Tag Archives: California
Interview with David Martinon, French Consul General, Part 1
Posted on 04. Nov, 2009 by Susanna Schick.
David Martinon is the Consul General at the Los Angeles French Consulate. In this role, he is responsible for promoting French culture and arts, science, and business, as well as caring for French citizens in the US. Prior to joining the Los Angeles Consulate in 2008, Mr. Martinon was a spokesperson for the French President, before which he was chief of staff for President Sarkozy’s presidential campaign. And before that, he worked as a diplomatic advisor for four years. In this two-part interview we begin by discussing cultural sustainability, and France’s revolutionary attempts to redefine how we measure “success.”
OG: You do an amazing job of utilizing social media, much more than one would expect of a government agency. Your Twitter feed and your blog do an excellent job of promoting French culture in Los Angeles. So tell me, what are you looking forward to most about the conference?
David: Thank You, but it is more the work of Stéphanie Rainin. I wanted to attend Opportunity Green because I try to be aware of ideas that pop up here in California. I first met Karen Solomon when I invited her for the premiere of HOME, the film by French director Yann Arthus-Bertrand. We got on well, she’s a very interesting person. I like that you’re trying to promote not only awareness of environmental issues, but also to create new ideas on how to improve the situation. Before I came to California, I saw that there were great intellectual & technical revolutions in California, not only the ideology of May ’68, but also of course the environmental revolution going on today. Today’s ideas in California are the rest of the world’s ideas tomorrow.
OG: So it seems you work with two major industries- life sciences and entertainment. Can you tell me about some interesting projects in either of them?
David: In entertainment, for the past 13 years, we’ve put on a French film festival- City of Lights, City of Angels (CoLCoA) every spring. Also, this year we started OohLaL.A., a music festival featuring the most cutting-edge French musicians. The selection was made by Silvain Taillet, the art director of the very prestigious music school, Barclay. Both festivals are great successes, even with OohLaL.A. in its first year, we’ve had great partners and the seats were full every night. This is difficult, considering most of the artists are unknown in the US.
OG: It’s definitely hard to break into LA entertainment industry.
David: I think if we can’t be successful here in Los Angeles, the entertainment capital of the world, we better change the consul! We also try to bring American screenwriters to France, because we think that showing them the hidden faces of France inspires them. We want them to film in France, to take advantage of our beautiful scenery and great crews.
OG: Adam Werbach promotes the importance of cultural sustainability alongside environmental, social and economic sustainability, arguing that culture is too often ignored, particularly by multi-national corporations operating abroad. Let’s talk about how great the French are at preserving their cultural heritage.
David: On this topic, we French actually have a lot of contradictions. On the one hand, we’re extremely attached to our culture. For example, in Paris the Parisians go to the theater, to movies, and box office receipts are still very high, we maintain that a minimum of 50% of films are French, so 40% are American and 10% from the rest of the world. We also read a lot of books, publishing is still doing well. La rentrée literaire is always a interesting time. Roughly a third of the pages in French newsmagazines are dedicated to culture. It’s our pride. We will accept to be “poor” as long as we have culture.
However, on the other hand, we embrace foreign culture. We’re also interested in films from other countries. Even though few countries have national film industries, we welcome them in France. So we’re attached to global culture, and are very much in love with American products, the French love American blockbusters, American music, etc.
OG: Yet the French also do an excellent job of appropriating foreign cultural influences and making them their own, which to me is the crux of modern cultural evolution. For example, I’m a big fan of French mashups and French rap.
David: Ah, French rap…I’m a bit of an expert in French rap, the lyrics are much better. The arrangements as well.
OG: There is a real concern that the artisanal knowledge of the Haute Couture is not being passed on to a new generation of craftspeople. What is being done to keep the traditional arts alive in France?
David: It’s a huge topic- we have a tradition established for the past ten centuries of forming young apprentices in France. Of course there are some more popular fields, like cooking, fashion. Still in architecture and masonry, and all other fields we have what we call “The Tour de France for Apprentices.” Behind Jean Paul Gaultier, for example, you find old women with golden fingers who can do the very stylish parts of the clothes.
OG: Yes, but is it difficult finding young people who will replace them?
David: No, not as far as I can tell.
OG: Now, let’s get back to what you said earlier about accepting less money if that’s what it takes to enjoy a strong and vibrant culture. I am so happy to see that France is taking the lead on redefining GDP, something that has needed to happen for quite some time.
David: Many Americans question me about this, claiming it’s a way of breaking the tool to avoid measuring a bad situation. There will never be a good time to redefine GDP, you’ll always question the intention. But it needs to happen. Sarkozy, in the first weeks of his presidency, essentially said “If you destroy Earth, it can bring more wealth, but at the same time, it’s not improving global well-being.” And you know, one of the economists they’re working with on this is American, Joseph Stiglitz.
OG: That’s great! I’ve loved reading his books on globalization, and I recall discovering Redefining Progress in 2005 and wishing their ideas would break out of the Berkeley green ghetto. It seems the time has finally come when people recognize that money does not define us.
David: Yes, however, in the US, you have some wonderful legacies around quality of life as well, for example your National Parks tradition is something to truly be proud of.
OG: That it is! Stay tuned for part two tomorrow…
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Interview with Paul Bunje, Exec. Director of the Center for Climate Change Solutions
Posted on 01. Nov, 2009 by Susanna Schick.
Paul Bunje is the Executive Director of the Center for Climate Change Solutions (CCCS) at UCLA’s Institute of the Environment
OG: So what are some of the projects you’re working on at the center? It’s a little hard to tell from your website.
Paul: We never have enough time to update the website, but you can find the most up-to-date information at UCLA’s Climate Change Portal, which is like one stop shop for all things going on in climate, energy, sustainability. It’s still in the beta phase, but it is live. We try to stay on the cutting edge of interdisciplinary studies, so this keeps UCLA people aware of what’s going across campus, to better learn from each other, and prevent redundancies in research.
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Blog Action Day 2009: Preparing Communities for Climate Change through Local Business and Manufacturing
Posted on 15. Oct, 2009 by Brady Gibson.
Today is Blog Action Day! Held on Oct. 15 every year, it’s an event that unites thousands of bloggers worldwide, highlighting a particular issue. This year’s theme is climate change. One of the most salient points regarding climate change and how to prepare for it is green business. With upcoming legislation from local, state, and federal governments for a greener society, business is of the biggest and most adaptable sectors to transition to sustainable systems with a positive impact on the environment.
What is the environment? Perhaps it can be defined in many ways, but let’s look at the environment through the lens of the Triple Bottom Line: People, Planet, and Profit. Of course, you may say “planet” is solely the environment. However, when you take all three into consideration as well as the interaction and interdependencies between and among each one, the environment can be broken down into social, political, business, and private landscapes. Out of awareness for Blog Action Day 2009, this blog will highlight the importance of local business and manufacturing as a generative point for sustainable culture and green business. Let’s look at sustainable communities from the perspective of the past, present, and future.
According to the Global Development Research Center, “making a community sustainable means integrating economic development, community development and environmental protection.” The benefits of local manufacturing and business can improve both economic development and gas emissions. The City of Santa Monica, California started a recent campaign for local business called “Buy Local Santa Monica.” Interestingly, for every 100 dollars spent on local business, an average of 45 dollars stays in the community. The city of Portland, Oregon also realizes the importance of sustainable communities and recognizes its leaders in sustainable business for small, medium, and large business. Recently, the International Trade Administration started a nationwide campaign called “Sustainability 360: An Aerospace Supply Chain Event” to recognized leaders for local business for sustainable manufacturing in the Aerospace industry. The benefits of multiple campaigns aiming to highlight sustainable community development helps share models, tools, ideas, and increases the incentive for businesses to transition to greener operations through public merit.
Here are a few more organizations and companies striving towards sustainable operations through local business, local manufacturing, and community development: Toshiba is currently visiting local communities throughout the country for community clean up and tree planting. ICLEI-Local Government for Sustainability aims to form coalitions of cities and communities that are preparing for climate change. Local Works and the Sustainable Communities Act have provided a legal system to citizens, communities, and councils to press for sustainable community development.
As move into the future, innovation will be the driving force for cleaner and more efficient technology, systems, models, and tools. Luckily, there are leaders of innovation out there actively spreading their ideas to whoever is willing to listen, learn, and act. Take a look at William McDonough’s TED Conference video on designing ecological infrastructures, comprehensive sustainable communities, and business design with positive impacts on the environment. He looks at the intention of our species and the strategy for change. He believes “our goal is a delightfully diverse, safe, healthy and just world, with clean air, water, soil and power–economically, equitably, ecologically and elegantly enjoyed”. He is striving for cradle to cradle design.
As climate change continues to be a significant factor in our society, we must find a way to prepare. The local community is a generative starting point. Businesses, government, and communities at the local level will help organize a comprehensive and working system of sustainable living and long term development. Innovation will help shape and organize future action, however, it must be applied at the community level. Simple and effective actions can have both immediate and long term impact. As the government continues to press for top-down transmission of sustainable development, the local community can generate bottom-up emergence of sustainable development through local business and manufacturing.
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Greening the Supply Chain: Herman Miller Case Study
Posted on 08. Sep, 2009 by Ben Upham.
Opportunity Green caught up with W. Drew Schramm, Herman Miller’s SVP of Global Supply & Quality, to quiz him about the challenges in greening the supply chain.
Herman Miller has been a global leader in building a sustainable product line, and has won multiple environmental awards since 1991. The company has set out an ambitious sustainability plan called “Perfect Vision 2020,” which calls for a basically zero impact company, both in operations and across the product line, by 2020.
Greening the Supply Chain, link by link by link by…
We assumed the biggest challenge was figuring out how to carry the higher cost of green components. Schramm acknowledged the tricky balance “between doing the right thing and staying alive as a company,” but said an equal if not bigger challenge has been figuring out just how sustainable, or not, their products are in the first place.
Each part of every chair, desk and cabinet the company sells is analyzed down to its component ingredients, as small as 100 parts per million, and the manufacturing process used to make them measured for environmental impact.
The company has about 280 suppliers, and each of these had to share with Herman Miller the details of their manufacturing process, which often involved closely-guarded trade secrets.
“In the beginning it was literally chemical compositions we had to know, and having them give us the formulas for their process was not easy for them to do,” said Schramm. “Most cases they trusted us. Some cases we had suppliers who said were not going to give it to you, so we said we’re not going to use your products any more.”
Then there’s their suppliers’ suppliers, with whom the company often had a limited or non-existent relationship. “That’s when it gets interesting,” said Schramm. “Now imagine taking that to China.” Let complications ensue.
The Cost High-Wire Act
While logistics and detective work were the biggest challenge, cost was, and remains, an obstacle.
“We’re not at that tipping point yet where customers are willing to pay a slight premium for environmentally friendly stuff,” said Schramm. “Our job is to not make it cost more.”
That means in some cases, Herman Miller shares the cost with suppliers. In some cases they pass it along to the consumer. And in others they swallow it themselves.
But what the company has found is that sustainable manufacturing really can solve its own problems.
For instance, Schramm cited their “Mirra” chair. The chair had a metal rod for a spine in the back that was coated in plastic, and thus not recyclable. So Herman Miller challenged the supplier to find a solution, and they came up with a wholly plastic spine that is 100% recyclable, lighter, just as attractive – and cheaper.
Another example is the use of formaldehyde in wood board, a key component in a lot of furniture. Reduced formaldehyde board is significantly more expensive, so Herman Miller gave customers a choice.
Then public opinion stepped in: the State of California, concerned about formaldehyde’s toxicity, introduced legislation limiting the amount of the chemical in wood board. Suppliers, eager to be compliant with the California regulations, stepped up manufacturing of reduced or formaldehyde-free board, driving down prices.
Nonetheless, creating an entirely sustainable product line without losing customers is a high-wire act.
“The scary thing is there’s too many times where we’re the lone wolf out there,” said Schramm.
Hopefully not for much longer.
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Dissecting the California Global Warming Solutions Act
Posted on 22. Jul, 2009 by JeffHorowitz.
The implementation of California’s greenhouse gas emissions reduction measures call for immediate strategic planning and consideration from business owners, politicians, and sustainability professionals. Virtually every sector of California’s economy will begin to play a role in meeting California’s ambitious reduction targets, and every business and individual, either directly or indirectly, will be impacted.
California’s Global Warming Solutions Act, AB32, is the state’s law to reduce greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions to 1990 levels by 2020 and eventually 80% below 1990 levels by 2050. The draft plan for implementing AB32 includes a mix of strategies that combine direct regulations, alternative compliance mechanisms, monetary and non-monetary incentives, voluntary actions, and market-based mechanisms such as a cap-and-trade system. Some elements of California’s recommendation for meeting the greenhouse gas emission reduction targets include:
