By Design, Not by Default

For a long time, there has been a major assumption about Sustainability in business. Not always explicitly stated, but clearly communicated through actions taken by the majority of businesses: Sustainability should happen by default.

Whether through the power of intrinsically-motivated leadership or due to the nature of the industry, some companies just "get it". Outsiders assume these leading companies default to sustainable actions - seemingly at odds with stakeholder interests or other business goals. 

Other companies wait until their hands are forced, by bad press from negative consequences of unsustainable practices or other means. These companies ignore sustainable options until they are in the middle of controversy and must respond quickly, without preparation, and often under the scrutiny of the public eye. 

But as a whole, people are beginning to recognize that true sustainable business practice must happen by design and not be default. Those first companies succeed not because they stick to sustainability despite good business sense - it is because they have incorporated sustainability into the core of their business strategy. Sustainability is a lens through which we can view our business practices and make decisions not to the detriment of stakeholder value, but to enhance everything we do as value creators. 

The other kind of company may not have holistically implemented sustainability into its business strategy - but still is beginning to recognize the value of considering sustainability as a highly effective method of risk management, as a tool for capturing more customer value through marketing, as a longer term and truer financial valuation of the company not just in the snapshot of today but as it will exist ten years in the future. 

So, wherever you are of the spectrum of completely integrating Sustainability into your business strategy or just looking to explore how sustainability can enhance your business strategy, grab your drafting pencils and blueprint paper. As in building anything else, constructing Sustainability into your business strategy starts from the foundation. It is a material with which we use to build structure and strength into our businesses - not a coat of green paint we apply liberally to the outside whenever green is en vogue. Sustainability ensures we will succeed, sustain, and thrive well into the future. 

Hello 2015

Hello 2015!
As another year comes to a close, we may find ourselves looking back - but we also are looking ahead. While we have many exciting projects with current and future clients to look forward to, we also want to make a commitment to be more present. Both in our lives, but also here on our blog. So expect to see lots more of us. Please don't hesitate to write in if you have any ideas you'd like to see a blog about or even share as a guest blogger. In this new year, we can't wait to bring you new content, new perspectives, new stories - as we begin another adventure at Sustainability in Review.

An Industry comes together to help make the world a little better

We just got back from 4 days surrounded by some of the smartest minds in the field of Sustainability and the Textile Industry.
Nov 9 - 12 Textile Exchange held their annual conference in Portland OR.

I wanted to share some insights gleaned from the event for me.
In looking back even just 5 years ago the conversation was much more about convincing us that there is an environmental and social crisis in our world today and a dire need to start addressing these issues. Today that conversation is moving into mainstream media and conferences like this are focusing on solutions.
There was a lot of excitement to see ideas like Bio-based polyesters in the market and a desire to move away from food based sugars.  I was also inspired by the technologies around dying, water less, or reduced water use.
And there was a whole track of sessions on Chemistry.  One designer leaned over to me and said, "I had no idea when I went to fashion school I was going to need my Chemistry knowledge."

The industry is changing and in some ways too slow and in others quite quickly.  Overall the sentiment is a desire for figuring out solutions.

Inspiring few days!

Collaborative Consumption

Great Ted Talk by Rachel Botsman about our current cultural shift of sharing.  Tapping into our internal desire to share and using technology to build trust between strangers.
Check it out

Click Here to view the Video

Guest Blogger - Sarah Kensell - Get Dressed Sustainably

This week's Guest Blog Post comes from Sarah Kensell

Sarah Kensell is a wardrobe stylist and producer of photoshoots and fashion shows.  Clients have included: prAna, Fashion Week San Diego, Riviera Magazine, Fashionably Late at the Ivy, The A List at the Anthem, and many more.  Her fashion blog, Modern Boheme, is where she showcases her coastal bohemian style and shares creative musings. 

Organic cotton, hemp, fair trade, vintage, recycled:  there are a lot of buzzwords in the world of sustainable fashion.  These days, it's not hard to find sustainable clothing (new companies are popping up all over the place); the hard part is finding styles that fit into your wardrobe.  I've done a bit of the legwork for you... you'll feel a little less guilty about this shopping spree!

While your selection of sustainable products is definitely smaller, it doesn't have to be boring.  Bright colors will get you feeling as good as the choice you made to buy with a conscience.

Get this look - click here

Organic cotton doesn't mean stiff cotton.  Things have changed quite a bit since we first saw the rise of organic cotton in the market.  Manufacturers have found ways to make it some of the most comfortable stuff out there. 

Get this look - Click Here

Whether you are traveling the world or your backyard, you can find your own adventure anywhere.  A wardrobe full of products that do good for people and the environment will make you feel like you are making a positive contribution to the lives and natural wonders around you.

Get this look - Click Here

Guest Blog - Guide to Government Incentives for Green Commercial Trucks

This blog post comes to you from Brittany Richards, editorial coordinator for Software Advice.

Have you noticed 18-wheelers on the road and wondered how much gas it takes to fuel them? Since I was young, I’ve always noticed big trucks and asked myself that question. Well, in my time as the editorial coordinator for Software Advice, a company that helps buyers review transportation management system technology, I’ve learned that it takes tons of gas (literally) to fuel commercial fleets.

For large companies that own or manage large fleets of commercial trucks, reducing fuel consumption is one of the most tangible ways an organization can positively impact both the planet and its profits. We frequently hear from buyers that are interested in technology to measure, analyze and (in-time) reduce fuel consumption across its fleets to bring down costs and help reduce overall consumption.

One way to greatly reduce consumption and costs is to combine this technology with the purchase of new, energy-efficient trucks. And thankfully, there are a number of government incentives to reimburse and reward companies for the purchase of green(er) vehicles.

However, it’s important to consider who qualifies for these programs. Many incentive programs commonly stipulate vehicle type, fuel type, state/region of operation, vehicle weight limit, fleet size and overall company revenue. In addition, the application for each type of incentive is nuanced, and each program has its own requirements.

To help buyers better understand the government incentive process, Software Advice contributor Janna Finch has put together a comprehensive guide that breaks down the federal, regional and state incentive programs and provides contact information for each program. In addition, the guide provides a quick, four-step process to help guide your application process. For more detailed information on these programs, check out the guide here.

My sustainable home - kinda

It has been a dream of mine to have a home that was completely self sufficient. In that what we needed to run the house would come from the land itself.
Oh I was going to buy 10 acres of land - build a beyond eco house and become an advocate in my self affirming little home.
BUT - well lots of things happened. From not being able to get a building loan, to needing a home to live in, to a realistic evaluation of my time to "build" such home. SO... I know own a traditional home in the middle of town.

But the dream is not dead - there is so much opportunity in anyone's home to reduce your environmental impact - so the dream has been adjusted.
It has been a interesting journey to understand our impact as a family, what we have been able to change, what remains to be a challenge and what is in the pipeline.

WATER

Fortunately we live in a state that not only rains a lot, but one can capture your own water from your roof for use. The first thing we did was turn off the sprinklers.  They aren't needed 9 months out of the year. This alone along with our practices of full dishwasher, laundry, short showers and letting it mellow. means out water use is very low. In fact we don't come close to the minimum water charge on our bill thus paying only fees each month.

The next great project was putting in 3 - 50 gallon rain barrels off the south east side of the house. We were shocked to learn how fast they fill up - one rain storm and they were full. We use this water for watering trees and plants around the house.

ENERGY
This topic is in the pipeline list. Future projects include adding solar tubes to the bathrooms which have no windows and solar hot water... But that will be another year or so.

WASTE
This has been the most interesting topic for me. We have a great practice of reusing and recycling as much waste a possible. Such that we throwout maybe a 1/2 a garbage bag a week. And you know what is in it? Soft plastics... What I need to do is set up another bin for these and take them into Portland next time I go to recycle them since they can't be recycled here.

And we compost - we bought 2 composters so that one could be doing its composting thing while we use the other. Well with the yard work, the chicken shavings, grass and our kitchen compost - we have filled them both up.
We are lucky because Andy's parents live on a farm about 14 miles away and we end up taking all of our yard waste up there. But if we didn't we wouldn't have space for it.

FUN
We also got chickens for eggs and their manure for our garden.  We ripped up the front
lawn and put in raised beds and plants a fig and a plum tree.

All of these project have an impact for sure and we will keep going on other projects, but it is surprising, even to me, how reliant I am on the city for water, energy and hauling away my waste. It makes me think about how far away we are as a society from sustainability. BUT I like how it makes me think - what do I use, how can I use less, and how can my behaviors change to reduce my impact.
A work in progress and a journey worth taking.