Since 2010 I've been sharing my thoughts through this blog. Upon reflecting on my intentions for this blog and moving forward, I've decided to take a sabbatical from posting on this blog. Instead, I'll post my thoughts on LinkedIn.
Last summer I posted a piece, "How Do You Build A Regenerative Enterprise: Start by Going On A Camping Trip." on LinkedIn. Periodically, you can check out articles though my LinkedIn link at: https://www.linkedin.com/in/andresedwards
I hope you have a great holiday break and wishing you the very best for 2015!
Be well,
Andres
Thursday, December 11, 2014
Monday, November 24, 2014
New Book: The Heart of Sustainability
For this month's post, I'd like to share a new book project I've been working on for the last several years. I have a new book coming out: The Heart of Sustainability. This book completes the set of my two previous books (The Sustainability Revolution and Thriving Beyond Sustainability) by focusing on the human dimension of the sustainability movement. I'm looking at the role of personal development and the importance of human/nature connection in order to successfully deal with the global challenges that we face. As the consciousness and technological revolutions flourish, what is our role? What are the qualities of leadership and activism that we need? And how are individuals and organizations from around the world implementing mindfulness, compassion, empathy and creativity into their organizations. This book bridges the world of personal growth and sustainability and asks us to look within ourselves to see what calls us and inspires us to make change and create a better world.
The Heart of Sustainability will be published by New Society Publishers in the Fall of 2015, and I'm looking forward to sharing more about it as the time nears.
The Heart of Sustainability will be published by New Society Publishers in the Fall of 2015, and I'm looking forward to sharing more about it as the time nears.
Thursday, October 30, 2014
Living Breakwaters Wins 2014 Buckminster Fuller Challenge
This month the winner of the 2014 Buckminster Fuller Challenge was announced: Living Breakwaters. The Living Breakwaters project designed a comprehensive way to manage extreme storm surges and the impact of sea level rise in the region around Staten Island, New York with applications to many other coastal communities.
As jury member Bill Browning pointed out, "Living Breakwaters is about dissipating and working with natural energy rather than fighting it. It is on the one hand an engineering and infrastructure-related intervention, but it also has a unique biological function as well. The project team understand that you cannot keep back coastal flooding in the context of climate change, but what you can do is ameliorate the force and impact of 100 and 500 year storm surges to diminish the damage through ecological interventions, while simultaneously catalyzing dialog to nurture future stewards of the built environment."
I had the opportunity to work with Bill Browning and the rest of the BFI team in the selection of the BFI winner and finalists. Living Breakwaters and the other finalists demonstrated incredibly creative approaches to solving many problems ranging from a sustainable development in the Pine Ridge Indian Reservation in South Dakota, to protecting the Bonobos in the Congo Basin rainforest, to a floating health clinic in Lake Tanganyika, Africa, among others.
I hope these inspiring projects get the attention in the mainstream press that they deserve. They are making positive changes and represent important initiatives for a building a better world.
As jury member Bill Browning pointed out, "Living Breakwaters is about dissipating and working with natural energy rather than fighting it. It is on the one hand an engineering and infrastructure-related intervention, but it also has a unique biological function as well. The project team understand that you cannot keep back coastal flooding in the context of climate change, but what you can do is ameliorate the force and impact of 100 and 500 year storm surges to diminish the damage through ecological interventions, while simultaneously catalyzing dialog to nurture future stewards of the built environment."
I had the opportunity to work with Bill Browning and the rest of the BFI team in the selection of the BFI winner and finalists. Living Breakwaters and the other finalists demonstrated incredibly creative approaches to solving many problems ranging from a sustainable development in the Pine Ridge Indian Reservation in South Dakota, to protecting the Bonobos in the Congo Basin rainforest, to a floating health clinic in Lake Tanganyika, Africa, among others.
I hope these inspiring projects get the attention in the mainstream press that they deserve. They are making positive changes and represent important initiatives for a building a better world.
Tuesday, September 30, 2014
Links to Climate Change
A recent article in the New York Times, "Scientists Trace Extreme Heat in Australia to Climate Change"(By Justin Gillis. Sept. 29, 2014) stated, "The savage heat waves that struck Australia last year were almost certainly a direct consequence of greenhouse gases released by human activity, researchers said Monday. It is perhaps the most definitive statement climate scientists have made tying a specific weather event to global warming."
This research by climate scientists points to the difficulty of connecting the feedback loops of climate change to weather events. And finally there is now more clarity on this aspect of the climate change issue.
It seems that finally public awareness and actions regarding climate change is turning around. The massive turnout for the People's Climate March in New York City last weekend and the subsequent UN Climate Summit in which the European Union took a leadership role in pledging to spend 20% of its budget in climate action through 2020, shows how this paramount issue is getting much deserved attention. Applying pressure on political leaders to keep this issue in the front burner is key for these policy measures to be enacted.
Perhaps the next rep is to bring awareness to practical actions we can all take as individuals to make positive strides regarding curbing greenhouse gasses. How we can promote policy changes at the political level and change personal consumption habits regarding energy, transportation and water use. Starting with simple measures may be the most productive first step.
This research by climate scientists points to the difficulty of connecting the feedback loops of climate change to weather events. And finally there is now more clarity on this aspect of the climate change issue.
It seems that finally public awareness and actions regarding climate change is turning around. The massive turnout for the People's Climate March in New York City last weekend and the subsequent UN Climate Summit in which the European Union took a leadership role in pledging to spend 20% of its budget in climate action through 2020, shows how this paramount issue is getting much deserved attention. Applying pressure on political leaders to keep this issue in the front burner is key for these policy measures to be enacted.
Perhaps the next rep is to bring awareness to practical actions we can all take as individuals to make positive strides regarding curbing greenhouse gasses. How we can promote policy changes at the political level and change personal consumption habits regarding energy, transportation and water use. Starting with simple measures may be the most productive first step.
Wednesday, August 27, 2014
A Future We Want
“As for the future, your task is not to
foresee, but to enable it.”
-- Antoine de
Saint-Exupery
Many years ago I came across ecological economist RobertCostanza’s article: “Four Visions of the Century Ahead: Will It Be Star Trek,Ecotopia, Big Government or Mad Max.” In this piece Costanza describes four
outcomes for the human experience at a global level: A future he names Star
Trek where technology comes to the rescue and solves many of the challenges
that we face; Mad Max, named after the movie depicting a breakdown of society
with scarce resources and in which chaos ensues; Big Government, a future which
involves the curbing of market forces by government policies that benefit the
common good; and Ecotopia, named after Ernest Callenbach’s book, in which a
shift happens in which localized, eco-centered communities flourish.
It’s hard to predict which future scenario will take hold. More
important, perhaps, is for us to envision what we want; what we want in our
personal lives, for our family and loved ones and for our communities. Beyond
the community level, the scale becomes difficult to comprehend. At the personal
scale, Star Trek is where we get consumed in our personal devices and lost in
technology missing opportunities for face to face interactions. Mad Max is
where our lives are out of balance and chaotic and our destructive behaviors
take control; Big Government is where we refuse to take personal responsibility
and let others (Big Government) decide for us; finally, Ecotopia, we revel in
the simpler ways by refusing to incorporate modern technology yet live in
closer harmony with natural systems. There may also be a combination of
outcomes that best fits our temperament and personality. Which are you drawn to?
Tuesday, July 29, 2014
Sharing Economy
A recent column by Tom Friedman in the New York Times, “And Now for a Bit of Good News. . .” focuses on the emerging sharing economy. Perhaps one of the most intriguing aspects of this new sharing economy includes the way the entrepreneurial spirit has gone global and many of us are rethinking what we need to own vs. rent vs. do away with altogether.
Examples of sharing economy ventures include:
Lyft, Uber, RelayRides: car sharing services
BMW on Demand: BMW dealers rent their cars and motorcycles by the hour or the day
SurfAir: a private airline membership club
LiquidSpace: on-demand workspaces by the hour or day booked directly online
Vayable: local tour guides
VRBO and Airbnb: individuals renting rooms, houses, apartments
Underlying the sharing economy is the importance of creating an identity, trust and a reputation through the feedback from the general public. At Airbnb, for instance, people are willing to rent rooms in other's homes by having an identity (through profiles), and reading about other's experiences. The "renters" in turn create a reputation through online reviews and are covered through a $1 million damage insurance provided by Airbnb. Guests also create a reputation based on the "renters" experience of their stay.
These new ventures are redefining lifestyles and proving simple and in many cases less expensive ways of booking hotel rooms, renting cars, offices, etc. The complaints from hotels, taxi and car rental businesses are being addressed by regulators who will hopefully find the "sweet spot" that protects the more traditional businesses while encouraging entrepreneurs to experiment with the new sharing economy.
Check these new ventures out, at an online store and app near you!
Examples of sharing economy ventures include:
Lyft, Uber, RelayRides: car sharing services
BMW on Demand: BMW dealers rent their cars and motorcycles by the hour or the day
SurfAir: a private airline membership club
LiquidSpace: on-demand workspaces by the hour or day booked directly online
Vayable: local tour guides
VRBO and Airbnb: individuals renting rooms, houses, apartments
Underlying the sharing economy is the importance of creating an identity, trust and a reputation through the feedback from the general public. At Airbnb, for instance, people are willing to rent rooms in other's homes by having an identity (through profiles), and reading about other's experiences. The "renters" in turn create a reputation through online reviews and are covered through a $1 million damage insurance provided by Airbnb. Guests also create a reputation based on the "renters" experience of their stay.
These new ventures are redefining lifestyles and proving simple and in many cases less expensive ways of booking hotel rooms, renting cars, offices, etc. The complaints from hotels, taxi and car rental businesses are being addressed by regulators who will hopefully find the "sweet spot" that protects the more traditional businesses while encouraging entrepreneurs to experiment with the new sharing economy.
Check these new ventures out, at an online store and app near you!
Wednesday, June 25, 2014
Conservation Psychology
The behavioral aspects of sustainability seem to be getting more and more attention. Conservation Psychology is one of the emerging fields that explores the human/nature connection and its psychological aspects. Conservation Psychology is described as “the
scientific study of the reciprocal relationships between humans and the rest of
nature, with a particular focus on how to encourage conservation of the natural
world. . . . the actual network of researchers and practitioners who work
together to understand and promote a sustainable and harmonious relationship
between people and the natural environment.”
It seems particularly important to focus on the psychological aspects of our behavior towards environmental conservation issues since psychology looks at our attitudes and motivations. Technology will continue on its course of development; however, what motivates us as humans and how well (or not well) we work together to solve economic, social and environmental problems is essential. Conservation Psychology not only speaks to our motivations but also our attitudes toward nature, our environmental values and our connection to wildlife and the environment. All of these deep-rooted aspects of Conservation Psychology play a role in working on behalf of conservation issues. Scholars, business people and non-profit environmental organizers are increasingly aware of the important role of human behavior in solving many of the complex challenges that we face.
Conferences such as BECC (Behavior, Energy and Climate Conference) and the gatherings at the 2014 Conservation Psychology Institute (CPI) recognize the role of Conservation Psychology in designing ways for individuals to take meaningful action on behalf of the environment. Understanding why we act the way we do and what shapes our values is at the core of designing successful campaigns that create social change. Solving the psychological riddles associated with human behavior will have an equal or greater impact than technological breakthroughs that are already happening at breakneck speed.
It seems particularly important to focus on the psychological aspects of our behavior towards environmental conservation issues since psychology looks at our attitudes and motivations. Technology will continue on its course of development; however, what motivates us as humans and how well (or not well) we work together to solve economic, social and environmental problems is essential. Conservation Psychology not only speaks to our motivations but also our attitudes toward nature, our environmental values and our connection to wildlife and the environment. All of these deep-rooted aspects of Conservation Psychology play a role in working on behalf of conservation issues. Scholars, business people and non-profit environmental organizers are increasingly aware of the important role of human behavior in solving many of the complex challenges that we face.
Conferences such as BECC (Behavior, Energy and Climate Conference) and the gatherings at the 2014 Conservation Psychology Institute (CPI) recognize the role of Conservation Psychology in designing ways for individuals to take meaningful action on behalf of the environment. Understanding why we act the way we do and what shapes our values is at the core of designing successful campaigns that create social change. Solving the psychological riddles associated with human behavior will have an equal or greater impact than technological breakthroughs that are already happening at breakneck speed.
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