Sustainable Development Resource Center

Subsistence Marketplaces at the University of Illinois | Blog | NextBillion.net | Development through Enterprise

2010-05-25T17:22:00.000-05:00

Subsistence Marketplaces at the University of Illinois | Blog | NextBillion.net | Development through Enterprise

Reducing Houston's Carbon Footprint (and mine)

2008-09-06T14:43:00.002-05:00

Where does one start in a City known around the country as the Energy Capitol? How do you find like-minded citizens who want to begin addressing the business of reducing our city's carbon footprint? I'm fortunate to know Brian Yeoman who told me about a City of Houston effort to promote energy savings (which directly relates to carbon footprint reduction). Over the summer the group, called GREEN TEAMS put together a simple curriculum for citizens to work through and, in the best instance of viral marketing, commit to working with other like-minded citizens to reduce energy consumption once our first curriculum grads were out in their lives again. Three women named Nan Hildreth, Nancy Edwards and Nancy Benthian are the master minds. Starting with workshops focused using David Gershon's "Low Carbon Diet" (http://www.empowermentinstitute.net/lcd/) each woman worked with groups who worked to reduce carbon footprints and pledged to continue the work with other citizen once the workshop was finished. Leveraging this model the City of Houston created a simple four week curriculum that has specific relevance to our tropical climate.

The group I've been helping out with facilitation is in its third week and will be focused on electricity and water conservation. We'll look at our past utility bills and pledge reductions. I've been purchasing wind generated power from Green Mountain for five years. As smug as this makes me feel, I still generate way too much carbon. My most recent move was related to taking a new job assignment which allows me to take the bus instead of an automobile. I find that I must consciously work at my energy consumption -- this does not come automatically just because I think it is a good thing to do. The GREEN TEAMS format is a great way to reinforce my actions. So now I'm a convert. To Nan, Nancy and Nancy, thank you!!

If you are interested in sustainable development you might want to check out my SD Twine: http://www.twine.com/twine/112kkw6l8-13sb/sustainable-development

Answers to the 25 questions posed by teens in Houston

2008-07-23T18:58:00.001-05:00

The following are the answers provided by the Mayor of Houston's Office of Environmental Planning. This FAQ will be posted on a new green youth site that will be published soon.

What is Energy Conservation?
(Questions from the students of the Fifth Ward Teen Enterprise Center 2008)
1.    How is energy usage leading to a huge crisis?

It is not all energy usage that leads to a crisis; it is energy usage that comes from non-renewable sources. The more non-renewable energy we use, like natural gas and petroleum, the more pollution is being created, resulting in a public health problem. Also, it will become a crisis if we continue to only develop non-renewable sources, because at some point they can be used up, when that occurs, we would have a major crisis on our hands.

2.    Is there more then one type of energy?

Yes, there are several types of energy. For the state of Texas the following sources of energy are ranked by the highest amount used, to the lowest amount used.
1.    Natural Gas
2.    Petroleum
3.    Coal
4.    Nuclear
5.    Other (Wind, Solar, Geothermal, Hydroelectric, and wood)

3.    How much energy do appliances use when they're actually not being used?

This is called phantom or vampire power. It is suggested that on average 10 to 15 watts of energy are used when an appliance is not being used. This accounts for approximately a 5% loss of a homes total annual energy, adding up to $3 billion each year in the United States.

4.    Are fossil fuels destroying the ozone layer?

Yes, burning fossil fuels release polluting chemicals that destroy the ozone layer. Currently there is a hole in the ozone layer over Antarctica that opens every fall.

5.    If the ozone layer is destroyed, can man survive on earth?

The ozone layer protects living things from harmful UV rays. As the ozone layer thins the most common problems are increases in skin cancer and cataracts. Without proper protection from the UV rays man could not survive on earth without the ozone layer.

6.    What are the top three forms of conservation?

We often talk about conservation in terms of reducing, reusing, and recycling. It is important to remember that these forms of conservation are ranked according to the best conservation method first. We should first look at where we could reduce, then look to reuse, and then recycle.

.    How many types of light bulbs are there?

The major types of light bulbs are incandescent lights, florescent lights, compact florescent lights or CFLs, and LED lights. CFLs and LED use less energy to light the bulb and therefore they’re more energy efficient.

8.    What energy affects our community the most?

Currently, petroleum and natural gas have been negatively affecting our community. These forms of energy create harmful emissions that we breathe causing health risks. Moreover, with the demand on these sources increasing, the costs are raising creating economic hardships. However, it is important to remember that all energy sources have an affect on our community whether positive or negative.

9.    How could I convince people to conserve, and recycle?

Right now an effective argument for conserving and recycling is economic. When people conserve energy they are saving themselves money. Second, it is important to let people know that it is our responsibility to become sustainable, and protect human health.

10.    Can I make money recycling?

Yes, some materials are worth more than others, and as the price of oil raises so does the price of recyclable material.

11.    What everyday habits cause pollution?

Driving, using electricity, and creating waste that is sent to a landfill, to name only a few.

12.    Does one person really make a difference?

Everything has to begin with one person, so while there may not be a big affect from that one person, that person will affect others, who will affect others and so and so forth.

13.    What happens to the things we recycle?

They are melted down and reused. Your plastic bottle can become someone’s carpet, and old newspaper can become new newspaper.

14.    How can we save CO2?

You can cut CO2 by changing your behavior. Use less energy, in both your home and your vehicle, reduce, reuse, and recycle, conserve water, plant trees, become educated, and encourage others to do the same.

15.    Why not use corn oil instead of gas?

Corn oil is a cleaner burning fuel, but because it comes from a food source it has negative consequences on the global food market. Food is diverted from consumption to fuel, and more farmers stop farming other important food sources and focus on the fuel crop to get more money.

16.    Which energy will run out first?

It is hard to know exactly which source will run out first, but the important thing to remember is that all non-renewable energy sources will run out at some point. That is why it is very important to invest now in renewable energy sources, like the sun and wind. These sources will never run out and are much cleaner to use.

17.    What is Kinetic energy?

It is the energy that develops as a result of motion. Thus, when wind blows the blades of a wind turbine it puts that object in motion creating kinetic energy that is harnessed into power that we use.

18.    How do solar panels work?

Solar panels collect solar radiation from the sun and convert that energy to usable electricity. Solar panels are comprised of several individual solar cells. Photons from the Sun push electrons in the semiconductor up into higher orbits where they are collected by the electrodes which deliver the current to the battery charging circuit.

19.    How much energy can you get from recycled plastic?

Because plastics are made from fossil fuels, you can think of them as another form of stored energy. Pound for pound, plastics contain as much energy as petroleum or natural gas, and much more energy than other types of garbage. This makes plastic an ideal fuel for waste-to-energy plants.

20.    What type of water is recyclable? (bath, rain, drains)

All water can be recycled. Bath and waste water can be collected to use in landscaping or irrigation, rain water can be collected and used in irrigation, or it can be cleaned and used as drinking water. The amount of water on the earth always remains the same. The water cycle explains how this all works.

21.    What is the best substance to recycle for energy?

There are a lot of substances that can be recycled for energy, but the important question when looking for the best is, is the source renewable, if you answer yes, then that is the better source.

22.    Doesn’t plastic give off poisonous effects?

There are harmful chemical that are in plastics, the best option is to try using other material, or recycling what plastics you do use.

23.    Is it possible to be 100% recyclable?

It is possible to be 100% on recycling recyclable material, but some material is not recyclable, like hygiene products. So, recycling 100% of the material that can be recycled is a great goal.

24.    Since woods burns, why isn’t it considered recyclable?

When wood burns it creates harmful emissions, it is better to recycle woody waste by composting rather than burning.

25.    If everyone did their part conserving energy and saving & using recyclables. What would be the overall life time saving & benefit?

There would be a substantial life time savings, doing simple energy saving actions around your home could save 10-20% annually. The benefits range from economical benefits to health benefits. The bottom line is we all need to do our part to make our communities sustainable.

Green Teens

2008-07-23T12:24:00.001-05:00

Today we went through the 25 questions. First the boys broke up into groups and worked with their leaders to answer the questions as best they could. Then we got together and went through their answers and compared them to answers that the City of Houston's Environmental Programming Department provided. The great news, the boys were able to answer the questions themselves and their answers were reinforced by the City's answers. The teens were very excited that their questions will appear on the Green Youth site that the City will be putting up very soon.

Twenty Questions (ok, 25 questions)

2008-07-15T16:11:00.003-05:00

Here's a list of 25 questions the teens at the Fifth Ward Enrichment Program ask about energy and energy conservation.

1. How is energy usage leading to a huge crisis?
2. Is there more then one type of energy?
3. How much energy do appliances use when they're actually not being used?
4. Are fossil fuels destroying the ozone layer?
5. If the ozone layer is destroyed, can man survive on earth?
6. What are the top three forms of conservation?
7. How many types of light bulbs are there?
8. What energy effects our community the most?
9. How could I convince people to conserve recycle?
10. Can I make money recycling?
11. What everyday habits cause pollution?
12. Does one person really make a difference?
13. What happens to the things we recycle?
14. How can we save CO2?
15. Why not use corn oil instead of gas?
16. Which energy will run out first?
17. What is Kinetic energy?
18. How do solar panels work?
19. How much energy can you get from recycled plastic?
20. What type of water is recyclable? (bath, rain, drains)
21. What is the best substance to recycle for energy?
22. Doesn’t plastic give off poisonous effects?
23. Is it possible to be 100% recyclable
24. Since wood burns, why isn’t it considered recyclable?
25. If everyone did their part conserving energy and saving & using recyclables. What would be the overall life time saving & benefit?

I think that the scope of questions shows that the tipping point has been reached in society and everyone is aware that there are costs and benefits to energy conservation. My plan is to see if we can come up with answers using our collective knowledge when we meet again next week.

CFLs!!

2008-07-14T16:32:00.003-05:00

OK, it is official. The City of Houston will be providing compact fluorescent bulbs for distribution in the 5th Ward community. As the bulbs are being passed out, the young men and women will be passing along simple energy saving tips to help community members begin to reduce their carbon footprint. Look for photos of this activity next week.

Working the base of the pyramid

2008-07-02T11:32:00.004-05:00

I spent a couple of hours today at the Fifth Ward Enrichment Program Teen Center. They've added an environmental component to their summer program that gives at-risk-youth life skills and role models.

What impressed me was the level of awareness these boys had about climate change, global warming and the economic instability we're now facing in America. What was also apparent is that few resources or media messages are being aimed at the young people in our country. I find this a bit ironic as they are the ones who will be much more impacted by what we do (or don't do!) than my generation.

When I asked if the boys either had asthma or know of someone who has asthma, every single hand in the room went up. Houston has some of the country's worst air quality. Ozone alerts are constant throughout the summer. Weather report includes air particulate counts -- so what do we actually find in Houston air? Small and large particulates and ozone are part of every 5 day forecast.

Awareness of water conservation and energy issues was also extremely high. These boys, like the rest of us have a great deal of anxiety about the future and are looking for things that they can do individually and with their families. Simple things like saving water, turning up the thermostat, turning off lights are things they can do immediately. Being thoughtful about using energy is something that will take a little more time -- empowerment takes time.

I will return to the Fifth Ward Program in two weeks -- having received questions from the boys and I plan to encourage them to give me the answers...they all have the ability to make contributions to the discussion and act to Save and Protect Community Earth which is the name of their environmental program.

Deep Economy by Bill McKibben

2008-06-10T20:12:00.004-05:00

Subtitled: The wealth of communities and the durable future

Let me start at the end of this very fine book, "The logic is fairly clear: in a world threatened by ever higher energy prices and ever-scarcer fossil fuel, you're better off in a relatively self-sufficient county or state or region. In a world increasingly rocked by wild and threatening weather, durable economies will be more useful than dynamic ones. And in both cases, the increased sense of community and heightened skill at democratic decision making that a more local economy implies will not simply increase our levels of satisfaction with our lives, but will also increase our chances of survival in a more dangerous world."

The beginning of the book made my eyes glaze over --a litany of the perils of growth -- economic growth -- but I give the man his due, he needed to do this to establish a baseline. It is the other four chapters of the book and the afterword, where the quote comes from that is riveting. He not only lays out the issues, but provides examples of simpler, community based solutions that strike at the heart of the problem. Increased determination to share in the American Dream by Americans and the rest of the world must be abandoned. The world is in peril -- perhaps not on my lifetime, but certainly in my niece and nephew's lifetime the world will be catastrophically altered if we do not change our practice.

Some provocative ideas:
" If we Americans can use less coal and gas and oil, we'll in effect free some of the atmosphere to absorb the carbon that the poor world must emit to meet basic needs. And, we should do more than that: having become rich by filling the air with our effluents, we should share some of that wealth with the developing world in the form of aid and technology. You can even put a number on how much money we're talking about. If you value carbon at current rates, each American owes the rest of the world between $273 and $1,086 a year for the privilege of polluting more than our fair share. At the lower end, that's about $73 billion annually which would accomplish an awful lot of "development." (Jules Pretty)

"The goal of life should not be limited to production," Thakur S. Powdyel, a senior official in the Bhutanese Ministry of Education, told Andrew Revkin of the New York Times. "There Is no necessary relationship between the level of possession and the level of well-being...We have to think of human well-being in broader terms...Material well-being is only one component. That doesn't ensure that you're at peace with your environment and in harmony with one another."

"In the twentieth century, two completely different models of how to run an economy battled for supremacy. Ours won, and not only because it produced more goods. It also produced far more freedom, far less horror.

In the twenty-first century, the choices are a little less stark. No one wants to do away with markets, or to centrally plan economies, outside of China, most people are committed to some form of democracy. But the choices are not less crucial, and the stakes may be even higher. The ecological upheaval promised by global warming is more disruptive than any military threat humans have yet faced."

What got us here? Massive consumption and waste. Reliance on fossil fuels, worship of efficiency at the expense of community.

What solutions exist? The solutions McKibben presents provides food for thought and examples that can spur action. Though he does not use the term "ecosystem services," may of the solutions he cites show ecosystems in balance which use the natural processes of of ecosystems to maintain balance.

This book is a must read.

SD hits the mainstream

2008-04-23T17:14:00.002-05:00

How does one know when sustainable development has finally hit the mainstream? When a television producer creates a game show based on SD and knowledge.

Think of the power of TV audiences learning about climate change solutions through competition driven by the level of SD sophistication of contestants. These programs will easily attract millions of viewers for each episode -- all potential evangelists for clean energy and sustainable smart choices.

Coming to your 4 screens some time in 2009-2010 -(working title) Absolutely Green, will go into production later this year. I was the format and content consultant for this program which is a mashup of game shows with an SD twist. The more domain knowledge contestants have about climate change, energy efficiency and general home environments, the farther they will go.

National Reforestation

2008-04-12T08:54:00.003-05:00

I had an opportunity to have a chat with José Antonio Ocampo Gaviria, a new Fellow at The Baker Institute (where I work part time). I've been wondering about how carbon credits might be applied to efforts by the developing world as a way to provide capital for nation building. Mr. Ocampo is the former United Nations under-secretary-general for economic and social affairs, a position he held until mid-2007.

From his perspective, the most successful schemes that accomplish this come from National Reforestation programs. Check out the UN Department of Economic and Social Affairs pages that deal with reforestation issues and many other issues relating to climate change.

In Ocampo's native country, Colombia, the government is now paying former coca growers to be stewards of the forest. [link]

Costa Rica is a good example of how the mechanism works. The government has set up a program for reforestation that is funded through the sales of carbon offsets. The program pays people to maintain and protect forests on their lands. [link]

some useful links: Conservation International Reforestation: Wikipedia Trees for the Future

Solar energy - alternative approaches

2008-02-14T09:49:00.004-06:00

Over the weekend I heard Ken Zweibel, the highly respected, former program manager of the Department of Energy’s (DOE) National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL) thin film Photo Voltaic (PV) R&D program and current and President of PrimeStar Solar of Golden, Colorado speak at a climate conference held at the Baker Institute (full disclosure: I am a part time employee of the Institute). Zweibel is one of the authors of A Solar Grand Plan an article published in the January issue of Scientific American.

Yesterday I met Arjun Makhijani, President of the Institute of Energy and Environmental Research (www.IEER.org) and author of "Carbon-Free and Nuclear-Free: A Roadmap for US Energy Policy" available here for free download (or download the summary here).

Both men advocate departures from the current "normal" way of generating power -- burning coal or using radioactive materials to boil water. What gives me hope is that these two are just a small example of scientists and entrepreneurs looking at solar in new, potentially commercial ways. Unless there is a market opportunity for these alternative power generation scenarios to move forward, there will be little incentive for the status quo to change.

There are, of course, persuasive climatic and environmental reasons to advocate new solar, carbon free solutions. But these arguments haven't been compelling enough to incentivize infrastructure investments needed to make solar power generation a reality. The general public and investment community have not yet found strong enough reasons to act.

First Solar, a commercial manufacturer of PV modules designed for large scale, grid-connected solar power plants, has increased the efficiency of these modules so as to bring down the cost of manufacturing power. Their modules are expected to have an efficiency rating of 11.5% in 2010. The magic efficiency number is 14 percent. National Renewable Energy Laboratory modules are now up to 16.5 percent and rising. Lest we get too excited, the reality is that new storage and distribution solutions will need to be in place before solar energy becomes widely available.

Dr. Makhijani says that today's photovoltaic cells mounted over parking lots and on commercial rooftops would generate enough electricity for all of the nation's energy requirements, in spite of the low efficiency of today's PV technology. The challenge again is creating storage and distribution systems.

Perhaps the most intriguing new approach concerns nanosolar. Popular Science gave the technolgy green tech and innovation awards. Imagine having sheets of PV material to spread on your own rooftop -- PV material that can be made into virtually any building element. I think the good news here is that the race is on to create viable, cost efficient power solutions that leverage the sun's rays. Nanosolar shipped it's first "panel" in December, 2007 and may not be able to keep up with demand.

So these approaches give me great hope. Technology is advancing at a rapid pace. Storage and distribution issues will eventually be solved. But it will still take massive political will and viable commercial models to make solar power generation the norm in this country.

Troubles in Africa

2008-02-01T10:08:00.000-06:00

With the political turmoil in Africa filling the headlines these days I thought I'd pass along the title of a book that has helped me put African political reality in context. Democracy and Development in Africa by Claude Ake is out of print but can be found in any good library.

Sustainable Investing - Linda's perpective

2008-01-18T10:05:00.000-06:00

The goal to find appropriate sustainable investing opportunities is driven by the idea that in a capitalist market dollars are the universally understood form of communication. We want more than a “good return on our money”. We are trying to send a message, using our dollars as a way of casting a vote for financial returns that do not come at the expense of off-the-balance sheet liabilities- environmental, social, or unknown long-term risk. We are hoping to impact the way businesses do business by letting them know that we care about the environmental and social impacts of their products as well as their management principles, and transparent reporting methods.

We began to look for investing opportunities that encourage sustainable business principles - attention to the triple bottom line, adding environmental and social accounting to economic profit. The many SRI Funds (Socially Responsible Investing) were presented as a sustainable option, but these funds are actually traditional investing vehicles with “filters” to remove “sin industries” or problematic industries like tobacco, gambling, war, and alcohol. These funds do not focus on companies that are doing great things, making a profit and operating in a sustainable way. They are primarily a negative screen for specific offending issues.

Rather than cut out the negative with overlaying filters to screen out those offensive industries, we want to invest in a positive investment strategy identifying better managed, innovative companies with a commitment to positive environmental, social and economic bottom line. In order to ensure that our investment dollars have the desired impact, a more complete and different type of analysis is required. After investigating many options, we were lead to the Dow Jones Sustainability Index. The DJSI is a listing of the top economic performing companies in 52 identified sectors which are then screened for sustainable and management criteria. Unfortunately, the DJSI is not licensed in the United States. We are hoping to make this investment strategy available to all those who would like to use their investment dollars to do more than earn a profit. We want to this to be a transforming force in the market. We believe those companies whose accounting includes a triple bottom line are better managed, have a longer time horizon with stronger environmental performance and therefore less risk, and many studies show they are more profitable. Changing the way businesses operate with demand side pressure from stockholders is a proven strategy. As Flora has said, we have a lead investor and are interested in others with similar investment goals and a desire to make a difference while earning competitive returns.

(Linda asked me to post this as she is traveling)

China's water problems

2007-10-30T12:32:00.000-05:00

China’s Water problems

During my recent trip to China I spent two weeks in Shanghai and witnessed first hand a water crisis of epic proportions. Shanghai now has an estimated population of 22 million and is expanding into the sea (witness Pudong and subsidence which has been an ongoing issue in Shanghai.) and out into the countryside. With predictions that 21 of the world’s largest cities having populations of over 8 million, face collapse of their water supplies, I decided to look into the problem for very personal reasons.

When I stepped into the apartment where my mother was staying I was assaulted by a terrible smell – a swampy, dank, foul odor. I thought something had died. Then I find out that it’s the water. Water used to wash clothes, the floors, kitchen utensils leaves a residual stink in the house.

The problem is manifold, poor treatment of industrial wastewater, domestic sewage and agricultural run-off polluting surface water and structural water shortages; (2) pollution caused by SO2, TSP and dust fall caused by the use of coal as the main energy source; (3) acid rain; (4) careless disposal of hazardous industrial solid waste, and (5) pollution caused by automobile exhaust.

What’s being done? Sustainability efforts include higher water tariffs, installation of low flow water fixtures and increase of public awareness. Will this be enough?

Turn back the clock some 25 years to my first visit to Shanghai. The first thing I was warned was not to drink the tap water or even use it for brushing my teeth. A squadron of thermoses next to the sink held potable water – water that had been boiled and stored for use. It took some getting used to, ordering tea instead of water, or drinking the local beer because fresh, cool water was not to be found …twenty five years ago there was no bottled water.

The old practice of boiling the heck out of the water may kill harmful organisms but does nothing to help the terrible taste. Today my family gets around this problem by buying spring water for all cooking and utensil clean up. But most families cannot afford the luxury of bottled water.

While there I also experienced a typhoon – which, as it turns out, are becoming more frequent and intense – a by product of climate change perhaps?

Looking at the problems in Shanghai made me more aware of the problems that we will be facing in Houston.

SD Resources site reorganization

2007-10-13T10:20:00.000-05:00

So that visitors can follow the threads that interest them, we've reorganized this blog by subject. Look to the list on the right to click on the subject area of interest.

We'll use this space to post notes of general interest and to highlight activities in the other areas.

Can the Principles of Sustainable Development Work in the Area of International Aid?

2007-10-12T15:29:00.000-05:00

"Is this really how to save Africa?" asks Tanzanian columnist Ayub Rioba, a day after Bill Clinton has left Africa. "We appreciate generous and humane contributions from people like Bill Clinton," he writes in The Citizen, a respected Tanzanian national daily paper. "But we [Africans] must also show that we are doing something. We cannot sit just like couch potatoes waiting for others to come and give us medicine."

"We have been made permanent recipients of aid, funds, scholarships, food, medicine, from developed countries.... And what exactly do we do with all that aid and assistance and help? Almost nothing. Since we gained independence, almost 50 years ago, we have been receiving aid permanently, and statistics today indicate that we are becoming poorer!" adds the columnist. (1)

A Simple Conversation
Not long ago I had a conversation with a friend and colleague who works for an NGO that serves the African Diaspora and other populations with social justice needs (Native American, rural and poor.) Having just returned from Liberia where he had just spent several months launching a program to serve young women and girls, under-served victims of the Charles Taylor regime, he was exhilarated, frustrated and dispirited -- personally enriched by doing the work -- that was exhilarating, yet frustrated by the corruption and inequities to be found in Africa and dispirited by the notion that most of the people working on the ground in Monrovia on behalf of aid organizations never left the “protection” and infrastructure of the city.

During his trips to several sites outside of the city he was greeted by disbelief, then celebration. Few ever ventured into the country side and certainly not more than once if at all. His visits to the country side and their effect made him realize that there was an opportunity being lost -- an opportunity to make a direct difference to those he could personally touch and with whom he could help directly. His desire is to provide education and leadership opportunities to help people help themselves, an approach to social justice that his NGO has used for a century.

My friend and I have been discussing Sustainable Development over the years. There is “functional work” that the NGO could undertake such as selling carbon credits through CO2 sequestration and reforestation projects on behalf of their stakeholders. After listening to my friend describe the work outside of Monrovia, a notion I’ve been wondering about popped into mind...Base of the Pyramid (Base). Why this notion is important to me and why it could have real consequences for aid efforts local, national and international will now be made clearer later, but some background first.

Background
As a consultant, I have always engaged organizations at the highest point in the food chain to get things done. And in my Sustainable Development practice, I have always worked at the highest levels open to me. While this might work in business for the simple reason that the top decision makers in an organizations cut through a lot of red tape -- results are realized father and wider with their buy in. Outside of business things get trickier.

My friend’s experience in Africa and my own experience in the US discredit the notion that working from the top gets broader results. Moneys flowing into the top of aid organizations (substitute the word governments, NGOs, non profits, whatever seems appropriate here) have sometimes been diluted or diverted by overhead, middlemen or outright corruption. The Base isn’t always the recipient of the maximum amount of funds earmarked for it. So I’ve really been thinking hard for quite some time about how to get aid to the base of the pyramid to get broader, more tangible results.

Now comes the idea that popped into mind during the conversation about Liberia. Many of the groups in Monrovia were interested in having my friend distribute their materials as he traveled the countryside. Most were interested in furthering health, education, food and other services to varying populations. The opportunity to extend their reach without leaving the comfort (safety) of Monrovia was very attractive. The point being that my friend was dealing directly with people who would receive the “least diluted benefit” as a result of his direct engagement. In other words, the Base was receiving direct aid without the intervention, dilution or diversion of other operators. “What if you could put the principles of Sustainable Development into this mix?” I asked.

Sustainable Development at the Base of the Pyramid
What I mean is this. Sustainable Development looks along three axis of action to achieve sustainability. In business, the “Triple Bottom Line” are the social, environmental AND economic dimensions of conducting business to provide the highest returns and ensure viability of the business. The social dimension may mean providing training and education to local suppliers, investing in employees, or supporting charitable causes. The environmental dimension may require businesses to curb emissions, reduce waste and miles commuted by auto or air. The economic dimension is the bedrock of business.

In the international aid sector applying a sustainable development approach would mean, for example, providing education, job training and/or tools to help someone make a living as well as assistance in making the environment safe and habitable by building cisterns and latrines, planting crop trees or providing feed and seed -- and health services to support the community -- that is, a whole solution. In the international aid community many of these service are already in place --often as single solutions.

What if my friend and his NGO could coordinate a Sustainable Development approach by getting aid organizations to partner to provide triple bottom line solutions directly to communities -- to the base of the pyramid? What if we networked with other organizations to help the Base become self supporting, i.e. self sustaining?

I’m happy to report that as a result of our conversations we will work together to create a framework to try just this -- coordinate aid organizations to network approaches that compound the strengths of sustainable development. We’ll look to combine individual aid efforts into unified solutions designed to provide direct assistance to people, i.e. implement sustainable vision and practice at the base of the pyramid. Each solution would be locally developed as needs differ from location to location.

(1) Danna Harman, “Is Western Aid Making a Difference in Africa? Two US Economists Debate the Value of Antipoverty Efforts,” Christian Science Monitor, August 23, 2007

Sustainability Investing

2007-08-31T21:04:00.000-05:00

About two years ago Linda and I began wondering out loud about using our investment dollars to support sustainable development. The leveraging of our investment dollars in support of companies that contribute to the well being of society and the planet as well as providing good investment return -- the goal.

Individually we had identified the DJSI or Dow Jones Sustainability Index as a tool to identify companies that fit our goals. The DJSI employs a rigorous score card to measure the sustainability of the world's largest companies across sixty sectors. Every year a list of "best in class" companies is published.

When we sought the counsel of brokers and financial experts to see how we could use this tool to guide our investments, we found, much to our surprise and chagrin, that no one in the US currently licenses this index. Some tried to convince us to go the SRI or Socially Responsible Investment route -- but to our way of thinking, the selection criteria for these kinds of investments lacked the rigor and methodology we sought.

We are now working with two investment professionals, a financial advisor and a portfolio manager, from two major financial institutions who understand the sustainable development concepts and are ready to move forward. Our challenge now is to identify an interested pool of investors who, in aggregate represent $100 million. At this level we can create a private investment strategy for each participant that leverages the DJSI.

The type of investor for this strategy can either be individuals or representatives from non profit institutions who are seeking returns equal to their current investments and the knowledge that their investment is incenting the type of corporate behavior that takes the people and the planet into account.

The good news is that we've found a lead investor and will be identifying others who are interested in pursuing this sustainability investment strategy.