In July I was priviledged to be invited to a Sustainable Development Commission conference that shared the winning entries from their competition to find breakthrough ideas that could change society to be more sustainable in the 21st century. The event was a big occasion, with Jonathan Dimbleby chairing, Anna Ford and Jonathan Porritt on hand, and even Prince Charles…
In this week’s New Scientist, there’s a great article summarises all the different research that’s been done into the colour red. Semiotically it stands for a great deal – stop, danger, aggression, blood, etc. It turns out that this subliminally affects all of us, as we are ‘hard wired’ to view red as a dominant colour, and we’re not…
We hear alot about Recycling. But top of the Reduce/Reuse/Recycle mantra is ‘Reduce’ – and this isn’t just about energy use, its about reducing the ratio of materials to uses – for example weight reduction, concentration, or portion control. So get more out, for less going in. And all of these things can have other consumer benefits – smartness,…
Warning: highly opinionated movie review follows…! Have you seen the new Angels & Demons movie based on the Dan Brown book, sequel to the Da Vinci Code? I was honoured to be invited to a Sony premiere at Sony Theatre (thanks to our kind hosts), but sadly the evening was far better than the film warranted – the highpoint…
As if the current credit crunch, recession, political instability and climate change aren’t enough to worry about, anyone who scours enough media sources will spot a growing concern in the background – that this year will see another oil price hike similar to last year but more sustained. Is an oil price surge the kick we need to get…
Creativity. Its the cornerstone not just of innovation, but of all good problem solving. And yet it can seem so elusive, so hard for us to switch from our usual analysis, judgement, decision making thought processes into a more lateral state where we make fresh connections. Maybe thats why we seem to get out best ideas in the shower,…
UKAware was a consumer showcase of products and services for a greener lifestyle, at Olympia Fri 17 and Sat 18 May. What most impressed me was the collection of entrepreneurs within their ranks, their enthusiasm knowledge and belief standing out head and shoulders above the ‘paid for’ staff from larger or more established enterprises. It does show us that…
So, what do you get if you cross a well known chocolate brand with a thought for sustainability? A 22% reduction in Easter packaging, apparently! Thornton’s usual email newsletter today came with a sweet ending – a declaration that they have reduced their packaging in all their Easter products by 22%, saving 73 tonnes. A look at their website…
Just last week, I heard a very senior and well informed business leader explain to a vistor to London that the Low Emission Zone was about ‘the Mayor’s efforts to reduce carbon emissions’. In a no doubt very annoying way I couldn’t resist stepping in and explaining otherwise. But I think this view is not isolated – from consumer…
Anyone’s who’s heard Lily’s no1 smash hit ‘The Fear’ will have noticed the lyrics, as pointed as her usual fare, but this time aiming at mindless consumerism and the transient superficial nature of fame and celebrity. The contrast of the ‘happy-spending’ major-key verses and the ‘confused fear’ minor-key chorus exactly epitomises the current consumerism debate…. This is the way…
In a world of decaying trust, where…
A fascinating panel discussion of experienced Chairmen…
