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Opportunity Green’s Top 5 Eco-Spirits
Posted on 16. Dec, 2009 by Brent Remby.
Dear readers and other eco-evangelistas,
We all know there are a lot of choices when it comes to deciding on what beverage to get; shots, martinis, white Russians, or even a screwdriver. Then you have the variations of each drink, like on the rocks, straight up, with cola, etc. So many decisions, all the while there is a big bouncer-type guy standing behind you at the bar staring you down while you make a choice. Sounds stressful! Thankfully there are a few (really, more than just a few) distilleries that have taken this time-old process and brought it into the present by making their products from organic resources or using sustainable packaging, or both! Also included in this post, are some festive ways to enjoy these cocktails during the holidays! Enjoy!
I present to you:
Opportunity Green’s Top 5 Eco-Spirits
#1 VeeV Açai Spirit – A better way to drink. – @VeeVAcaiSpirit
VeeV is the world’s first Açai spirit. Grown and harvested in the Brazilian Rainforest, the national fruit of Brazil is considered to be the world’s preeminent superfruit. Packed with nutrients, this purple berry tastes like an exotic blend of dark berries with the added benefit of 57% more antioxidants than pomegranates or blueberries.
Why they are cool:
$1 from every bottle sold goes to Sambazon’s Sustainable Açai Project, which directly benefits the farming communities that harvest Açai berries, promotes organic organization, and ensures that Açai is “wild harvested” to ensure the surrounding environment isn’t destroyed while being picked.
VeeV Açai Spirit is the industry’s first Carbon Neutral Company with the help of the organization Climate Clean.
VeeV distilleries are powered by wind energy.
Holiday Recipe: Under the Mistletoe
2 oz. VeeV Açai Spirit
White Cranberry Juice
Mint and frozen cranberries for garnish
Build in an ice-filled rocks glass. Garnish with the mint and cranberries.
#2 360 Vodka – Eco Friendly Vodka
360 Vodka became very popular by being the first eco-friendly premium vodka. It is crafted from a philosophy for eco-awareness and corporate responsibility. Every bottle of 360 Vodka is quadrupled distilled using a very energy efficient process, with every bushel of grain being used and nothing going to waste. It also is five-times filtered at Earth Friendly Distilling Company which has improved its eco-footprint measurably over the last five years.
Why they are cool:
They use 85% recycled glass bottles, and their paper is processed chlorine free.
They use 100% post-consumer waste and 100% recycled content.
In the production of their labeling they were able to save 193 fully grown trees, 82,776 gallons of water, 9,255 lbs of solid waste, and 18,052 lbs of greenhouse gasses.
Holiday Recipe: Merry New Years!
1 cl. 360 Vodka
1 cl. Grenadine
Champagne
Stir Vodka and Grenadine with Ice. Fill in a champagne glass without the ice and fill up with champagne.
#3 Square One Organic Vodka – A Singular Spirit
Square One believes in creating a luxurious spirit that is one part organic North Dakota-grown Rye, one part farmers market, and one part activist. Their water is drawn from deep aquifers, reflecting its origin in the pristine Teton Range of Wyoming. Square One’s unique organic fermentation technique combines with a classic four-column distillation and filtration. They have three flavors, Original, Botanical, and Cucumber.
Why they are cool:
They are a female-owned company that strives to provide a fair work-life balance.
25% of its power comes from wind energy.
Supporting the “green” industry by sponsoring events such as LOHAS10 and the Global Green and Environmental Media Awards.
Holiday Recipe: Cranberry Dream
1-1/2 ounce Square One Organic Rye Vodka
6-8 Fresh cranberries
1/2 ounce Fresh lime
1/2 ounce St Elizabeth Allspice Dram
Dash of organic simple syrup
Combine ingredients in an ice-filled glass. Garnish with lime wheels.
#4 TRU Organic Spirits – A better vodka for a better planet.
Five years ago, husband-and-wife team Melkon Khosrovian and Litty Mathew, infused with Slow Food ideals and deeply ingrained eco-sensibilities, harnessed their passion into Modern Spirits, which is a line of uniquely infused Artisan vodkas and gin. In 2008, Modern Spirits expanded their ecological efforts and introduced TRU Vodka, America’s first completely sustainable spirits line. This means TRU Vodkas are organic, packaged in 100% recycled, recyclable or biodegradable packaging. Furthermore, to improve the environment and reward every customer, Modern Spirits plants a tree for every bottle sold.
Why they are cool:
TRU maintains clean farmland and groundwater. By being organic, ingredients that go into TRU don’t contain synthetic pesticides and fertilizers, or genetically modified organisms.
They reduce waste and pollution through their exclusive use of lightweight bottles, recycled and recyclable materials and dual-use packaging (TRU shipping boxes convert into shelf displays for the product).
By being efficient and careful in the manufacturing process and planting a tree a bottle, two ounces of TRU vodka—the amount in a standard cocktail—help remove 62 kgs of carbon dioxide from the atmosphere. (Who knew drinking would reduce carbon?)
Holiday Recipe: Honey Drop
3 oz. TRU Organic Straight vodka
Squeeze of fresh grapefruit
Combine ingredients into shaker. Shake/strain into martini glass, garnish with swirl of honey.
#5 Ocean Vodka – Drink Organically – @OceanVodka
Meet Ocean Vodka, Hawaii’s own organic vodka blend. It is produced and sold on the island of Maui. Using USDA Certified Organic sugarcane, Ocean Vodka uses cane that isn’t genetically modified or has been treated with herbicides or pesticides. Not to mention that they are a company that believes in sustainability by using energy efficient lighting, and recycling all shipping materials.
Why they are cool:
No fresh water! Their water comes from Koyo USA. They actually retrieve deep ocean sea water (3,000 feet below ocean surface) and gently desalinize it to create a pure water source.
Money from the sales of their vodka goes to support various groups advocating cleaner oceans.
Utilizes reusable stainless steel shipping containers to ship bulk spirits and deep sea water.
Holiday Recipe: Crimson Tide Martini
4 oz. Ocean Vodka
1 oz. Cranberry Juice
1 oz. Pomegranate Juice
Squeeze of Orange
Add all ingredients into shaker with ice. Shake and pour into martini glass. Garnish with fresh pomegranate or orange twist.
From all of us here at Opportunity Green we would like to wish you a happy and safe holiday!
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Mike Flynn and Emilie Cowan highlight sustainability and the emerging green sector on CNN Headline News
Posted on 23. Oct, 2009 by Brent Remby.
To see the full CNN Headline News interview of Opportunity Green CEO Mike Flynn and VP of Business Development Emilie Cowan, click play:
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Opportunity Green Announces 400 Mile “Tour de OG” Bike Ride From SF to LA
Posted on 23. Oct, 2009 by Brent Remby.
Opportunity Green is launching a historic supported bike ride from San Francisco to Los Angeles, November 1- 5, 2009 to generate a social media buzz highlighting the green business movement. The Tour de OG will utilize social media platforms such as Facebook, Twitter, mobile phone applications, and the blogosphere to engage a global audience, gathering support & community around these cyclists catalyzing positive change.
The Tour de OG is a 400 mile trek along the scenic California coastline. This biking posse of green business influencers & innovators will swing by cutting edge companies & organizations driving sustainability. At the heart of the finish line media and sponsors will join with cyclists to celebrate their considerable accomplishment of completing a 400 mile life changing adventure.
Join the Ride and facilitate the movement to transform business for good by uniting with openminded professionals on a week-long intrepid adventure & networking experience. Inspire and captivate an audience of 500+ riveting conference speakers & attendees.
Join extraordinary visionaries, forward thinkers, creative industry leaders and companies committed to building profitable + sustainable enterprises while solving some of the world’s toughest problems.
Here is what Nick Aster, Founder and Publisher of Triple Pundit has to say about the Tour de OG: “We’re looking to attract business leaders who can walk the walk, or ride the ride as it were. It’s going to be an intense 5 days of riding, brainstorming, exciting conversation and building of momentum. When we get to LA we’re looking forward to sharing our stories from the road and recruiting more folks to do it again next year!”
Riders will be provided:
* Organic Meals, Snacks & Beverages* Campsites & Lodging Accommodations* Promotional Biking & Outerwear Accessories* Special Rider Incentive, Discounted Registration for Opportunity Green Conference – Nov. 7-8 at UCLA
To ride, sponsor or just get involved, please email tour@opportunitygreen.com
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Not a single or double…but a Triple Bottom Line
Posted on 09. Oct, 2009 by Brent Remby.
The infamous Triple Bottom Line, also know as, TBL, 3BL or People, Planet, Profit was coined by John Elkington in 1994 in an article published by the California Management Review. He later expanded and articulated in his 1998 book, Cannibals with Forks: the Triple Bottom Line of 21st Century Business. Essentially, the TBL concept requires that business’ responsibility be to Stakeholders rather than Shareholders. A stakeholder is someone who is directly or indirectly influenced by the company, while a shareholder is someone who has just invested money into the company.
In 2007, the United Nations and International Council for Local Environmental Initiatives (ICLEI) adopted the standard for urban and community accounting. This approach combined with human and natural capital measurements helps meet the requirements of TBL reporting.
So what is the Triple Bottom Line you ask? There is a lot of information out there, here is just an overview:
People (Human Capital): This element requires that business practices be fair and beneficial in regards to labor, the local community, and region. Some examples of this include: Not using child labor or contracting other companies that use child labor, fair and competitive wages, tolerable working hours, clean and safe workplace, and giving back to the local community through education, healthcare or community improvement.
Planet (Natural Capital): This element represents business practices that take the environment’s interests to heart. A TBL business strives to reduce its ecological footprint through various sustainability initiatives such as monitoring energy consumption, properly disposing of waste through recycling, composting, etc. “Cradle to grave” is a design theory and process that assesses a product’s lifecycle and is used to measure their true environmental impact from the raw materials being harvested to when the end-user disposes of the product. TBL companies also do not make products that could harm or destroy the environment or people, such as weapons or toxic chemicals.
Profit: This has been the traditional bottom line since commerce began. It is shared by all business whether they are sustainable or not. Within the TBL framework, profit refers to the economic impact the business has on the host society and economic climate. This might mean that a business could take a certain percentage of its profit and invest back into the community that is serves.
Positives of the Triple Bottom Line:
• Reaching new untapped niche markets that couldn’t be accessed when only profit was the main focus. (e.g. eco-tourism)
• Expanding new business sectors such as social entrepreneurialism, where new business must design themselves to be financially profitable, socially responsible and ecologically sustainable or they will fail to compete with others who have adopted as such.
• Providing products or services to under-deserved markets or the environment that are financially profitable.
Arguments against the Triple Bottom Line:
• Application: Since there is no single way in monetary terms to measure the benefits to the society and environment as there is with profit, it does not allow for businesses to sum across all three bottom lines. In this regard, it makes it difficult for businesses to recognize the benefits of using TBL for the company, itself.
• Effectiveness: It is observed that concern for social and environmental matters is rare in poor societies. As a society becomes richer its citizens develop an increasing desire for a clean environment and protected wildlife, and both the willingness and financial ability to contribute to this and to a compassionate society. Support for the concept of the triple bottom line itself is said to be an example of the choices available to the citizens of a society made wealthy by businesses attending to business..It is important that business take a hard look at themselves, and see where they stack up. TBL may not the ultimate answer in helping business become more sustainable, but it is a great place to start. In a world where the half of the top economies in the world are businesses, action needs to be taken so we can have a brighter future.
Consider yourself one step closer to being a sustainable citizen!
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Opportunity Green’s Top 10 Eco-friendly Office Supplies
Posted on 28. Sep, 2009 by Brent Remby.
Top 10 Eco-Friendly Office Products
Looking to make your office a little “greener”? Well look no further, these eco-friendly, cost effective products will help you make your office a lean, mean, fighting-for-Earth machine! We want to hear your opinion on these products!
Kor Hydration Vessel – You can check it out here: Kor Water
The Kor Hydration Vessel is a 100% BPA-free water bottle with a push-button lid. It features a customizable “stone”, which is a little message you can read while you are taking a swig. Each color represents specific organizations that proceeds from your purchase go to. Kor Water believes passionately in the importance of clean water – to human health and to the health of our planet. They also believe in the power of design to inspire and motivate. Kor acknowledges the serious waste problem that bottled water creates and believe the only real solution is change. Change requires a complete redesign of the hydration experience.
Tornado Bamboo Pen – Retro 51 – You can check it out here: Bamboo Pen
Designer pen maker, Retro 51, recently introduced its Bamboo Tornado pen made of sustainable bamboo. With the purchase of each refillable Toranado pen, Retro 51 makes a donation to the Arbor Day Foundation to save 250 square feet of rainforest. Keep those disposable pens out of the landfill by using a refillable writing instrument.
Unfold - Working Class Heroes - You can check it out here: Working Class Heroes
Presenting the Unfold: A laptop case that can be folded eight different ways to fit everything you need. With “comfy handles and a reinforced shoulder strap, the bag is also padded with a protective layer to keep whatever you carry safe”. Its interior is a soft cotton lining with small leather logo. They use natural fabrics like 100% handmade felt that makes it more durable and kinder on the environment. Working Class Heroes features many other products for all of your carrying needs.
ReBinder – Sustainable Group – You can check it out here: ReBinder
The ReBinder is the world’s only FSC Certified Binder. By choosing a ReBinder over the 3 ring vinyl binder, you lower your carbon footprint, save money and deliver an awesome message about your commitment to the earth. ReBinder is the original 3 ring binder made of durable recycled chipboard and corrugated cardboard. All of the binders are made in the USA using high quality, locally sourced materials. All of the binder covers are recyclable or compostable. ReBinder is assembled by a staff of disabled workers in the Pacific Northwest.
Autopilot Workstation – Material Furniture – You can check it out here: Autopilot Workstation
The Autopilot Workstation, like all of Material Furniture’s imaginative collection is built with Forest Stewardship Council (FSC) certified woods, locally-sourced materials, and comes with easy assembly/disassembly instructions for maximum modular usability. This modern, unique desk comes with either a maple or walnut finish and can be splashed with one of four colors: ice blue, citron, tangerine, or white. Owner/designer Christopher Douglas’s thoughtful work extends even to the packaging, which uses as little material as possible by shipping each piece flat. Using it might just inspire you to get more work done.
Marcal 100% post-consumer recycled paper products – You can check it out here: Marcal Paper
Marcal has been saving trees and reducing landfills for over 50 years by making its paper products from recycled paper. Marcal uses paper collected from curbs in residential neighborhoods in cities and towns across America, from the small blue baskets in office buildings, from unwanted junk mail, and even waste from printers; all in an effort to do something good… to produce something that people need.
TerraCycle E-Waste Trash Can – You can check it out here: TerraCycle
The TerraCycle E-Waste Recycling Can is made from 100% e-waste (such as crushed computers and fax machines) that would otherwise have ended up in landfills. It comes in both blue and green, holds up to 28 quarts. Finally, we have something to make out of all that e-waste!
ATP Earthdrive 8 GB Eco-friendly flash drive – You can check it out here: ATP EarthDrive
The ATP EarthDrive™ is the world’s first recyclable USB Drive, appropriately named the EarthDrive™. With years of product development and extensive research, the EarthDrive™ is designed and built using the maximum amount of biodegradable materials (PLA), resulting in a fully recyclable product. PLA (Polylactic acid) is a biodegradable polyester derived from renewable resources, such as corn. Shockproof, waterproof, and dustproof, the drive can also be password protected.
Wrap-a-long Reusable Sandwich Wrap - You can check it out here: Etsy
Introducing the Wrap-A-Long- an eco-friendly, reusable sandwich wrap perfect for sandwiches of all kinds! Combine these with their snack and lunch bags to make a perfect lunch kit! Now you can finally stop using plastic baggies, foil, wax paper, etc. to pack a sandwich. Just imagine how much you can do for the environment along with the amount of money you can save by making the switch! The Wrap-A-Long is made with 3 layers to keep food fresh longer: 100% cotton print fabric outside, 100% white cotton in the middle and it is lined with a water-resistant and stain-resistant nylon. It measures 12” by 12” when opened and doubles as a placement. It is designed with an adjustable Velcro closure so it can hold different size sandwiches perfectly! To clean- simply shake off crumbs and wipe down the lining. Is this concept sustainable?
EconoGreen Eco-friendly Plastic Bags - You can check it out here: EconoGreen
EconoGreen Plastics™ bags and drop cloths are better for the planet than traditional plastic bags. They cost less than comparable plastic bags and drop cloths while providing equal or better quality. Their bags and drop cloths are not only made from recycled plastics, they are also recyclable and oxodegradable. We believe that a disposable plastic product should be engineered to degrade over time. We find it’s an easy way to do our part for a healthier planet. Made from 100% recycled plastic, 100% oxodegradable, and 100% recyclable, these bags and drop cloths will completely break down within 2 years after use! This is considerably less than traditional plastic bags.
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Jonah Sachs: Using the Power of Story to Push Social Responsibility
Posted on 01. Sep, 2009 by Brent Remby.
Jonah Sachs is Creative Director for Free Range Studios, a graphic design and creative services firm for non-profits, political campaigns and socially responsible businesses. Free Range is responsible for the wildly successful viral videos The Meatrix, Grocery Store Wars, and The Story of Stuff, which together have been viewed tens of millions of times. The firm has offices in D.C. and Berkeley, CA, and has also worked with Amnesty International, Green Mountain Coffee and Moveon.org. Jonah spoke with Opportunity Green about his inspirations, the future of viral marketing, and the importance of story in conveying a message.
OG: Tell us a little about what you do at Free Range.
JS: I spend my days thinking about creating breakthrough ways to use storytelling and technology to inspire people and make the world a better place. I’m a writer, a designer, a director and evangelist for what technology can do to change our culture.
OG: What brought you to the design space?
JS: I began as a writer and a journalist but I realized that how words were presented were as important as what words were said. The same idea expressed with visual beauty can communicate the idea with much more emotional impact. So I fell in love with design.
OG: What has been your favorite project thus far in your career?
JS: I think The Meatrix is still my favorite project to have created the concept and written. All the metaphoric bridges between the movie The Matrix and the world of factory farming just seemed to unfold before our eyes. That was so satisfying. And of course the results were thrilling. It’s been viewed over 20 million times.
OG: Who is your biggest inspiration?
JS: Joseph Campbell. Campbell did what would seem impossible: he looked at all of the most persuasive communications in human history (and I’m not talking persuasive in the sense of making you buy a new product, but persuasive in the sense of changing your whole sense of self) and identified what makes them work, what they have in common. This insight, which comes from both a scientific and spiritual perspective is an invaluable tool to anyone trying to shift public consciousness.
OG: How did you get involved with Opportunity Green?
JS: I connected with Karen Solomon a hundred different ways. Originally, we connected through The Story of Stuff because she is a fan. Later, Free Range Studios helped Opportunity Green hone their own messaging, so we’ve been involved on many levels.
OG: How vital is viral marketing to promoting the understanding and acceptance of sustainable practices both in business and our everyday lives?
JS: It was marketing that actually spawned consumerism in the 1950s as our economy was out-producing demand drastically. Marketing changed the way people saw their needs, their identities and the meaning of their lives. It changed culture in less than a decade on a deeply personal level. If marketing can do that, it can be harnessed to do the reverse. It is probably our only hope at this point, facing the enormity of our global challenges.
OG: How are progressive organizations making waves in the business world when it comes to promoting their positive message and making sure they’re not drowned out by big corporations?
JS: Progressive groups have become very good at using viral marketing techniques to compete effectively against the big spending corporate competition. They have an advantage there because people are far more willing to educate their friends than to advertise to them. The trick is to continually understand how viral networks work and what kinds of content they want and are willing to pass along for your organization.
OG: In 2001, Shift Magazine featured you as one of the “30 People Cleaning Up the Earth.” What were you doing to earn that title, and what are you doing currently to keep that title?
JS: At that time Free Range Studios was getting attention for our pioneering use of flash movies as an advocacy tool. In 2001, flash movies were more of an exciting promise than a proven technique. Since then, we have had some huge successes with that tool including The Meatrix, Grocery Store Wars, Friends with Low Wages and The Story of Stuff. But we’re not just about movies because the Internet is not just about passive consumable content. Today, the internet is all about conversations, and Free Range works hard to help our clients stay on the cutting edge of having authentic conversations with their users.
OG: What advice can you offer to those who have something important to say, but might need some guidance on how to get their message out there?
JS: What’s worked for Free Range and our clients has been to encapsulate every message into a human-scale narrative. People don’t respond to facts and figures, they respond to characters, conflict and story. There is so much information out there that you can’t afford to just put a message out there and hope it will speak for itself. You need to count on getting your audience to want to spread it. And for that you need to connect with them on the emotional level, through stories.
OG: Who is your favorite eco-person to follow on Twitter?
JS: Scott Badenoch [of Creative Citizen]. @thecitizen.
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Fridolin Beisert: Problem Framing and Pattern Breaking in Sustainable Design
Posted on 27. Aug, 2009 by Brent Remby.
Fridolin Beisert (website) is an Associate Professor at Art Center College of Design, and a consult for corporations and executive education institutions on design thinking. Together with another professor, Fridolin developed “Design for Sustainability,” a ground-breaking class at the Art Center where students redesign products to reduce their environmental impact. The class was featured in the Los Angeles Times, and students have already won awards for their concepts. Fridolin talks to Opportunity Green about creative problem solving, trends in sustainability and what country is the greenest.
OG: What brought you to the design space?
FB: I think as a child I was always creating art, building furniture, fixing things that were broken, dissecting objects, etc. My father is a doctor and my mother a children’s book illustrator and painter – that might explain this mix of habits. When it came time to choose a career path I originally thought that I should study art maybe, but then I missed all of the application deadlines (this was in Germany in the 90′s). Through coincidence my cousin knew of a design student that went to Art Center and encouraged me to speak with him because that school was enrolling three times a year. “Design”, I thought, “what is that?” Turns out it is exactly what I wanted to do all my life: creative problem solving and producing tangible solutions that have value. I ended up going to California to study product and entertainment design at Art Center. After graduation I started a design consultancy called Red Thread together with some friends of mine and we were working on just about any design projects imaginable.
OG: What has been your favorite project thus far in your career?
FB: I am very passionate about my work and always give 110%, so I would have to say that my favorite project is usually the one I am currently working on. I try to avoid working on anything that is not fun or does not provide a creative challenge to me because those projects consume too much energy.
OG: Who is your biggest inspiration?
FB: There are many great designers that I look up to, but ultimately the main inspirations for me are my mom and dad. Unfortunately, I do not get see them that often because they live in Germany, but we talk a lot over the phone. My mom tells me about all the paintings that she is doing and my dad (now retired) is creating sculptures and furniture designs. It is amazing to see what a creative energy these two have – absolutely inspiring!
OG: How did you get involved with Opportunity Green?
FB: I went to the Opportunity Green Conference in 2008 and was completely blown away. I have been to a lot of conferences about design and also sustainability and most of them feel incredibly academic and antiquated. Opportunity Green on the other hand showed how businesses can be both green and profitable at the same time. There were no doomsday presentations about just how bad the environment is, but rather lectures were filled with success stories and fresh thinking – straight to the point. Later that year we decided to collaborate with Art Center and Opportunity Green. As I mentioned earlier, I like working on projects that provide creative challenges and that have great people involved.
OG: As a teacher of creative problem solving, in your opinion, what is the most urgent problem that we face, and can you lend us some tips on how to start creatively thinking about a solution?
FB: This answer could easily fill up multiple chapters of a book, as I am currently working on just that: publishing some of the remarkable results that have come out of one of the classes that I teach which deals with creative strategies. The most urgent problem that we face? That of course depends entirely on the viewpoint of who is asking and the context. Generally speaking, I teach individuals on how to ask the right questions as a starting point to generate innovative solutions. I call this “Problem Framing” and “Pattern Breaking”, and I will give a small workshop on this topic at the conference.
OG: What are some of the sustainable trends that you see forming as the next generation grows up?
FB: It is about efficiency; the next generation does not want to waste a lot of time or resources. As consumers, they are much better educated and equipped to understand green-washing vs. honest approaches towards sustainable lifestyles. They will seek products that do not harm the environment and contain no toxic materials. They will value the concept of local manufacture and they will be very aware of their own ecological footprint at all stages of their lives. I think they will profoundly change the industrial landscape as we know it.
OG: Are their any specific outdated design thinking methodologies that are being used today, and is there a better solution currently available?
FB: Just about any article about design starts by mentioning that the design field is rapidly changing. In our industry, “change” is the only “constant.” Thus a lot of methodologies that deal with creating designs for the sake of generating profits or selling to the consumer products that they do not really need will become obsolete in the future. In our sustainability class my co-teacher Heidrun Mumper-Drumm has coined the term “comprehensive design,” which uses a lifecycle analysis and impact matrix to generate new designs that feature form+function+sustainability. My job is to help the students create viable business plans and marketing strategies to make sure these products are finding the right consumers.
OG: Your speaker bio mentioned that you have worked with various entertainment companies; which, if any, sector of the entertainment industry do you think could be more sustainable?
FB: In this industry, sustainability should begin with reduced waste: less energy, less garbage, less travel and instead closed-loop thinking. Off the top of my head I would say that the film industry has probably the largest room for improvement. Within that are many individual sectors, and I think probably the commercial industry needs a heavy dose of sustainable thinking. Because of time and budget pressures there are usually no considerations made for the environment – not to mention that most of the commercials just try to sell us more goods.
OG: In your travels around the world, which country do you see positioned to be the greenest?
FB: Germany has a long standing history in developing green technologies and they are incredibly efficient. Japan on the other hand is very resourceful and they are experts at recycling. However, I notice strongly that the best discussions about the future of sustainability are almost always in California. When talking to companies in Europe or Asia they are very well aware of “traditional” sustainable thinking such as recycling and energy consumption, but they are often unaware of what it means to do a complete Lifecycle Analysis of a product, service or process. When I explain to them what we do in our class, they are often amazed and confess that they are unaware of the full sustainable picture of their company.
