Hands down, one of the most inspiring and influential duo in my life have been architect William McDonough and chemist Michael Braungart.
Creaters of the Cradle to Cradle design philosophy, they blew me away with their vision of seeing a “world ofabundance, not limits”. I am completely drawn to their maverick idea that “design is a signal of intention” and theirs is to shift the current endlessly destructive model to one that “loves all children, of all species, for all time”.
Rather than making humans feel guilty, the C2C concept celebrates human creativity, culture and productivity, integrating nature’s effective design principles and integrating business and the environment.
Scoffing at the traditional “reduce, reuse, recycle” mantra as just a “downcycling” spiral, C2C design focuses on making products such that they enter either the “technical” or “biological” nutrient cycle once their life is over. This way they can be completely used in another avatar rather than ending up in landfills.
In other words, the goal is to eliminate waste completely and turn it into food. This is “eco-effectiveness” as opposed to the herd mentality of “eco-efficiency”.
The new breed of eco-effective designers are constructing:
Buildings that, like trees, produce more energy than they consume and purify their own waster water
Factories that produce effluents that are drinking water
And – a personal favorite – ice cream wrappers (biodegradable and embedded with seeds of endangered species) that can be freely littered into the earth where they dissolve and sprout new life!
Whoa!
In one of his interviews, Michael joked that given a choice, would you strive for your relationship with your significant other to be merely “sustainable” or something greater? Similarly, in a world running amok chanting “sustainability”, he challenges us to shift our notion of what is possible.
Like the industrious ant or the generous cherry tree, could humans use their ingenuity to become integrated natives of the planet rather than isolated consumers?
Did you know that nearly 2.4 million lbs of plastic enter our oceans every minute?
In honor of Earth Day, I’m posting some videos from two of my favorite websites to help you take a moment and reflect on the state of the planet.
Inspired by oceanographer Charles Moore’s discovery of the Pacific Garbage Patch, artist Chris Jordan’s talk at Poptech! 2009 brings the horrific reality of this statistic to light in his characteristically poignant and devastatingly brilliant photographs.
MAKE AN INSPIRED CHANGE!
Wish you had some practical information that went beyond mundane generalities on saving the earth?
Watch as scientist extraordinaire Catherine Mohr does some astounding calculations on our behalf, to highlight what really matters when building a house that is green.
Slowly – and hopefully surely – the industrialized world is waking up to the aftermath of what Pollan describes as the “collapse of cooking”.
To wit:
Supermarkets lined with low-cost “edible food-like substances” i.e. artificial products designed to simulate real food that are high on dubious “nutrient” claims, but lacking in substance. e.g. 99% fat free yogurt that has more sugar per ounce than Coca Cola.
Agricultural policies that heavily subsidize corn and soy, the source of most junk food
A food system that runs counter to human health needs promoting heart disease, obesity, diabetes and cancer
A complete disconnect between humans and the food they eat
And now for the good news: the reformation of food has begun!
More and more, consumers are embracing Pollan’s easy-to-remember credo of “Eat food. Mostly plants. Not toomuch.” From farmers markets to the Slow Food Movement and 100 mile diets, we are finally beginning to take back control of our food and health.
MAKE AN INSPIRED CHANGE!
While food policy change at a “systems” level is crucial, there is plenty we can do as individuals and communities:
1. Educate yourself! Check out:
Food, Inc.- the documentary that helps you find out what’s on your plate
2. Stop outsourcing your food! Cook your own meals.
While this might seem like an enormous drain on your already overwhelmed lifestyle, Pollan makes a great point that we always manage to find time and energy for the things we value (e.g. despite your hectic schedule, you always find time to surf the internet).
3. Whet your appetite for cooking.
Nobody does this better than Jamie Oliver! I’ve been a huge fan of his for years, cause he can even make using a pestle and mortar fun! Watch one of his numerous tv shows and get your juices flowing!
4. Then cook! Savor the dish. And Pass It On!
Jamie Oliver annouced his TED Prize wish today: to teach every child about food.
Join his Food Revolution by taking a simple pledge: To learn how to make one recipe from this book, enjoy it, and then teach it to 2 other friends, who will continue to pass it on!
Get the 101 on these and many other ideas in fun comic strip style!
For instance:
INSPIRED LIFE STRATEGY!
To help get your creative juices flowing, engage all senses in this delightful TED talk by Scott McCloud, who has explored the value of comics as an important literary tool, as well championed the movement of cartoons from paper to the web.
Going “green” has become as nebulous an idea as “happiness”.
Twenty first century living has made it fashionable to be “green”, but what does is it really mean?
Does driving a Prius or switching to energy efficient light bulbs make you an environmentalist? Or do you have to be a granola-eating-vegan protesting at an international climate change conference to be one? With so much information and mis-information out there, has all this “green” activity really made a difference to the environment?
As it turns out, not all green is created equal.
Pioneering environmental journalist and founder of WorldChanging.com,Alex Steffen coined the term “bright green” and what follows is a summary of his brilliant explanation around the evolution of the environmental spectrum. (Some of his choice quotes are included.)
1. BRIGHT GREEN
“For the future to be green, it must also be bright”.
Think change at a “systems” level: transforming our urban landscape, and using emerging technologies, innovation, design and entrepreneurism to create infrastructure that brings prosperity & wellbeing while being in sync with nature. The focus is on “tools, models and ideas” that will dramatically transform existing material design templates from the industrial era into closed loop manufacturing.
Some examples of bright green thinking include:
Leapfrogging - developing nations skipping old & expensive first world infrastructures in favor of new sustainable technologies e.g., cell phones rather than land lines, solar panels rather than power poles
Urban density that allows for sustainable redesign of cities while preserving healthy natural habitats
Open-source models of design, copyright and licensing that nurture collaboration worldwide
Closed-loop manufacturing exemplified by Cradle to Cradle design
2. LIGHT GREEN
“You can’t shop your way to a bright green future”.
Change at an individual/lifestyle/consumer level.
Think energy efficient bulbs & cars, solar panels for your house, buying organic foods, recycling.
Though taking responsibility for individual consumption is important, light green environmentalism can only go so far. It has been successful in making “green” hip; however, it has also resulted in “green fatigue” with big business jumping on the environmental bandwagon.
Even millions of eco-consumers do not have the ability to retard the depletion of the earth’s natural resources within the current production paradigm.
Instead, the discussion needs to shift towards an in-depth public debate, political change and realigning of our value system that is resonant with a big picture view of where we stand ecologically, including investment in big ticket innovation & sustainability.
3. DARK GREEN
“Can tend to be doomers, warning of impending collapse”.
Change at the community level.
Descendents of the early environmentalists, dark green proponents nurture their connection with the land, reject consumerism and support all things local. Extremist tendencies in this group are represented by angry activism, doomsday scenarios and turning a blind eye to what new technologies and innovation have to offer.
4. GRAY
“The epicenter of gray thinking is the nest of lobbyists and industry-funded think tanks on K Street in Washington D.C.”.
These are of course, the folks in denial – either voluntarily or out of ignorance. In their view, there is no cause for concern for the planet or our civilization.
MAKE AN INSPIRED CHANGE!
What shade of green are you?
If you’re reading this blog, you’re probably a blend of greens. As Steffen points out, the goal of creating this environmental spectrum is not to segment society, but rather to foster a better understanding of our ecological intentions and actions.
Reflect on the ways you can incorporate Bright Green into your life.
The word “retire” is foreign to the Okinawan vocabulary.
Instead, the residents of this Japanese community hold their Ikigai- reason for getting up each morning - sacred. Whether its growing food or taking care of their children, this notion of a purposeful life seamlessly energizes their often centenarian lives.
Ikigai is one of the many common lifestyle factors identified by National Geographic writer and researcher Dan Buettner, in Blue Zones: areas of the world where folks reach the age of 100 at rates 10 times greater than in the U.S. while living healthier lives, with a fraction of the rates of heart disease and cancer.
Central to his work is the Danish Twin Studies finding that less than 25% of human longevity is dictated by our genes. At a TEDxTC talk, he advocates four simple longevity principles based on his travels to Blue Zones around the world:
1. Move naturally
2. Eat wisely
3. Right outlook
4. Connect/Right tribe
INSPIRED LIFE STRATEGY!
In 2010, experiment with your Ikigai – write out a personal mission statement.
Why DO you get up each morning?
Remember, the premise of this question is not so much about the next big idea that will change the world (although it could be), but more about the everyday activities that bring you closer to the peace & joy that comes with being fully present.
2009 has been the year for compassion to share some airtime, thanks to a world in turmoil.
Confronted with economic and social challenges that took us by surprise, we turned organically to introspection and the search for answers in our own brand of spirituality. Lo and behold, no matter what religious or non-religious ideology we subscribed to, compassion reared its beautiful head.
The Buddha went so far as to say that the mind’s natural state is compassionate. A theory that has recently been confirmed by several psychologists and evolutionary scientists: our bodies and brains are wired to be good.
Studies have shown that compassionate people have stronger immune systems, higher energy levels and live longer, happier lives.
Despite the trance of “survival of the fittest” in our collective memory, it was Darwin himself among others who wrote extensively about the presence of compassion in primates, and how it contributed towards the survival of their communities and tribes.
If this is true i.e. if we are indeed wired to be good, then why is the world in the state that it is? And why are some of us able to show more compassion than others?
The answer is simply this: we are all born with the seeds of compassion, but it is up to us to nurture and cultivate that seed throughout our lives.
If we don’t, it is easy to succumb to societal conditioning and the notion of “separation”, “competition” and what the Buddhists consider the “delusion of isolation”. Caught up in this quicksand, the spark of compassion is quickly put out by the immediate pain & suffering we may be going through.
And yet, it is this very personal pain that can be a catalyst to help remind us of our interconnectedness.
Pain is a universal human condition, and when we recognize that in those we consider “other” or “separate” from ourselves, there is room for compassion to grow. By helping relieve another’s pain, we are in fact, helping ourselves, since we are all so intricately interdependent.
Author Robert Wright speaks about the evolution of compassion, non-zero sum dynamics and why it may save the world:
2. Perform random acts of kindness towards strangers, with no expectation of recognition or reward.
3. Meditate on compassion. A quick primer on the Tibetan Buddhist Tonglen practice:
In a quiet, relaxed posture, bring to mind whatever is causing the biggest pain or suffering in your life (a health condition, a relationship, a circumstance etc.). Feel and acknowledge the presence of that pain.
Now bring to mind all the other people in the world who might be experiencing a similar situation and pain.
Take a deep breath, and INHALE all that suffering – yours, and that of others.
Hold that suffering in your heart. No matter how overwhelming it might feel, remember that you have the courage and strength to hold it tenderly, and respond to it compassionately, since you are tapping into the collective awareness and heart.
Now offer that suffering a loving acceptance, and gently EXHALE compassion – sending it to yourself and everyone else in your predicament.
Idea sharing from leading edge thinkers & doers in Toronto? Check.
Peak neuronal activity & surge in inspiration? Check.
ODing on the best chocolate in town & amazing after-party? Check.
Bonding with like-minded TED addicts & forging amazing connections? Invaluable!
As one of the select 100 attendees, I’m still riding the high from the first ever TEDxToronto event, held on Sep 10, 2009 at the Theatre Passe Muraille. It was a privilege and delight!
The TEDxTO stage at Theatre Passe Muraille
The masterminds behind the show, Paul Crowe and Tyler Turnbull (with the help of an awesome organizing committee) pulled off what we’re all hoping is an annual celebration of ideas and ode to the TED Conference.
For those who might be new to it, TED talks provide a platform for the greatest visionaries and thinkers across disciplines to come together and share brilliant insights that are literally shaping our collective futures. Driving this amazing gathering is the belief that “there is no greater force for changing the world than a powerful idea”.
The theme for TEDxToronto “What’s Next?” elicited a whole spectrum of responses as diverse as the speaker list.
Some highlights:
The most emotionally visceral answer to the theme came from dub poet D’bi Young as she made a haunting, soul stirring and lyrically brilliant case for: Love. Every mind and heart in the audience moved to her beat, drinking in the passionate call for a little less fear, a little more courage, compassion and love, love, love.
Did you know North America’s greenest hotel is right here in Toronto? Retrofitted with geothermal pipes & soaking in solar mojo that allows for a 80% cut in carbon emissions, Planet Traveler is a brilliant testament to the win-win case made by its co-developer and intrepid Cleantech venture capitalist Tom Rand.
Architect Michael McClelland took the case further exposing the “invisible” parts of the city of Toronto, based on its towers of concrete – the distinct city skyline peppered with high rise apartments. Retrofitting these faceless dinosaur edifices – and fast – has the potential to add both green and community to their presently stark and energy guzzling avatars.
Filmmaker and Eclipse Chaser David Makepeace drummed up an other-worldly video and talk mash-up.
Director Min Sook Lee gave a heartfelt rendition of the concept behind her new documentary My Toxic Baby, premiering at the Toronto International Film Festival. I had the chance to speak to her at dinner and exchange notes on what she describes as the “baby industrial complex” challenging new parents, and the Cradle to Cradle philosophy of product design & elimination of toxins.
Gavin Sheppard’s raw energy and sincerity were clearly evident as he spoke about his brainchild The Remix Project: a creative education model that steers clear of traditional schooling ideas and leverages the power of urban entertainment and culture for empowering youth.
Business, technology and social media gurus Don Tapscott, Mathew Ingram and Steven Woods balanced the mix with their insights while success analyst Richard St. John reminded us to focus on “what’s next” rather than getting stuck in the past.
For more details on each talk, check out The Torontoist coverage.
I’m lucky to be part of a wonderful TED community that feeds my curiosity for new ideas and inspiration.
The author with fellow TEDxTO attendees.
@ After-party with organizers Tyler Turnbull, Ryan Merkley and fellow attendee Maysa Hawwash.
@ The Brassaii after-party
@ After-party with TEDxTO organizer Paul Crowe
How do you nurture your creativity? What communities do your participate in? If you don’t fit into any that presently exist, have you considered creating one?
Take a page from Paul Crowe and Tyler Turnbull’s book – you may be surprised at the result!
At their annual “We Day” event attended by thousands of student leaders across the country and celebrities alike, Canadian brothers Craig and Marc Kielburger like to rouse a popular refrain: “We are the generation we’vebeen waiting for!”
Not an empty cry that one.
As founders of Free The Children, they have managed to turn a six member teamof 12 year olds outraged by child labor back in 1995 into the “Me to We Generation” – the world’s largest network of children helping children through education. Five hundred schools in 45 countries and counting, the organization continues its mission of empowering young minds to look beyond themselves and make a change.
Marc and Craig were years ahead of their time of a trend spotted in Feb 2009 by Trendwatching the global purveyors of cutting edge business savvy.
This is how they described it:
“Generation G: Captures the growing importance of “generosity” as a leading societal and business mindset. As consumers are disgusted with greed and its current dire consequences for the economy – and while that same upheaval has them longing more than ever for institutions that care – the need for more generosity beautifully coincides with the ongoing (and pre-recession) emergence of an online-fueled culture of individuals who share, give, engage, create and collaborate in large numbers.
In fact, for many, sharing a passion and receiving recognition have replaced “taking” as the new status symbol. Businesses should follow this societal/behavioral shift, however much it may oppose their decades-old devotion to my, myself and I.”
What I love most is that this trend is not the privy of Gen X or Gen Y alone. It cuts across all age and marketing barriers.
Of course, there is nothing new about the concept of giving. Millions of inspired changemakers past and present have tapped into the Buddhist trancendent law or Paramita of Generosity.
The laws describe six universal aspects of our basic human nature – the other five include Discipline, Patience, Exertion, Meditation and Wisdom- that create wellbeing. As the Kielburgers discovered: “Me to We began simply. Two brothers, one basic idea: helping others makes you happy. Better yet, it also changes the world”.
MAKE AN INSPIRED CHANGE!
Its a given that you’re generous. Now what? Here’s a cool spin for you to experiment with (courtesy of the Buddha).
Push the boundaries of your threshold for giving. For instance, most of us believe that we can only give once we have enough – food, money, time or love. Not true.
Stretch the G muscle this week by reframing every circumstance as an opportunity to give. Even when you feel like you have nothing to give or not enough, challenge yourself. Dig deep. You’ll find something, guaranteed.
And then, take it to the limit by doing it from a sense of genuine caring rather than duty or ethics.
Phew! Its okay to groan a bit. Its a fun workout (and a great example of the Exertion paramita).
Some ideas for gifts that keep giving:
Lend a few or more dollars to microfinance an entrepreneur in a developing country at KIVA. Your return on investment includes at least one person making it across the poverty line.
A friend’s birthday coming up? Parent’s anniversary? Looking for a Wedding Registry? Ditch the electronic gadget/china/whatever and make a donation in their name at Changing The Present where your celebration connects you with your extended family of six billion.
Volunteer an hour at your favorite cause this week
At your next conversation, give of yourself completely i.e. listen with all your attention
Come up with your own cool giving idea and tell everyone you know
What is interesting: the million different connotations of the word the question brings up. We each have our own definition and interpretation of what happiness means. Which is probably why no matter how much research goes into it, or how many books are written, we will continue to search for this elusive & precarious state of being.
Whether you’re close to or far away from your ideal, teacher Thich Nhat Hanh offers Buddhist practice as a clever way to enjoy life a.k.a. one way to realise happiness.
But before we discuss that, lets get a bit of clarity around the definition itself.
The lowest common denominator – the most immediate, visible, and certainly most advertised kind of happiness. Associated with a surge in good feeling endorphins in your brain and brought on by everything from food, exercise, laughter to yachts, diamonds and a winning lottery ticket.
2. Satisfaction
The result of a task well done; bringing your skills to a challenge and nailing it – whether that’s writing a blog post, preparing a delicious meal or navigating a rocket into space.
3. Meaning
When Mahatma Gandhi was asked by a reporter what message he would like to give the people, he simply replied “My life is my message”. Meaning comes from the message your life is relaying. In other words, what is your vision or mission for being and is it showing up in your daily activities?
4. Contentment
This is where it gets tricky for most of us. Pleasure, Satisfaction and Meaning are the end result of something external to us – a thing, person, outcome. They stem from a degree of control, big or small, on our outer circumstances. Contentment on the other hand is a choice – a choice to be happy first, then go out and do whatever it is we want to.
Often we confuse “feeling bad” or “sad” or “angry” or whatever negative emotion we might be experiencing as a prerequisite to taking action or being productive. If we’re content all the time, after all, won’t we turn into slackers? Far from it. As Michael says: “Whatever you can do with unhappiness, you can do easier and better with happiness”.High five to that!
Coming back to Thich Nhat Hanh’s comment on Buddhist practice, all Bodhisattvas recognize that we can only live our life, not control it. To help us on our journey, we can ride the highway of the six Paramitas (transcendent laws or actions).
Again, rather than clouding the meaning of these words with conditioned responses, the practice is to approach them as our basic capabilities, our true nature, and strengthen them via daily use:
When you trust your own happiness, you can allow the entire scope of experience to touch your heart. This is the mark of the spiritual warrior.
She can hold sweetness, sorrow, rage, and delight equally and fully. She can watch as emotions rise and fall, notice how she reaches out to some and recoils from others, and know that somehow she’ll find a way to make whatever she experiences a part of the path.Whether her world is friendly or inhospitable, smooth or rocky, she can abide in it wholeheartedly.
A joyful mind is as infinite as the sky and, like the sky, can contain sunshine and storms, snowflakes and hail. Conditions are continously shifting, but the sky is always the sky. It never gives up. From within it, the great sun rises in the east, the moon meets the tide, and the circle is always complete.
INSPIRED LIFE STRATEGY!
Quick: Are you happy? :)
This time, score yourself on the four faces of happiness outlined above.
Pick one that you scored lowest on and make it the focus of your coming week. e.g. if you’ve been feeling lost/aimless, put your thoughts down on paper and come up with the message or mission that you would love your life to represent. Then take one action step that is aligned with that mission.
Its a fun workout (and a great example of the Exertion paramita).