This is the first in a series of articles that will examine world-wide leaders in the shift towards a sustainable way of life.
The claims we've made on the resources of this planet have become excessive. The resources of the planet are unable to replenish themselves in a rate equal to the demands we are making on them. A growing population is consuming fuel, water, trees, and food sources at such a devastating rate that we can no longer ignore it, hoping that it will fix itself. It will not. We have been depleting non-renewable resources for years, and are just now beginning to see the catastrophic effects the world in the form of destructive and irregular weather and projected quality of life reductions of never before experienced proportions.
The good news? We are finally realizing that something must be done. A number of successful efforts have effectively communicated the necessity for a change in our ways of life. Our generation holds the responsibility of reversing the harmful effects of our past thoughtlessness.
This is not to speak negatively on the ways of the past, but to motivate those of the future to do better, to think, to create solutions that are not easy to find.
Are we up to the challenge? Yes. We have been given communication methods that far surpass those of the past. We can find instant information and collaboration is easier than ever. We are allowed to understand that which interests us and are free to express ourselves in any way we wish. Along with this ability to instantly communicate with anyone we wish comes the understanding that we are all in this together. This age of global communication has finally brought to our attention the necessity of working together to sustain the way of life we have created for ourselves.
These articles will show examples of groups of leaders who have accepted this challenge and the tactics they have employed to accomplish their goals.
The Natural Step and Real Change
Who are they?
The Natural Step - "Since 1988, The Natural Step has worked to accelerate global sustainability by guiding companies, communities and governments onto an ecologically, socially and economically sustainable path. More than 70 people in eleven countries work with an international network of sustainability experts, scientists ,universities, and businesses to create solutions, innovative models and tools that will lead the transition to a sustainable future."
What do they do?
They are also a member of the Real Change research programme which serves to organize and propagate the collaboration of major businesses, scientists, and political officials in order to propagate change towards a sustainable future. Along with the Blekinge Insitute of Technology, Lund University, and mandators of the Swedish Energy Agency, and others, members of the Real Change programme work to "co-ordinated the development of theory, metohodology, and practice for strategic sustainable development, with scientists and policy-makers from all over the world taking part." On May 9th of 2008 members of the Real Change programme gathered to discuss goals, share past accomplishments, and kick off the programme. (1)
"A new research programme, Real Change, is now being launched. It aims to support the
world’s decision-makers in their promotion of sustainability and at ensuring that their
decision-making will rest on scientific foundations leading to – real change." (5)
Real Changes uses the resources it has gathered in its organization to create an effective methodology for sustainable measures world-wide. "The experiences of hundreds of thousands of people the world over who have practised different versions of this methodology, parallel to and integrated with its scientific thrust, make a good foundation for the further development and gearing-up which are now to take place." (1) Real Change attempts to highlight best practices that can be used by other businesses and organizations and ultimately serve as a tool in applying the same sustainability-centered methodology to all companies of the world.
"The users of this methodology are not waiting for political decisions to adjust to, they are leading developments and benefiting from the competitive advantages and cost savings which the pursuit of sustainability gives them. They are showing others the way and opening the way for political demands."
“With the scientists and policy-makers in the programme sharing the same basic competence, synergies will be created, and system solutions across disciplinary and Sectoral boundaries,” says Göran Broman, Professor at the Blekinge Institute of Technology and Real Change Programme Director.
Business members of the Organization include:
Interface
In 1996 the American Interface carpeting corporation set itself the target of full sustainability by 2020. Half the time has now passed and their CO2 emissions are already down by 82 per cent.
Ineos ChlorVinyls (formerly Hydro Polymers)
Ineos, the worlds 3rd largest chemical company recently acquired the former Hydro Polymers business which has united its suppliers and customers in a bid to make PVC sustainable. (4)
Aura Light
The Aura Light company, which produces long-life light sources, is committed to quality and, by the same token, to the environment. Unlike its competitors it thinks of fluorescents as installations, not disposables. Their light sources outlast the standard products by at least three years, and with 67 per cent fewer products needing to be manufactured, transported and installed, there are substantial environmental savings involved.
Aura Light has been working in the best interests of the environment for 25 years now. In the 80s their commitment played a vital part in building up the recycling of light sources, and 98 per cent of all fluorescents in Sweden are now being recycled.
Wallenius Wilhelmsen Logistics
Car carrier Wallenius Lines has built a model of its sustainability vision. The concept vessel E/S Orcelle, a ship with no funnels, is powered by a hybrid solution of renewables – solar cells, fuel cells, wind power and wave power. (3)
Solutions in Stages
The sustainable solutions are being introduced by stages, focusing on five different areas: reduction of sulphur dioxide emissions, reduction of nitrogen oxide emissions, plus ballast water purification using a non-chemical purification method which Wallenius has developed together with Alfa Laval and which is now commercially available, and fourthly, use of non-toxic anti-fouling paints, which have been tested on a number of vessels in the Wallenius fleet. The fifth area is concerned with reducing CO2 missions, a mission based on close collaboration between ship owners, technical designers and operators.
How was this done?
The creation of this program employs one of the key principles that will come to be necessary in our progress towards a sustainable future -- Collaboration. This organization serves to unify public officials, scientists, businesses, and any other individual or organization that may be able to contribute towards solutions in this challenge.
The members of this organization are established in their fields, but understood the necessity of collaboration in this global challenge. Many were business leaders who found that by implementing forward thinking, they have made their business processes more efficient by understanding that a good business model uses and reuses resources to ensure its own sustainability.
The Natural Step program started with the intent of linking sciences, desicion making, and implementation. The difference is that Real Change has aimed to create a concrete structure for the implementation of sustainable practices. The program has been broken down into three "layers"
1. The Core 2. The Petals 3. The Natural Step activities that go beyond the Core and Petals
Core:
The core will further develope and refine the Natural Step five level Framework in order to create hands=on tools for analysis, management, monitoring, and decision support. The idea is that these tools can be used by all existing businesses and organization to make shift towards sustainable business practices.
A number of Agencies have joined forces to fund the program.
Petals:
A number of universities are leading research programs on a number of projects. Some of these projects include:
Sustainable Product Development at BTH, Sweden
Scrutiny of "eco-efficiency", Abo University in Finland
Inovation and life cycle modeling of mircoalgae systems for sustainable energy and material
The Natural Step activites beyond Core and Petals:
On this level of "research" solutions will be tested, and problems will be sent back to the Core and Petals for further development and solutions. This creates a system that will eventually yield an efficient process to shift towards sustainable practices world-wide.
"Never before have we had such a huge
opportunity to apply our framework for a systematic trans‐disciplinary and cross-sector approach." (2)
What can I do?
Personal Level
Collaborate. Share your skills with others and ask others to share their skills with you. Learn and teach each other. Take time to research topic you are interested in and find out who has made headway in that area. Don't be afraid to contact those people yourself. People who are passionate about the same things will nearly always be willing to talk about the things they've found.
When you feel you have knowledge to offer, find ways to share it. Find people to work with. Involve yourself with an online community. Create an organization at school or within your work place or neighborhood. Do not forget that you have value to add to the conversation. Research, learn, assess, and then create solutions.
Company / Organizational Level
Learn about organizations and companies that interest you. Think about your interests and involve yourself in companies that may share your values. If you'd like to be involved in sustainable product design, first learn about the product design process, then join a company that propagates sustainable design. Ask questions at all times. Things that may seam unrelated may help you move towards your goals in the future.
After finding an organization you are interested in, find ways to become involved. Perhaps there is a way to become a member. Find out what ways you can help, how your skills can be applied, and who you need to talk to in order to apply your talents. If an organization is comprised of a number of businesses, consider becoming involved with one of those businesses if you are interested enough.
To learn more about Natural Step in a visual way, visit their online media center at http://www.naturalstep.org/com/Video/. You will find explanations of The Natural Step Framework, a video entitled "How everyone has to cooperate to make a difference" and more.
It is the responsibility of our generation to take advantage of the endless knowledge available to us and use it to create the solutions we know we're capable of creating. We have the resources to be knowledgeable, the capability to understand, and the ability to communicate, stragegize, and solve. We will not cower from this large task, but accept it as a challenge and join to stand up to it.
1. Press Release from the Natural Step. Found Here
2. About the Real Change Research Program. thenaturalstep.org, Found Here
3. About the Companies Involved. thenaturalstep.org, Found Here
4. Forum for the Future, The Sustainability of the Chemical Industry. August 2002. Found Here
5. Launch of Real Change. Found Here
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