The GREEN Consultancy was exhibiting at the first Global Business of Biodiversity Symposium yesterday, Tuesday the 13th at Excel, London, UK.

It was a fascinating regrouping of experts from all around the world who intended to draw awareness to environmental issues that our globe is facing, and will be facing in the future if proper measures are not taken. The outcomes of the Human Being’s actions are devastating to ecosystems. We must inform those not aware of this danger, and try to “convince” those aware of it to make efforts in order to make a difference.
Many ignore that “to make a difference” does not mean inconvenience, burden or higher costs.

Specialists, such as the CEO of Conservation International, the CE of Rio Tinto, the Chairman, Head, and former Special Representative of the Prime Minister of the United Kingdom and many others, covered different areas from the business world, including marketing, architecture, fashion, construction, agriculture etc. The general idea of the symposium was to bring awareness about the urgency for sustaining the natural living systems or ecosystems that provide us with food, fuel, health, wealth, and other vital services; to show how the problem of biodiversity is equally important to the one of global warming.
Who knows, maybe tuna will become a fish our grand children will not have the possibility to eat?

Strategic measures were suggested in order to promote awareness as well as change:
•    We should talk less about loss, and more about love
•    We should balance need and add action
•    Being “bold” when presenting our ideas is important
•    Always ask others what they want before introducing our needs
•    Use nature to inspire business; use biodiversity as part of business
•    Etc.

An interesting anecdote concluded the symposium:
Does anyone know what ecology means?
Ecology comes from Greek and means: the study of/understanding of home.
And does anyone know what economy means?
Economy comes from Greek as well and means: the study of/understanding of management.
So how can we manage our home if we don’t even know what our home is?

Earth Hour is a global event organized by WWF asking households and businesses to turn off their non-essential lights and other electrical appliances for one hour to raise awareness towards the need to take action on climate change.

Check out the video of Earth Hour 2010 held on 27th March from 8:30 p.m. to 9:30 p.m. local time.

Global Climate Week 21^st – 25^th September 2009

As part of the Seal the Deal! Campaign, UNEP are leading the Global Climate Week, which is planned to coincide with the United Nations Secretary-General’s High Level Summit on Climate Change on 22^nd September 2009.

This important week and the lead-up weekend will be marked by synchronized activities in more than 100 cities to urge world leaders to seal a fair and effective climate agreement at the UN Conference on Climate Change in Copenhagen this December.

Global Climate Week will unite efforts, whether individual or collective, calling for urgent action to combat climate change – the greatest challenge of our time.

Cities, organizations, groups and individuals are invited to mobilize their networks and join the effort.

The United Nations is also encouraging communities, businesses and individuals to add their voices to the “Seal the Deal!” campaign during Global Climate Week by signing the online Climate Petition, which will be presented to the governments of the world in Copenhagen, she said. The petition is available at http://www.sealthedeal2009.org/the-climate-petition

According to a statement by UN spokesperson, Michele Montas, “the UN Secretary-General, Ban Ki-moon is calling on communities around the world to take advantage of the week to encourage leaders to seal a fair, balanced and effective agreement on climate change.”

Montas stated that events have been planned in more than 120 countries “for this first Global Climate Week, which coincides with the UN Summit on Climate Change convened by the Secretary-General in New York, on 22 September.”

Be part of Global Climate Week

Enter your Global Climate Week pledge at www.sealthedeal2009.org.Afterwards, share your activities with the world by uploading a report, including video and photos.

The Lead-up Weekend

Day 1 - Saturday 19th
Global Tree Planting Drive

Mass tree planting activities may actually help save the planet! Beginning on 19 September, each tree pledged or planted during Global Climate Week will carry the Seal the Deal! message – a direct call for political action on climate change. Let us know how many trees you are pledging to plant and where. The planting can be part of your Clean up the World activity.
Make sure tree-planters sign the Climate Petition at: www.sealthedeal2009.org. The tree-planting drive is carried out in cooperation with the UN Billion Tree Campaign.

Day 2 - Sunday, 20th
Climate Petition Day

Organize public events or online activities to encourage as many people as possible in every corner of the world to sign the Climate Petition. We need millions to show their support in favour of a definitive agreement on climate change by signing the Climate Petition, which calls on leaders to sign a definitive and equitable agreement on climate change this December.

Global Climate Week

Day 3 - Monday 21st
Climate Change Assembly Day

Young people around the world will hold peaceful assemblies in support of definitive global action on climate change, under the banner “Seal the Deal!” The Climate Petition will be made available online in a print-friendly format to allow campaigners to hand over a meaningful statement to their national and local authorities, urging governments to reach an agreement in Copenhagen.

Day 4 - Tuesday 22nd
Seal the Deal! Green Day

Wear SOMETHING GREEN to show support and solidarity for sealing the deal in Copenhagen on the day the UN Secretary-General, Ban Ki-moon, hosts world leaders at a UN High Level Event on Climate Change in New York. Leaders will come face-to-face with the latest support for the Climate Petition.

You can also:

• Arrange for a Seal the Deal! Support Day at work or school
• Add a message to the Climate Wall Twitter, blog, or write an Editorial or a letter to your editor
• Download the Seal the Deal! Screen Saver
• Get creative and do your own thing to show support for urgent action to combat climate change!

Day 5 - Wednesday 23rd
Go Climate Neutral Day

Power down! Go climate neutral for the day in a personal show of support for a definitive agreement on climate change.

Countries, cities, businesses and organizations:

• Pledge innovative action to lessen your carbon footprint.
• Join the UN Climate Neutral Network www.unep.org/climateneutral

Communities and individuals:

• Ride your bike, car pool or take public transport
• Enjoy a candlelit dinner while you turn off the lights
• Find ways to offset your carbon footprint.
• Make a pledge and upload your action, photos, video, songs and comments at www.sealthedeal2009.org

Day 6 - Thursday 24th
Climate Voices Day

Join the global chorus calling on world leaders to act now to protect people and the planet, and to power green growth. Have your voice heard on climate change and acknowledge the heroes and victims of climate change, as well as the individuals and groups who are taking positive action to combat climate change in their communities.

Nominate your local climate champ at www.sealthedeal2009.org

Record your testimonial of how climate change is affecting you at the Climate Wall

Day 7 - Friday 25th
Climate Solutions Day

The latest science shows our climate is changing more rapidly than expected. But it is not too late to change our habits and implement solutions so that humans stop harming the climate. From low energy bulbs to fuel-cell cars, solutions for a low carbon future are evolving every day.

Showcase your green technology innovation and share it with the world at www.sealthedeal2009.org

It clear now the word ‘sustainability’ has become embedded in our daily language however we should avoid overusing it and brandishing it around like a new toy. It reminds me of the marketing jargon from previous years like CRM (Customer Relationship Management) once the buzzword of the  marketing community in the early 90’s. Clearly I’m showing my age. I think some have labelled the misuse of the word ‘sustainability’ and all things green as ‘middle class environmentalism’ in overdrive. I think even with the huge media frenzy around climate issues and brands jumping on the bandwagon your average Joe Bloggs in the street still doesn’t have much more of an idea of what gas causes global warming, whether Kyoto ever happened or what exactly what a Greenhouse gas is. From a marketing perspective we ‘ve got to think very hard about the use of language and imagery. I’m not sure the ‘carbon footprint’ graphical device has really translated well into public consciousness even though it’s widely  overused to illustrate what our Carbon usage is. It’s amazing how quickly a communications idea can become adopted and then becomes the symbolic representation of global problem even though alot of people would probable struggle to articulate its meaning. This is the communications challenge and we should regularly assess the effectiveness and understanding of the target market rather then adopt accepted buzzwords before rolling out national campaigns. I wonder how well the carbon footprint translates across different religious and cultural identities? 

Separating your food isn’t a new idea let’s be honest. We’ve all been the grumpy five year old, pushing the carrots or sprouts to the edge of our plate with a thoroughly disgusted look plastered across our little face. Separating your food waste from your other household waste however is a practise that can have slightly more dramatic global consequences than missing out on some smelly veg’ (yes I still hate sprouts!).

WRAP (Waste & Resources Action Programme) have reported that we – the general public – don’t mind separating our food waste (when given the appropriate equipment for storage) and of the 94,000 households offered the trial initiative, around 70% took part. Obviously this ties in well with the WRAP ‘love food, hate waste’ initiative, that aims to change the way we all buy food, showing the benefits to the environment and your weekly shopping spend if you only buy what you need and what you’ll actually eat (not to mention that it’d save food waste, and all the extra complexities involved in the production and transport of excess food).

“The collected food waste was either composted at in-vessel facilities or treated by anaerobic digestion.” And WRAP calculated that redirection of the 4,400 tonnes of food waste ‘saved’ the equivalent of 2,000 tonnes of CO2 emissions in little over a year, bargain!

The initiative shows that even those of us who don’t have use of the family compost bin can and will make the effort if given the choice.

WRAP Summary
http://www.wrap.org.uk/wrap_corporate/news/public_supports.html

Full Report
http://www.wrap.org.uk/local_authorities/biowaste/separate_food_waste.html

Love food hate waste
http://www.lovefoodhatewaste.com/

The catastrophic meltdown of the financial markets is probably the first in a series of global wake-up calls which will trigger soul searching throughout the business community and government right down to individuals.

Although some might question whether the economic recession will force sustainability issues off the marketing agenda, I think that consumers will start to join the dots and understand the relationship between the excess profits associated with the unbridled financial markets, the social malaise in western societies and environmental degradation. If anything, here lies an opportunity for brands to revaluate their approach and messaging. What’s required is an honest approach whereby a ‘truth well told’ is based on facts, a reconnection with ethics and a realignment with the sustainability values of previous generations.

This should mean that frugality becomes a virtue and being conscious of ones total environmental footprint not just carbon footprint are inextricably linked to value, but value in the holistic sense, that we pay less, use less and waste less thereby adding true value to our lives.

Your one stop shop for the sustainability addled rantings of a group of communications consultants trying to change the face of change.