bicyclemark

Watchful Eye for Greenwash

Recently I started a job with a sustainable investment conference and consultancy, know as TBLI. Among my responsibilities with them, I’ll be handling alot of their web presence including the TBLI blog which is now listed in the right hand margin under “I also publish”. First let me say it is refreshing to work for a organization that does not look at blogging or ME blogging about work related themes as suspect. Cause for this blogger, being free is essential to my work, and keeping secrets is just lame.

So as you’ll eventually pick up from reading the TBLI blog, the conference is all about sustainable development. A noble goal that more most rational humans makes sense. Bringing people together, large corporations, small entrepeneurs, activists, I’ve seen a pretty good cross section of talent and experience. AND YES, I’ve seen names of corporations that I simply do not like or trust, for their environmental human rights records. But nevertheless, ignoring them isn’t a sure bet for changing anything, so perhaps it is useful that there is place where they too can join the conversation and debate.

One guiding principle that stays with me in all my work, including here on the blog, is to always keep an eye out for greenwashing. Meaning those that would pretend to be ecological, caring for how their company impacts the environment and the future of the earth. It is no secret that being green has become a catch-all, a marketing tool, a smoke screen for conducting business-as-usual.

I mention this because some of the latest items coming from the New Internationalist get into detail about just that; greenwashing. They also tear into the realm of corporations pretending to be socially responsible and the manipulation of the United Nations to that end. I intend to get in touch with some of these reporters for an upcoming podcast. I also recommend you read and beware aware in your daily choices, about who is lying about being responsible.

One more thing tho… just because there are corporations out there, lying about being green. Does not mean people should simply give up trying to be responsible consumers or responsible investors. There are still ways to verify what is or is not ecological… sustainable.. and if people set their minds to it.. we can certainly find out.

bmtv75 CCC Talk Part 3 of 4

This section of my CCC’07 talk on Rebellious Communication and the Federal Flood looks at prisons and public housing in New Orleans. You’ll notice at the end I come to a conclusion not unlike that which Naomi Klein later did in her book the shock doctrine.

Remember to update your links as my blog is now located directly on citizenreporter.org and if you want to watch part 1 and 2 of this blog please look in the archives.

Good Postal Ideals

Ever notice all the overnight delivery-parcel company planes at the airport? They’re everywhere. Taking off, landing, filling the sky, spanning the globe.. to get your packages to you fast.

Rarely does anyone talk about the world of express delivery and the ever-growing fleets of planes in that industry, and their effect on our planet. Why even within distances between cities only a few hours away from each other, the fastest way is said to be by plane… so naturally there is yet another plane flying from one city to another, adding some more pollution to an earth that is begging for some relief.

As I think about this, I read the news out of France; TGV trains handling mail! Yes indeed, they called person who proposed this idea crazy at first, but in a country where high speed trains make long distances seem like nothing, with modernized and plentiful connections, France has the right circumstances to provide fast mail transport without having to fill the skies with more planes. And they’re really doing it!

Of course they have their share of problems once they want to go beyond France. Der Spiegel talks about problems that connecting German rail lines aren’t prepared for this plan. I know here in the Netherlands, the high speed rail lines are still few and just barely completed.

However, the point is that here we have a great solution for a problem that few nations are willing to talk about or seriously try to solve. Cut down on unecessary flights, including those dedicated to postal delivery. France wasn’t just born with this infrastructure… they planned rail transport properly some 50+ years ago .. and now not only can their businesses benefit, but so can our environment, with less emissions coming from rail transport. With the new AGV trains, we’re talking EVEN less emissions.

Just because some countries, be it here in Europe, or anywhere in the world, don’t currently have the infrastructure to do this.. doesn’t mean this is the time to simply give up. Investments should be made, elected officials should be working for such innovations, and citizens should demand this kind of solution.

My Valentine in West Africa

Tomorrow was supposed to be the day I tried my first yoga class with my friend Gabe B of xolo.tv. Unfortunately I never pay attention to holidays, especially corporate ones, so I forgot that being Valentine’s day, the man would be off with his partner, somewhere romantic. No yoga action for me. Naturally no valentines crap either, but I do have someone I want to say nice things about.

I may be a journalist, but I’ve never been able to live directly from the type of journalism I do on this site. Sure there are indirect ways that I do very much make a living thanks this work, but still, I won’t pretend there isn’t something lacking in my journalistic career…. there is.

That is when I look to Pauline. I think I’ve only read a few of her print articles, shamefully. But I’ve read every one of her blog posts since her now famous blog ( hate awards but if someone deserves some credit.. its her), West Africa Wins Always, began. I read and I learn. I read and I’m inspired. I read and I travel with her, I’m a fly on the wall during one of her famous conversations that gets recounted in the most engaging way on her blog. And tomorrow being this thing people call Valentine’s day, I understand one of those classic issues – “Slave Labor Chocolate” somewhat better because of Pauline’s scathing answer to all those articles that get rolled out at this time of year from all kinds of journalists out there.

So if nothing else, you could say my Valentine’s wish (if there is such a thing), is that this wonderful blog gets even more recognition. I hope you read not just one her posts… read lots of’em. Dare I say it, subscribe to her RSS feed. Look at great photos and read the work of one very dedicated and well-informed reporter.

bmtv74 CCC Talk Part 2 of 4

Long overdue part 2 of the talk I gave at the Chaos Communication Camp over the summer, topic is of course Rebellious Communication and the Federal Flood. This part is about housing in New Orleans and my experience exploring this topic first-hand.

If you want to watch part 1, which I put out in December, here is the link. Of course you can learn more about the wonderful camp at the CCC website.

The F Word

Remind me to visit the staff of Radio Netherlands and buy everyone at The State We’re In a drink. Week in and week out the crew produces excellent audio programs on topics related to human rights and human wrongs.

In their latest program they hit yet another homerun with a segment that just reached out and grabbed me; forgiveness.

While I was raised in a fairly religious family, I myself don’t have a religion, nor do I want one. But one of those lessons many religions seem to try to teach people, is the importance of forgiveness. Throughout the world there are so many terrible conflicts… and when these conflicts end… if they are really to end.. forgiveness seems to me a very essential stage. Yet after many conflicts you don’t often see that many truth and reconciliation processes.

In their latest program, The State We’re In speaks with someone from the Forgiveness Project, which is all about understanding and inspiring forgiveness. And later in the program they go to a park in South Africa, know as Freedom Park, which is dedicated to the idea of forgiveness; a place where people (victim or perpetrator) can tell their stories and make amends.

I highly recommend you listen to this segment, and the program in general. If there’s one thing the world could use more of, it is forgiveness.