Sustainability: Redefining Category Management

Traditionally businesses and professional consulting firms have focused their procurement and supply chain management efforts on efficiency, particularly actions to reduce costs. While these practices provide great insight into spend control, the next generation of business sustainability organizations is integrating sustainability concepts into their supply chains to evaluate risk and promote value through sustainable development opportunities. 

Our sustainability consulting considers risk along with other categorization methodologies, including spend classification and functional categorization, to be a framework from which an organization can create sustainable value within the supply chain.  A traditional category plan is viewed as an all encompassing analysis and management profile of spend with several major components:

    •    Commercial Strategy
•    Supplier/Contract Management Plans
•    Demand Management Plan
•    Communication/Change Management Plan
•    Continuous Improvement Process

The next generation of sustainable category management includes a new level of responsibility across all activities. We believe successful implementation requires visibility, engagement, and stakeholder alignment with company defined sustainability objectives. 

Leading supply chain focused organizations define visibility as a critical first step in managing business risk. We find that these companies are leveraging this total-view perspective to redefine value characteristics and performance measures of a ‘new’ sustainable supply chain.  With this insight, companies can build strategies, management plans, and improvement process to address:

 •    Material sources: the quality of supply and manner in which it is obtained.
•    Supplier business practices: the ethical standards by which business partners conduct their business.
•    Supplier business processes: the environmental and social impacts of supplier operations.
•    Supplier business relations and affiliations: the quality of the category supply chain sub-tier relationships.

Building of a comprehensive business sustainability plan includes incorporating sustainability concepts in the supply chain.  Our sustainability consulting and small business resources provide information and tools to clients seeking to develop successful business sustainability strategies that meet specific business needs.

Posted via web from 3BL Media, CSR News, and Emily

Have A Greener Life By Changing These 12 Bad Habits

Most of us want to do our part to help with environmental issues. But we all lead busy lives. We feel tired, get lazy and maybe let things slide a little. Well, if you’ve become lax about your environmental commitment, or if you’re one of the millions out there who just don’t think what you do makes a difference, take stock of your eco-habits and get back on track toward living a greener lifestyle. Read the tips below and rethink what can be accomplished with very little extra effort.

Break These 13 Bad Eco-Habits

You Don’t Recycle.

Recycling is one of the most important things you can do to lessen your environmental impact. So just do it! Many cities now make recycling as easy as taking out the trash with curb side recycling pick up. It takes very little effort to sort and collect recyclables, especially when you’d normally be throwing the item away anyway. Instead, throw it into a bin or can set aside specifically for recycling. If you don’t have a recycling service available in your area, recycling is a little harder, but so worth the effort. Find a recycling center near you and drop off your recyclables. Then just throw the boxes in your trunk (along with a box containing any charitable donations you might want to make) and drop them off on errand day.

You Always Buy New.

Skip the mall and buy used first. Instead of buying a new gizmo, gadget, jacket or pair of jeans in a retail store, see if you can find a used one instead. By buying used, you’re not only lengthening a product’s usefulness, but you’re also reducing the need for new items to be made, which lessens the environmental impact of product production. This one is a no-brainer… Ask around, chances are someone you know will have a gently used whatchamacallit you can purchase at a reduced price — or they might even give it to you. Check out thrift stores, resale shops and yard sales, too. One great side effect, yard sale shopping is fun and since you get in a good walk around your neighborhood, it’s good for you, too.

You’re A Litter Bug.

“Who, me?” you say. Well, maybe you’d never throw a bag of trash out of your car window (although I see this happen almost everyday) but you might still be a litter bug. Do you smoke? If you drop ashes or a ciggy butt on the ground and stomp it out when you’ve finished your smoke, you’re a litter bug. Or do you chew gum and toss it out the window when your through chewing? Well, your a litter bug, too. These seem like small things, but they’re not. Cigarette butts and gum can harm wildlife if eaten. And think about how gross it is to have someone’s discarded gum stuck to the bottom of your shoe. If you can’t give up cigs and gum completely, at least dispose of them properly.

You Constantly Push The Thermostat Up Or Down.

Don’t make the same mistake any people make by cranking the A/C or heat when you’re too hot or cold. This is a common practice, and most people don’t realizing that a more moderate temperature or usage time would keep them completely comfortable. First, it takes a while for the temp in your house to change, so pushing the temperature gauge up or down doesn’t have an immediate effect, anyway. In fact, pushing the thermostat up or down makes your unit work harder and less efficiently. This hurts your wallet and the environment. No one’s asking you to forgo comfort, but set the temp at a reasonable level and leave it alone. If you’re hot, sit down with a cool drink, or turn on a ceiling fan. If you’re too cold, put on a sweater — that’s what they’re for, after all. If you really want to make a difference, you can even try reducing the temperature by one degree each winter or increasing it by one degree each summer. Example, if you set your A/C on 74 in the summer, take it up to 75; in winter, go from 72 to 71 degrees. Chances are your body won’t know the difference, but your pocketbook will. And so will Mother Nature.

You Forget To Change Your A/C filters.

Think about it. When your A/C is running inefficiently, you use more electricity. Changing the filters every three months will keep your system running smoothly. It will also improve the air quality in your home.

You Over-Water Your Yard.

Plants need water. The key is watering in the right amount. Over-watering is one of the most wasteful uses of a dwindling resource. Over-watering risks run-off. Run-off isnot only wasteful, but expensive if you pay a city water bill. And while run-off water may eventually return to the water table through storm drains, it may also take with it any chemicals you use to fertilize or control pests. And that’s not something you want going down the drain. So if you can’t seem to settle on the right amount of water for your yard, install a sprinkler with the hygrometer which will measure the amounts of humidity and rainfall. Then you can adjust your system with confidence.

You Run Your Appliances At Peak Hours.

We’ve all heard that it’s best to run appliance like dishwashers and washing machines at off peak times, but think about the impact this one small change could have. If even half of the residents in your neighborhood started using less energy at peaks time (like at night instead of during the day) not only would you saving on your own energy bill, you could actually impact the amount of energy used in your entire community. Now that would make a difference.

You Don’t Check Your Tire Pressure Regularly.

If your vehicle’s tires are under inflated by only 6 psi, it could lead to tire failure and a reduction in fuel economy of up to 5%. While 6 psi doesn’t seem all that low, remember, it usually represents about 20% of the tire’s recommended pressure. That translates to increased fuel use, which means more environmental impact and less money in your pocket.

You Put Batteries In The Trash.

What do you do with your old batteries? Unlike glass, paper, and plastic, batteries are filled with reactive chemicals, so it’s important to dispose of them properly. Take a minute to learn more about how you can properly dispose of batteries at Earth911.com, and help keep hazardous, toxic chemicals out of landfills. And the next time you need new batteries, why not get a rechargeable one. Two AA NiCd rechargeable batteries can replace up to 600 single-use batteries.

You Don’t Unplug Appliances When Not In Use.

You’re wrong if you think this is a trivial thing. If a device is plugged in, the wall outlet still pumps current to it whether it’s on or not. Think of how much energy is wasted over the course of a year, just from cell phone chargers, TVs, game systems, and other appliances always being plugged. Yes, it probably costs you a lot of money, but all that wasted energy can really damage the environment, too. So unplug it!

You Still Use Plastic Shopping Bags.

Plastic bags rip and break all the time, spilling your groceries and taking up your valuable time. They’re a pain to store, and a problem to dispose of. So why not buy a durable, reusable cloth shopping bag? You can get them almost anywhere these days, and they’re so much more eco-friendly. Plus you’ll look tres chic carrying them around.

You Drive When You Could Walk.

If you can walk or bike around your city to do errands or shop, you should. A good rule to go by is the “2 minute rule”. If you can get there in about 2 minutes by car, you could probably bike or possibly even walk that distance in about 15 minutes. Walking or biking to nearby destinations make sense on a number of levels. You’re saving fuel and lowering emissions, and you’ll benefit from the added exercise. Plus you’ll get to say hello to your neighbors, and breathe some fresh air in the process.

This is only a partial list of the many bad habits that our society needs to address. The point is to start today to change your lifestyle in small and simple ways, and over time, you’ll be making a big difference. For more tips like these or to add your own, visit the original post.

Greenopolis.com is dedicated to our users. We focus our attention on changing the world through recycling, waste-to-energy and conservation. We reward our users for their sustainable behaviors on our website, through our Greenopolis Tracking Stations and with curbside recycling programs.

GREENOP6017

Posted via web from 3BL Media, CSR News, and Emily

Have A Greener Life By Changing These 12 Bad Habits

Most of us want to do our part to help with environmental issues. But we all lead busy lives. We feel tired, get lazy and maybe let things slide a little. Well, if you’ve become lax about your environmental commitment, or if you’re one of the millions out there who just don’t think what you do makes a difference, take stock of your eco-habits and get back on track toward living a greener lifestyle. Read the tips below and rethink what can be accomplished with very little extra effort.

Break These 13 Bad Eco-Habits

You Don’t Recycle.

Recycling is one of the most important things you can do to lessen your environmental impact. So just do it! Many cities now make recycling as easy as taking out the trash with curb side recycling pick up. It takes very little effort to sort and collect recyclables, especially when you’d normally be throwing the item away anyway. Instead, throw it into a bin or can set aside specifically for recycling. If you don’t have a recycling service available in your area, recycling is a little harder, but so worth the effort. Find a recycling center near you and drop off your recyclables. Then just throw the boxes in your trunk (along with a box containing any charitable donations you might want to make) and drop them off on errand day.

You Always Buy New.

Skip the mall and buy used first. Instead of buying a new gizmo, gadget, jacket or pair of jeans in a retail store, see if you can find a used one instead. By buying used, you’re not only lengthening a product’s usefulness, but you’re also reducing the need for new items to be made, which lessens the environmental impact of product production. This one is a no-brainer… Ask around, chances are someone you know will have a gently used whatchamacallit you can purchase at a reduced price — or they might even give it to you. Check out thrift stores, resale shops and yard sales, too. One great side effect, yard sale shopping is fun and since you get in a good walk around your neighborhood, it’s good for you, too.

You’re A Litter Bug.

“Who, me?” you say. Well, maybe you’d never throw a bag of trash out of your car window (although I see this happen almost everyday) but you might still be a litter bug. Do you smoke? If you drop ashes or a ciggy butt on the ground and stomp it out when you’ve finished your smoke, you’re a litter bug. Or do you chew gum and toss it out the window when your through chewing? Well, your a litter bug, too. These seem like small things, but they’re not. Cigarette butts and gum can harm wildlife if eaten. And think about how gross it is to have someone’s discarded gum stuck to the bottom of your shoe. If you can’t give up cigs and gum completely, at least dispose of them properly.

You Constantly Push The Thermostat Up Or Down.

Don’t make the same mistake any people make by cranking the A/C or heat when you’re too hot or cold. This is a common practice, and most people don’t realizing that a more moderate temperature or usage time would keep them completely comfortable. First, it takes a while for the temp in your house to change, so pushing the temperature gauge up or down doesn’t have an immediate effect, anyway. In fact, pushing the thermostat up or down makes your unit work harder and less efficiently. This hurts your wallet and the environment. No one’s asking you to forgo comfort, but set the temp at a reasonable level and leave it alone. If you’re hot, sit down with a cool drink, or turn on a ceiling fan. If you’re too cold, put on a sweater — that’s what they’re for, after all. If you really want to make a difference, you can even try reducing the temperature by one degree each winter or increasing it by one degree each summer. Example, if you set your A/C on 74 in the summer, take it up to 75; in winter, go from 72 to 71 degrees. Chances are your body won’t know the difference, but your pocketbook will. And so will Mother Nature.

You Forget To Change Your A/C filters.

Think about it. When your A/C is running inefficiently, you use more electricity. Changing the filters every three months will keep your system running smoothly. It will also improve the air quality in your home.

You Over-Water Your Yard.

Plants need water. The key is watering in the right amount. Over-watering is one of the most wasteful uses of a dwindling resource. Over-watering risks run-off. Run-off isnot only wasteful, but expensive if you pay a city water bill. And while run-off water may eventually return to the water table through storm drains, it may also take with it any chemicals you use to fertilize or control pests. And that’s not something you want going down the drain. So if you can’t seem to settle on the right amount of water for your yard, install a sprinkler with the hygrometer which will measure the amounts of humidity and rainfall. Then you can adjust your system with confidence.

You Run Your Appliances At Peak Hours.

We’ve all heard that it’s best to run appliance like dishwashers and washing machines at off peak times, but think about the impact this one small change could have. If even half of the residents in your neighborhood started using less energy at peaks time (like at night instead of during the day) not only would you saving on your own energy bill, you could actually impact the amount of energy used in your entire community. Now that would make a difference.

You Don’t Check Your Tire Pressure Regularly.

If your vehicle’s tires are under inflated by only 6 psi, it could lead to tire failure and a reduction in fuel economy of up to 5%. While 6 psi doesn’t seem all that low, remember, it usually represents about 20% of the tire’s recommended pressure. That translates to increased fuel use, which means more environmental impact and less money in your pocket.

You Put Batteries In The Trash.

What do you do with your old batteries? Unlike glass, paper, and plastic, batteries are filled with reactive chemicals, so it’s important to dispose of them properly. Take a minute to learn more about how you can properly dispose of batteries at Earth911.com, and help keep hazardous, toxic chemicals out of landfills. And the next time you need new batteries, why not get a rechargeable one. Two AA NiCd rechargeable batteries can replace up to 600 single-use batteries.

You Don’t Unplug Appliances When Not In Use.

You’re wrong if you think this is a trivial thing. If a device is plugged in, the wall outlet still pumps current to it whether it’s on or not. Think of how much energy is wasted over the course of a year, just from cell phone chargers, TVs, game systems, and other appliances always being plugged. Yes, it probably costs you a lot of money, but all that wasted energy can really damage the environment, too. So unplug it!

You Still Use Plastic Shopping Bags.

Plastic bags rip and break all the time, spilling your groceries and taking up your valuable time. They’re a pain to store, and a problem to dispose of. So why not buy a durable, reusable cloth shopping bag? You can get them almost anywhere these days, and they’re so much more eco-friendly. Plus you’ll look tres chic carrying them around.

You Drive When You Could Walk.

If you can walk or bike around your city to do errands or shop, you should. A good rule to go by is the “2 minute rule”. If you can get there in about 2 minutes by car, you could probably bike or possibly even walk that distance in about 15 minutes. Walking or biking to nearby destinations make sense on a number of levels. You’re saving fuel and lowering emissions, and you’ll benefit from the added exercise. Plus you’ll get to say hello to your neighbors, and breathe some fresh air in the process.

This is only a partial list of the many bad habits that our society needs to address. The point is to start today to change your lifestyle in small and simple ways, and over time, you’ll be making a big difference. For more tips like these or to add your own, visit the original post.

Greenopolis.com is dedicated to our users. We focus our attention on changing the world through recycling, waste-to-energy and conservation. We reward our users for their sustainable behaviors on our website, through our Greenopolis Tracking Stations and with curbside recycling programs.

GREENOP6017

Posted via web from 3BL Media, CSR News, and Emily

Water, Carbon, and Energy – Oh My!

While the energy side of the climate change conversation often receives much of the publicity, individuals and business are becoming aware of the link to water.  Most people understand that it takes energy to produce water and that water can produce energy (hydroelectric power); however, the complexity of the relationship can be seen in just about every aspect of our society.

  Water is a critical issue for business – without it supply chains will collapse.  And now, more inquiry into the supply chain is forthcoming.  Why?  It’s become commonplace in the sustainability world to say water is the next oil of the 21st century but it may be more accurate to say it’s the new

 A project, launched this week by the Carbon Disclosure Project, asks over 300 of the world’s biggest companies to report their water use on behalf of 137 major financial institutions that have signed a request for information.  Among other things, the questionnaire sent to 302 corporations in water-intensive industries asks for details on water consumption, the percentage of a company’s operations in water-stressed regions of the world and a breakdown of how much water in their supply chains come from such areas.   The problem is, much like carbon management, most businesses do not have information on water consumption for its internal operations or by its suppliers. 

 Recent growth in eco awareness has accelerated research to expand within technical circles towards framing the water and energy related issues and searching for solutions. A report by the World Business Council for Sustainable Development discusses the complexities and interrelationships between water, energy and climate change.  The report comments: “If we truly want to find sustainable solutions, we must ensure that we address all three in a holistic way.  They are pieces of the same puzzle and therefore it is not practical to look at them in isolation.”

 Water, carbon, and energy management is becoming a critical sustainable business strategy to address internal and external supply issues.    Creating supply chain management alignment through increased eco awareness, cooperative business relationships, and applied sustainability concepts can have immediate business impacts and reduce business sustainability risk.  Taiga Company provides professional consulting and business resources to business leaders seeking to make significant and sustainable improvements in their internal and external operations.

Posted via web from 3BL Media, CSR News, and Emily

Focusing on The Why? Not the What? …of CSR

We’ve all done it….asked the question at a social event…”What do you do?”- But how often do we ask “Why do you do that?”

In the rush to get on the social responsibility bandwagon, corporations may be happy to tout the –what they do answer without much real understanding of the why.
 
Whether on an individual or corporate level this “why” – speaks to a simple values clarification model I learned years ago. In order for something to be considered a value it has to be; chosen freely, from alternatives, prized and honored, and finally – acted upon. Often, someone who can answer the “why” comes from a deep based value system.
 
If a company’s response to the “why” question cannot stretch beyond –“because our customers expect it” or the more generic “because it is the right thing to do” – chances are they have not adopted the value of CSR as a strategic priority.
 
In a great discussion paper on the value of International Corporate Volunteer Programs FSG – Social Impact Advisors suggested that companies that “get it” will ask… What strategic benefit is the company accruing and how effective have employees been at adding value to society?  and as such, will focus on counting both the outputs and outcomes of their efforts. The outputs are to be used for the CSR report, brand marketing and other public relations processes. They can count the number of hours volunteered, the number of meals served at a food program or the number of dollars raised for a cause.
The outcomes are more challenging – but can be focused on enhanced employee morale, engagement, recruitment and new skill acquisition or, even as The Acacia Group  proposes, new leadership skills. The FSG paper provides a model that distinguishes between the generic traditional volunteer efforts, programs that are strategically aligned to assist development in the value chain or to be high-impact skills based service that leverage corporate resources. The point here is that the corporation needs to consider in advance what they wish to achieve for themselves and how they will contribute to a better society. This requires strategic thinking and longer term planning and measurement that could occur over years of engagement.
 
The buzz of whether CSR is a PR shell game and has a short life or is a true strategic business imperative- can be addressed by these value based decisions. If a company does not choose their CSR activities wisely, does not contemplate the value, does not allocate the resources to support the activity, and does not act upon them consistently or over time –the initiative will fail. The volunteers will feel their efforts are shallow, the executive will be tainted by the failure and will be less likely to sponsor the next CSR project and the NGO will be wary about the next “great idea”.   Frankly – those organizations who want to just “test the waters” of CSR and only skim the surface without understanding their “why”  are better off staying out of the water.
 
AG5975

Posted via web from 3BL Media, CSR News, and Emily

Toxic Trade 2010: Drywall

A couple decades ago, I helped to organize a campaign to stop the export of hazardous waste from the industrialized North to the rest of the world.  Ultimately, our work resulted in a ban on many forms of such toxic trade.
 
It is shocking to see the same tricks that waste traders played on impoverished communities being reenacted in my home country.  
 
Back then, companies labeled toxic ash as “construction materials” and “fertilizer,” and dumped the waste from the shores of Haiti to the fields of Bangladesh. More recently, a suit filed by Louisiana Attorney General James D. “Buddy” Caldwell asserts corporate predators rushed in after Hurricanes Katrina and Rita and dumped Chinese fly ash — in the form of wallboards used to repair storm-ravaged homes.
 
The State of Louisiana’s suit names 23 defendants. Chief among them: Knauf International, the Germany-based building material giant. Knauf operates three wallboard plants in China that were the main sources of drywall imported into Gulf Coast states in 2006 and 2007.
 
“Seeking to profit from the desperation of Louisianans harmed by Hurricanes Katrina and Rita, Knauf (USA) urged Interior Exterior [a local distributor] to purchase Chinese drywall from Knauf,” the complaint states.  
 
The Attorney General alleges specific actions by Knauf and a related major building material corporation, United States Gypsum (USG), to push toxic drywall from China into the U.S. marketplace.  This complaint also describes the role of a Chinese government-run company, Beijing New Building Materials, which is the third largest wallboard company in the world.  
 
But it is clear that a lot of responsibility lies within Western transnational corporate offices.  At least 78 percent of the drywall imported from China in 2006 came from Knauf’s China operations, according to US Customs data.
 
The complaint states that Knauf’s international offices “exercised strict control” over the three plants in China, and coordinated shipments of the wallboard into the U.S. The shipments were imported by USG, in which Knauf “also held a substantial equity interest.
 
“In pursuit of profit, Defendants proactively pushed their defective Chinese drywall into Louisiana in massive quantities, knowing that domestic supplies were very low and that Louisiana desperately needed drywall to commence its rebuilding efforts.  Defendants’ drywall is and was inherently defective and not suitable for its intended use. It is and was defective, noxious, and toxic, and will remain so for a long but unknown span of years.”
 
The AG alleges that under Knauf’s control, the Chinese wallboard plants produced drywall made with fly ash, from coal-fired power plants – a material which is not used in wallboard manufactured in North America.  This is a much different chemical composition than Flue Gas Desulphurization waste, also called synthetic gypsum, which is a common substitute for natural (mined) gypsum in drywall.  
 
“[T]he Defendants knew or should have known that their use of substandard materials and their shoddy manufacturing and inadequate or non-existent quality-control processes would result in defective, noxious, and toxic drywall which emits a variety of dangerous chemicals,” alleges the AG, including formaldehyde, hydrogen sulfide and carbonyl sulfide.
 
The AG’s complaint also notes the presence of naphthalene sulfonate additives, which I discussed in last week’s Signal. “Drywall may consist of two other materials with sulfur content: alkyl ethoxy sulfates as foaming agents, and lignin or naphthalene sulfonates as dispersing agents,” it states.
 
For their parts, Knauf’s U.S. operations, and US Gypsum, have tried to distance themselves from this scandal.    
 
Last March, Knauf Insulation North America issued an Orwellian press release, saying that it needed to “set the record straight.” Knauf Insulation North America President Bob Claxton noted the spate of news reports about drywall used in Florida.  “Unfortunately, many of the reports identify ‘Knauf’ rather than Knauf Plasterboard Tianjin as one of the sources of the products imported from China. This has led to confusion in the marketplace… Knauf Insulation is a business unit that operates independently from any other Knauf business, including Knauf Plasterboard Tianjin. Knauf Insulation in North America and our products are not associated with the drywall in question.”   
 
However, Knauf Insulation GmbH and Knauf (USA) are now defendants in the State of Louisiana suit.
 
While these transnational corporations deny responsibility, they are leaving thousands of homeowners to deal with the health impacts and the huge costs of remediation. The Consumer Products Safety Commission last week advised that “consumers remove all possible problem drywall from their homes, and replace electrical components and wiring, gas service piping, fire suppression sprinkler systems, smoke alarms and carbon monoxide alarms. Taking these steps should help eliminate both the source of the problem drywall and corrosion-damaged components that might cause a safety problem in the home.”
 
The scourge of hurricanes in the mid-2000s presaged a secondary disaster created by man, not nature.  From toxic trailers, to toxic drywall, Gulf Coast residents have borne the brunt of commerce’s basest instincts. 
 
As AG Caldwell’s complaint says, “those rebuilt homes are essentially worthless and uninhabitable unless they are remediated again…. the Defendants have been unjustly enriched.”  And, the homeowners have been unjustly sickened.  Over 3,000 people have complained of health impacts ranging from asthma attacks to heart disease.
 
Our Pharos building materials evaluation system now includes drywall made in China. We hope this information will help users understand the unique hazards posed by these industrial waste byproducts.

HBN6012

Posted via web from 3BL Media, CSR News, and Emily

Skydiving Cats Over Borneo!

Skydiving Cats Over Borneo!

In their ground breaking book Natural Capitalism, Paul Hawken, Amory Lovins and Hunter Lovins relate a story of the need for systems thinking. This is a true story — the names have not been changed to protect anybody.

In Borneo in the 1950’s, there was an outbreak of malaria amongst the Dayak people. The World Health Organization came to the rescue with a simple fix to solve the problem. They sprayed large amounts of DDT to kill the mosquitoes that carried the malaria. Problem solved; ingenuity and technology triumph again. The mosquitoes died and malaria case dropped. This would have been the happy ending to the story, but then the roof caved in. Literally. Roofs, actually, as a certain parasitic wasp that ate a certain thatch-eating caterpillar got creamed by the DDT along with the mosquitoes. Party for the caterpillars! With the wasps that ate them gone, there were more and more thatch-eating caterpillars and fewer and fewer thatched roofs standing. But no problem. The government began to issue sheet metal, caterpillar proof roofs as replacements. Problem solved. Until the tropical rains set in and turned the roofs into drums. Ever try to sleep inside a drum with someone beating on it for hours at a time? Plus the metal roofs did not breathe and insulate like the natural thatch, so they were hotter in warm weather and colder on cool nights. But at least the malaria was gone, right?

Well, the insects that died from the DDT were eaten in turn by gecko lizards, which were then eaten by local cats. With DDT in accumulating in their little cat systems, the cats started to die. Now it was party time for …. the rats. Cats down, rats up! The rats flourished, and carried with them….(drumroll)…sylvatic plague and typhus! Brought to you by…The World Health Organization! To solve this serious outbreak of disease which they themselves created, the WHO ordered — and you couldn’t make this up- Operation Cat Drop! Operation Cat Drop (not cat droppings which is something completely different), parachuted 14,000 live cats into Borneo, in one of the strangest missions the British Royal Air force ever flew. (“We’re dropping WHAT?”)

This strange but true story serves i to make the point that we need to think systemically whenever we intervene in nature — a balanced systems that has been doing pretty well for 3.8 billion years. As John Muir famously noted, “Whenever we try to pick out anything by itself, we find it hitched to everything else in the universe.”  

Whether it’s throwing away a perfectly good bottle or can, putting last night’s supper down the garbage disposal instead of the compost bin, or driving our car places we could walk, it’s in our best interests to look at the whole system. As the Cats Over Borneo story shows us, sometimes the simplest fix is the most complicated.

To comment on this story, visit the original post.

Greenopolis.com is dedicated to our users. We focus our attention on changing the world through recycling, waste-to-energy and conservation. We reward our users for their sustainable behaviors on our website, through our Greenopolis Tracking Stations and with curbside recycling programs.

GREENOP6014

Posted via web from 3BL Media, CSR News, and Emily

What are Your Habits Telling You?

Have you ever imagined what it would be like to be on reality TV?  Is it even possible to act normal with a television crew taping your every action?  As a sustainability consultant, I’ve often reflected on what a reality TV show communicates about the choices, lifestyles, and habits of its characters. 

 In fact, if a reality show were taken of your life, what would it reflect?  It’s sort of like listening to your voice on a recording or watching yourself in a video.  What appears isn’t always how you think it’s projected. 

 As a green living consultant, the idea of a reality TV show is a fun way to engage clients to look at their habits differently.  Habits are routines of behavior that are repeated regularly and tend to occur subconsciously, without one’s directly thinking consciously about them. The pretense of a reality show raises awareness of personal habits and shines light on potential areas for eco action.  In the world of sustainability, this unconscious display of habits is a fertile ground of opportunity offering low hanging fruit for eco action.

 Discovering hidden treasures in your daily habits begins by becoming conscious of your routines as well as your approach to the actions you take.  Look for clues in your life. What is in your garbage?  Do you leave the water on while brushing your teeth?  Idle the car? Pay bills by mail?  The value is in the questions.  To ask, inherently means there is sparked eco awareness within the questioner.  From there, options are available to replace traditional habits with those of eco actions.

 What is your external world telling you about yourself?  Where is the low hanging fruit for eco awareness in your life?   

Posted via web from 3BL Media, CSR News, and Emily