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 26 Comment

• Re: Social Marketing Branding Campaign in Taiwan: Looking for Scientific Journals to Publish In

  2009-04-29 14:12:21 UTC

  Timothy:
  
  Having worked for short periods in Taipei, I have a bit of an idea of the air pollution from the thousands of scooters -the charge of the light brigade comes to mind.
  If you are wanting a guide to branding, I am surmising you are taking about green marketing, what to say and what not to say. There are more examples of what not to say out there. Two things you might find very useful: CSA and the Canadian federal government have posted a free guide around ISO 14021; its a PLUS document available off their website Environmental claims: A guide for industry and advertisers. The other book you might find helpful from a case studies approach is the recent bok by Joel Makower's Strategies for the green economy". Good luck
  
  etwom 

• Be careful what you ask for - free CFL's from

  2008-11-25 14:19:48 UTC

  A note of caution with requesting that which appears to be free. All CFLs are reportedly manufactured in China. The product quality is not consistent. CFLs contain mercury. The form of mercury may not be the same. Higher quality bulbs may use amalgam mercury. Often lower quality bulbs are offered as the "giveaway" or provided at cost. In lower quality CFLs the product defect rate may be higher. One manufacturer also stated that depending on the distribution process, the bulb might be damaged, "some CFLs can be very sensitive". If the bulb doesn't last as long as they are marketed to the public then you have two challenges. One, the public (which can be a contained public as in the students at a university or the community at large) may brand all CFLs as low quality. Secondly, CFLs need to be offered with a return strategy in mind and in place, and not end up in the garbage or in landfill sites. Sometimes the recipients of free things do not bother to call to let you know there is a problem. When they do call the agency/entity/not for profit needs to have their staff (volunteers or not) trained in managing complaints from consumers/recipients. Programs are supposed to 'turn the consumer on' to solutions, not turn them off.
  
  Good luck with your program.

  
  

• Re: ecological economist

  2008-08-15 09:12:38 UTC

  Dear Tanya:
  
  Your request has stirred some good suggestions and interesting feedback. I am a fan of the work done by the late Donella Meadows, which has been mentioned. You might also want to look at the work being undertaken by the Biommicry Institute as it focuses on the positive - the benefits accrued by doing right things better. In theory our current systems are 96% inefficient, so there is a huge opportunity for improvement. In the work I have done in Asia, I uncovered statistics that inferred that 7 cents on every dollar went to clean up past mistakes. This is the cost of environmental debt that results from the cumulation of seemingly trivial individual everyday actions. Germany also did some eye opening research quite a few years ago on an Ecological Balance Sheet - costs associated with the culmination of chronic inefficiency, not crises or chaotic events. If you are interested in this data, just email me directly and I will forward it to you. If you are looking for something practical, the simpler the tool, the better. If you are trying to assess a specific project, a simple payback methodology may be useful. You can read about this in http://www.cfib.ca/en/smallbiz-solutions/business-resources.asp If you assessment needs to address those issues corporately that lie below the traditional waterline (externalities that have an impact on corporate reputations and their balance sheets) I strongly recommend the work of Bob Willard. http://www.sustainabilityadvantage.com/ I also have found that it is useful to do a positive and negative sort on the costs, as traditional accounting procedures did not cover the true or total cost of projects. The Tellus Institute has done some good work on Total Cost Assessment. This also ties in with the whole movement starting to occur in the accounting profession to look at tools to quantify sustainability. Their sites are set on climate change issues (as predominately linear thinkers, things occur in logical sequence to address issues of highest risk). On that same note, the Stern Report provides some very clear assessments of the true cost of climate change and a solid agreement for immediate changes in how we manage our use of Mother Nature's resources.
  
  Good luck with this.
  L L. E. Johannson, B.E.S. (Hons), M.Sc.,
  
  FRSA President
  E2 Management Corporation (E2M)
  113 Mountainview Road
  South Georgetown,
  Ontario CANADA L7G 4K2
  Tel: (1) 905 - 873 - 9484
  Fax: (1) 905 - 873 - 3054
  Email: etwom@e2management.com

• Re: Greening our libraries?

  2007-12-21 10:51:47 UTC

  Hi Neil:
  
  Libraries are an interesting and woefully under-utilized community resource. Amongst them I think you will find those that are leaders, some which are 'average' and some that are laggards. What we have found is that some have 'modernized' and innovated themselves to also serve as meeting centres, particularly for small business. As ecological literacy is not a common in any society, libraries do pose a great opportunity for creating a baseline of awareness. There is also the potential for a strong parent and child connection, where in essence the kids are the enablers. Librarians are great at finding information although they are not there to interpret it or tell you what it means. We are working with the librarian system to diffuse the small business guide "Going for the Green", which you already know about. You may want to contact your provincial library association and have a chat with them to see what they are doing.
  
  Cheers Have fun over the silly season.
  L L. E. Johannson, B.E.S. (Hons), M.Sc.,
  
  FRSA President E2 Management Corporation (E2M)
  113 Mountainview Road South
  Georgetown, Ontario CANADA L7G 4K2
  Tel: (1) 905 - 873 - 9484
  Fax: (1) 905 - 873 - 3054
  Email: etwom@e2management.com

• Re: curriculum on global warming

  2007-08-21 10:10:49 UTC

  Dear Marjorie:
  
  We ran a kids video contest for ten years, the last five being focused on climate change. While the contest part is not active (it is being rejuvenated and the topic areas broadened) the material is still available to anyone to access. The material includes puzzles, a mapping technique for kids to identify where their problems in their school are. This could just as easily be applied to their homes. When we get our funding attended to the video contest component will be re-opened under a new name. For now, see the Annual Conservation Video Contest on our website at www.e2management.com
  
  Have fun with it.
  L. E. Johannson, B.E.S. (Hons), M.Sc., FRSA
  
  President E2 Management Corporation (E2M)
  113 Mountainview Road
  South Georgetown,
  Ontario CANADA L7G 4K2
  Tel: (1) 905 - 873 - 9484
  Fax: (1) 905 - 873 - 3054

  
  

• Eco-fashion & sustainabilty

  2007-08-16 10:30:21 UTC

  Durability of the fashion is perhaps the key to sustainability in the fashion industry. I see a parallel here between the disposability of fashion fickle fabrications and the mentality that underlines the deliberate act of littering; it's the throw away mentality that goes with the territory. There is a designer in Canada of 'wearable art'. She does not promote herself as being 'sustainable' but through her sewing technique, which optimizes the use of materials, and through her orientation to the customer, her items are kept for years. Her wearable art has a closed loop process, clients have been able to exchange or sale back into her market their art pieces (usually due to weight changes in patrons). Further to this she supports mental health programs at her fashion shows. Her website is www.bonnieglass.com
  
  L. E. Johannson, B.E.S. (Hons), M.Sc., FRSA

• RE: Food production & ISO14001

  2007-06-08 21:40:17 UTC

  Dear Barbara: Your question could be answered in a number of ways - yes there are food companies that have achieved 14001 - Dole has for example. ISO Central Secretariat published an article on their system. There is a blueberry producer in Quebec, a food cooperative in the Niagara Region, wineries in New Zealand, a cheese maker in Austria, etc. If you type into Google "whoseregistered.com" you will find a site that has companies that have posted their third party certified systems on-line. I know of some companies who adopted 14001, certified their system once and then dropped the maintenance of the certified external audit for any number of reasons - cost, lack of market requirements, concerns regarding value, etc. but they maintain the EMS, and it conforms to the standard.
  
  The second part of your question seems to infer that if the company did not certify, they did not adopt the standard. This is one of these interesting myths, I think in part, perpetuated by remnant issues starting with ISO 9001 and sometimes perpetuated by others who have a financial interest in certification. To be absolutely clear - the standard does not require an organization to certify. The same applies to 9001 - the standard does not require the user to obtain third party certification. These two ISO management system standards are voluntary. A company can use elements of the standard to improve their own system, or they may adopt it in whole. If they just use parts of the standard, they should not state what the business calls conformity, as it infers in the business community that you have implemented all the requirements.
  
  Further, in ISO 14001:2004 there are four conformity assessment options, none are better than the other, they are merely four options, the market helps the user decide which one is appropriate. The four options are as follows, these are the intent of the four options, not a copy of the words in the standard:
  
  a) self-determination and self-declaration
  b) what is often referred to as second party audits- typically a customer auditing a supplier
  c) a disinterested party determination - this is based on the EnviroReady Report process, whereby professional accountants with the appropriate training and recognition provide an annual review
  d) traditional third party certification
  
  In Europe, there are situations where a regulation may 'foster/force' the use of a standard. A customer may state that preference is given to suppliers with the standard. But these are market conditions. Other countries are considering this alignment with standards - not specific to the food industry necessarily. There are actually quite a few 'boards' held by various countries that post statistics on certification although the data is not often of use beyond a number, i.e. 5 companies or 500...they make give statistical reference to sectors, but usually no names. Canada has 1706 certificates, although through some analysis started by Environment Canada a few years ago the number of companies involved is closer to about 650...I would have to check to see how many were food related, cannot cite this off the top of my head.
  
  Hope that helps you.
  L. E. Johannson B.E.S., (Hons) M.Sc., FRSA
  President E2 Management Corporation (E2M)

  
  

• Going for the Green - Help for Small Business

  2007-05-30 09:52:58 UTC

  Dear Fellow FSB listserv members:
  
  One of the challenge areas we have been tackling is the behaviour change required in business sector referred to as "SMEs". We have amassed a fair library since 1994 on the barriers they face to greening and sustainability. As a result of some more recent work we led between 2005 and 2006, we wrote Going for the Green: A Manufacturer's Guide to Lean and Green. The prep for this book included contact with over 1000 small business owners and managers in Canada, with additional knowledge gained from the archives of the Canadian Federation of Independent Business (CFIB). The research behind the book was funded through collaboration between Environment Canada and Industry Canada. Some of the research included consideration of the techniques that Doug has articulated and packaged rather nicely - our key focus was on the adoption of greening productivity as an innovation. Small business made it very clear to us that they do not see themselves as polluters - the reaction they give is much like the reaction you get when you (in jest) ask the question - do you beat your spouse often?... They want to do right things right the first time - but many of the guides and tools they had seen were not written for them - they were written by experts, but often focused on big company tools scaled down (which does not work), compliance as an entry level position (which is not accepted), used jargon (they need it in plain language), etc. I am pleased to be able to share the connection to the book on the CFIB website. It has the priority spot on their Quick Links Business Reference section. It is currently available in French as well. Copy cfib.ca into your Internet engine of choice, and it should get you there. The book itself is just a portal to other tools and resources, some of which are accessible through embedded links in the current version, and others that are being developed in response to small business. Aspects of the book will be tested on an Internet TV site as well in June or July. Should any one have trouble accessing the book or have an interest in the two streams of workshops we are running (one for users and one for stakeholders) I would ask you contact me directly, and not tie up space on Doug's listserv.
  
  Cheers
  L. E. Johannson, B.E.S. (Hons), M.Sc., FRSA
  
  President E2 Management Corporation (E2M)
  113 Mountainview Road
  South Georgetown, Ontario
  CANADA L7G 4K2
  Tel: (1) 905 - 873 - 9484
  Fax: (1) 905 - 873 - 3054
  Email: etwom@e2management.com
  Websites: www.e2management.com
  www.14000registry.com
  www.glassworks.org
   

• What are your Country's Top Ten Sustianability Issues?

  2007-04-10 16:22:54 UTC

  Ladies and Gentlemen:
  
  I am preparing a presentation that will be aired on several continents. I first put this question to a number of peers within Canada and received an interesting and wide range of ideas and responses. I am looking to augment this response from a broader international audience. What do you believe are your country's top ten sustainability challenges? If you take these from a specific reference, can you please include this in your response? I will share summary and statistical results with anyone that participates. Please ensure that you identify the country you are referring to in your response.
  
  Sincerely
  L. E. Johannson, B.E.S. (Hons), M.Sc., FRSA
  
  President E2 Management Corporation (E2M)
  113 Mountainview Road South
  Georgetown, Ontario CANADA L7G 4K2
  Tel: (1) 905 - 873 - 9484
  Fax: (1) 905 - 873 - 3054
  Email: etwom@e2management.com
  Websites: www.e2management.com
  www.14000registry.com
  www.glassworks.org
   

• Re: Seeking research on motivation towards environmentalism

  2007-02-12 07:38:32 UTC

  Dear Gail:
  
  At the request of Rodger Albright of Environment Canada I am responding to some of your points. I have done a fair bit of research over the last 10 years plus on greening productivity in organizations (private and public sector), in large, medium and small organizations on five different continents. I have spent a lot of time as well working with the sustainability in small business. In greening the productivity of an organization, there is an element of organizational behaviour knowledge required. Promoting change requires an acceptance by those in control both in the formal decision making structure and those who have are critical in the informal structure points of an organization. There is a difference between what concerns people and what they believe they can do about making change. I am a fan of Deming's System of Profound Knowledge, although it is now only a part of a synergistic approach I use with clients to determine their first or next steps to change. If you are interested, I can send you an excerpt from one of the books I have written on Green Productivity directly to provide some oversight if you are not familiar with his systems approach to change. Let me know and I will email it to you directly as Doug's listserve doesn't enable attachments. Other idea influencers include written works by Kurt Hanks in Change Navigators, Malcolm Knowles writings and Anne Camozzi's work on adult learning (separately), Everitt Rogers work on the Diffusion of Innovation and facilitation efforts from people in the trenches such as Anita Wolfe to ferret out what people really want versus what they don't want. Georg Winter's 1989 book on Business and the Environment: A handbook of industrial ecology was novel at its time because of the level of simplicity and practicality he strove for. What was more impressive is that he put his money where his mouth was and offered employees access in their homes for a consult in their residence on how to make their homes more environmentally sound. This was acceptable in Germany, energy audits in Canada have not worked well, but that is for another reason. If you are trying to work with small business size does matter, although it is not the only determinant; there are classic flaws that people make in trying to address small business. Successful approaches with small business are not the same as an approach or process useful to big business. CFIB has some excellent material on their website that you might find interesting to read and integrate.
  
  Cheers
  L. E. Johannson, B.E.S. (Hons), M.Sc., FRSA
  
  President
  E2 Management Corporation (E2M)
  113 Mountainview Road
  South Georgetown,
  Ontario CANADA L7G 4K2
  Tel: (1) 905 - 873 - 9484
  Fax: (1) 905 - 873 - 3054
  Email: etwom@e2management.com
  Websites: www.e2management.com
  www.14000registry.com
  www.glassworks.org

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