GreenSmith Consulting

Where Are Companies Missing Out on Greening Opportunities?

2008-11-28T16:41:26-08:00

There was much talk at the LA Auto Show about green cars, every maker seeming to clamor for some measure of green cred in their lineup. And yet, something was being missed here, and it was right under their feet and in front of their eyes.

Whether it was the blinding white flooring favored by many of the companies, the concert sized screens, lights, and sound systems, there was a disconnect between the message and the execution.

But I spotted two interesting exceptions:

These LED lights served as the illumination for the displays lining the Smart car area. It's hard to see from this picture, but it had lights of several different colors on, collectively creating a warm, friendly glow to the space. Along with being energy efficient, the ability to use different lights for different moods saved, I imagine, having different rigs for different shows, or set up time to switch out lights.

If you walked up to this large, futuristic Toyota car display platform, done up in metal mesh and wood trim, you may have overlooked this sign:

This, to me, shows that Toyota has a deeper commitment to doing green right then others. After all, many people wouldn't even think to ask about or question what the companies used in their displays. But in doing this, they lead the way, and introduce this area of awareness to people, perhaps sparking other companies to do the same in future shows, or for the individuals seeing this to realize that being green touches many areas far beyond the obvious.

Readers: Where do you see companies doing green measures in areas not previously considered? Where would you like them to do that? If you own/run a company where could it go further in an innovative way that your customers would appreciate and support?

Spotting Innovation in the Everyday

2008-11-26T08:00:00-08:00

Ok I'll admit it. Sometimes I can be a green snob. I've at times looked down my nose at publications such as Plenty magazine, which in the past have catered to a more, shall we say, dabbling demographic.

But then something changed. They went and got more substantial. Yes, there's still fluffiness to be found there, but you know what? I now think fluff plays a role too, giving access points to people who otherwise wouldn't have come to the party. The latest organic facial creme may not float my boat, but someone else may care about that, and from there delve broader, deeper into things sustainable. Plenty makes room for that to happen.

An example of Plenty's new substance is in the current issue: "Radiating Roads," which talks about a relatable, accessible innovation that has a connection to a common shared experience. In this case, doing something with the scorching heat produced by streets, parking lots and sidewalks during the summer: Heat water, or use the steam to produce energy.

Now, one could say, the best solution is to reduce the asphalt, increase the amount of plant life and soft, water absorbing pavement. But then does the resulting increase in water use offset the reduced energy use benefit of a cooler local climate? I'll leave that one to the engineers.

Let's just say that for areas that aren't replacing their sidewalks with foliage any time soon, finding a way to make use of the heat they take in, producing energy and reducing the surface temperature seems like an altogether grand idea.

It's simple: Run pipes slightly underground, similar to how radiant floor heating works. The sun heats up the asphalt, the pipes, the water/liquid in them, then you either directly use that heated water, or use the steam it produces to turn a turbine, creating power, recirculating back for another round of heating.

Although it would equate to just 200 watts per square meter, done on a WalMart sized parking lot, that could mean some serious energy production possible. Even done in smaller scale, the reduction in heat will improve the microclimate of that area, reducing the "heat island" effect, common in areas largely paved over.

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It's publications like Plenty that serve as a bridge between a greener society and planet with everyday life. Being green is not an all or nothing proposition, there's a continuum of places to be along on the journey, and all should be supported, given resources, and acknowledged. Being absolute in one's standards is not helpful for getting more to move the needle greener.

By the way, I myself have recently been in Plenty, as part of an article on the greening of mini marts. Who'd have thought that those meccas of supersized junk food would start offering entire stores of green options? Stranger things have happened. It's in these reinventions of and creating possibilities within the given way of living life and doing business that give me hope. I want to be a part of them.

Readers: Where are you seeing innovations in the everyday? What possibilities do you envision? Chime in, below.

Green Minimarts? Believe It.

2008-11-14T10:55:04-08:00

I was recently interviewed for a piece in Plenty Magazine, about the greening of gas station convenience stores. I'd thought they meant as in AM/PM infusing their product offerings with green options. Actually it turns out it's all about new stations that are green from the ground up. Impressive, inspiring, and I hope to see them succeed and for the trend to spread.

The article is here.

Image credit: Plenty Magazine

An Ode to Ode Magazine

2008-11-13T19:28:56-08:00

Ode magazine saved my life.

Well ok, pointed it in a new direction, more like.

Let me back up.

Four years ago I got West Nile virus. It nearly killed me. After a lengthy recovery period, I found myself in a restaurant with my wife, pondering what to do next. It was clear I was given a second chance, and I wanted to make the most of it. Always a strongly intuitive woman, I asked her what she saw as the next way to go with my life, my work.

She got a distant look in her eyes, then returned my gaze. "Sustainability. And Utne Magazine. And...", she paused, "The orange and green on the walls here."

The next day I found myself experiencing what I call Yellow Karmann Ghia Syndrome: The experience of suddenly seeing everywhere something that wasn't previously on your radar. At first it seems unusual, but it's just you deciding to notice what's all around you, all the time.

It was that way with sustainability. It seemed to show up in every facet of my life, overnight. Honestly, it had not been something I had a strong awareness of...or so I thought. It wasn't until my wife pointed out how often I relayed with great excitement stories from Ode Magazine, that they all had a common thread of sustainability in them.

They also had a thread of creating solutions and opportunities where none appeared to be possible. Of focusing on what's going right, with a pragmatic eye, rather than taking the cynical, obvious route, disassembling things with all the wrongs and why nots you see.

An example? This, from that transitional time, demonstrates what I mean: Miracle in the Desert tells the story of Sekem, an Egyptian company that was created on land that was considered unusable, by a man who, after returning from school in Europe to find his home town of Cairo considerably more poor, diseased, and polluted, realized what was at the heart of it: Economic disparity coupled with heavy chemical fertilizer and pesticide use, among the most in the world.

In a country where environmental awareness was not yet on the radar and the government didn't quite know what to do with a man wanting to buy desert land to farm, "in harmony with nature," he persisted, and got a 210 acre plot. The results were amazing: Biodynamic fruits and vegetables, cereals, teas, medicines, clothing, and toys, among others, sold in 8000 stores. At the time of the article, they employed 2000 people, and were making agreements with farmers across the region to do likewise. Employees and their family have access to an on site school and health care facilities.

All of this coming from a man deciding he wanted to do something to increase the well being of his country's people. This, and several other stories like it inspires me to believe that with persistence of vision and collaboratively working to achieve it, the impossible is, well, possible.

Sekem continues to thrive today.

Another thing that makes Ode stand out is its international perspective. Begun in the Netherlands, with US operations started some years back, they bring a voice that sees further then the walls of their country, and the personal limitations most of us face.

Always interesting to read are the words of Jurriaan Kamp, one of the founders and currently Editor-in-Chief, who relocated to California. His take on our country is at once refreshingly honest, clear, insightful, and hopeful. This recent video of him speaking about why people across the world love Obama, and why he in particular represents our current global reality best, is a viewpoint you're not likely to see elsewhere, expressed so eloquently.