their curriculum. One of these schools is Harvard University who has seen an increase of demand for sustainability by 70% in two years. Also among the Universities noted is U.C. Berkeley in California. Here, students can earn a certificate noting their knowledge and work for sustainability. If a student completes four courses at the university, they will earn this certificate during their graduation. What an interesting way for them to stand apart from other job applicants entering this field of expertise.
As more and more people demand sustainability classes Universities will have to reach this level of demand. Even in spite of the recession, classes like sustainable design and electrical utility are gaining momentum on campuses across the nation. I believe this is due to the fact that people are really starting to catch on to this sustainable movement. What once was simply a concern among few has now become an issue that must be addressed. Another huge impact on the demand for these classes is the vast amount of job opportunities there will be in this field in the near future. I posted earlier this month about the large increase in jobs in the Midwest due to the sustainable movement. It wont be long until the rest of the nation boasts similar prospects. The question is will you be ready to answer and make a difference?
As an excited and eager, soon-to-be audience member of the 2010 Sasquatch Music Festival at the Gorge, I have been reading up on the upcoming bands and news surrounding the event. As I was reading over the various links and tabs to chose my next destination of informational exploration I came across their "Green" section. Many know that festivals are a great place to promote eco-friendly behavior because most of the participants are well aware of the topic. But what Sasquatch is doing this year is beyond noticable, it's simply amazing.
Esurance, the main sponsor of the event has incorporated sustainable measures in previous years at the festival including a carpool service and awareness booths throughout. But this year they are taking it to the next level. Here are some of the many sustainable things that they are boasting for this year's festival:
- Certified carbon neutral by Carbon Harmony - 100% Wind Powered - 125% of greenhouse gases will be offset by Carbon Harmony
This, among many other thuings like a more active car pool system will actually make the festival improve the planet when all is said and done. This is simply amazing, especially because a festiuval of such magnitude would seemingly be quite harmful for the planet, even with sustainability in mind. I think other events, especially the Olympics which didn't quite do as well sustainability-wise as we hoped, can take advice from the 2010 Sasquatch.
And what does this say about Esurance? After all they are the ones that are pushing this sustainability movement at Sasquatch. I believe they are doing great things even outside of their company's infrastructure to promote sustainability. This is what a truly sustainable motive should be, look for ways outside your company to promote sustainability if you have the means (and money) to do so.
I can't wait to see all this sustainability madness in action this year and hope they can live up to these claims.
As I read Fast Company this morning I came across an interesting article about how social media had been working with the Haiti Earthquake aftermath to provide various tools to help all those interested and involved. With social media no longer used as a quick chat and photo share between friends, its true potential is shining through. As mentioned in the article, An eye-rolling bit of gossip about one of those Kardashian girls can explode through the Web in minutes--and now, news about those in Chile is traveling over the same digital pathways, with the same speed, reaching the same vast amount of people. Its quite fascinating how quickly and seemlessly information can travel across the world, essentially making it possible for someone sitting in the Library in Eugene to speak with someone in Haiti.
So what social tools are being used? The major ones they cover in the article include Google Person Finder, Google Maps layers, Twitter, Facebook, and UStream. All these are fascinating in their own right but I would like to speak more of the ones I had not known about, specifically Google Maps Layers and People Finder.
Google Maps Layers allows for custom made layers showing specific results. For example, say you are looking for a pet store, you can create a custom layer that lists only pet stores in a given area. In Haiti, people are using it as a means to find things and places that are much harder to find after the earthquake. For example, say you want to know what shops are still open, you can m,ake a layer for that. This is a very interesting tool that really connects people with their surroundings.
Google Person Finder is a tool/database where people upload records of when they saw people or what they heard about where they are. The information is not verifiable but with the all of the commotion going on in Haiti it is hard to obtain official records of missing people. This tool allows for people who do not know where their loved ones are to get up-to-date information about them.
Although disaster like this is saddening, it is relieving to see how much social media has united us as a planet. Just because it happened in a distant country doesn't mean we don't care. We live in a world where information is easily accessible throughout and this means we can help each other much easier as well.
We have all heard that the 2010 Vancouver Olympics was supposed to be the most "sustainable Olympics ever." But after the stories of flying in snow and other problems encountered throughout they did not quite reach the level of sustainability they hoped for. That doesn't mean they didn't make a positive step though. After all they did make huge progress in pushing sustainability as a central theme of the Olympics. And I believe London caught on.
The 2012 London Olympics are taking this advice from Vancouver and making their upcoming summer olympics sustainable beyond going green. They hope to incorparte the social, enviornmental and economic aspects that will improve London for years to come, long after the games are over. Here is a brief statement by the Olympic sustainable committee says the games will provide:
The remediation of the site will bring existing land back into public use and create significant improvements in the quantity and quality of green space in east London.
The creation of new infrastructure, sporting facilities and housing in an area currently experiencing high levels of deprivation will help to create neighbourhoods and vibrant places after the Games are over, where people will want to live, work and play. We are reconnecting communities by building more than 30 bridges across the waterways, railways and roads that currently divide the Olympic Park area.
I find it amazing how much change the Olympics will bring to the community in London as well as improve and recreate the parks and bridges that need to be improved. I believe that this is a huge step for London and with the steps they are taking to truly incorporate sustainability into an event that will be seen throughout the World. What better venue to promote this movement and let the rest of the world know that you can make a difference today that will affect those for years to come. Hopefully though, it won't have to take covering the Olympics for a city to change their ways.
I came across a very interesting video today as I was researching sustainability. The ASUO, a Student Government group at the University of Oregon held a sustainability fair last October. This fair brought over 15 campus groups that have ties to sustainability and let them display their ideas to not only each other but the student body as well.
I found this to be very interesting because I am a strong believer that in order for the sustainability movement to truly work we must come together and continue to learn from every aspect of sustainability. The groups involved in the fair ran from Architecture students to the U of O outdoor program. What really stands out for me is that those who attended the fair got to see the diverse implications of sustainability. Sustainability is not a singular idea like improving campus recycling. Instead, it is uniting diverse groups and ideas such as improved architecture design and sustainable law.
What this fair got me thinking about was how can we make this a bigger event? Maybe instead of having it be only one day it could be a week long event that would encourage more student involvement. I for one never knew this was going on and would have loved to visit the fair and been a part of the think tank. Another interesting point that actually came up during a presentation in class today was how the Greek life here at the U of O is starting to begin its journey into better sustainability practices. They could bring not only a fresh perspective but a lot of people as well since around 10% of the student body is in the Greek system here.
This fair is a great steo to promoting sustainability throughout the campus and would love to see it only get bigger as more people gain awareness about this cause.
