The new head of the Nature Conservancy is a 24-year Goldman Sachs vet who thinks big and acts globally. The Ecosystem Marketplace talks to Mark Tercek about his past success, his current challenges and his vision for TNC’s future.

Mark Tercek’s kids are stoked. They’ve been on family eco-vacations to Greenland, Patagonia, the Galapagos Islands and Costa Rica — and now, their dad is in charge of a conservation powerhouse that protects many of the spots they’ve visited.

Tercek, who became president and CEO of The Nature Conservancy (TNC) July 15, ran Goldman Sachs’ Center for Environmental Markets and the firm’s Environmental Strategy Group.

Growing up in Cleveland, Tercek didn’t have extensive exposure to the natural world apart from local parks. Now as a parent of four, he’s gone global so that his own kids can experience nature firsthand.

Clearly, they love it. “When my kids learned I got the job as head of the Conservancy, they were just as excited as I was,” he says.

Along with enthusiasm, Tercek arrives at TNC with decades of experience in the investment banking world and, since 2005, he’s been bridging the narrowing gap between finance and conservation through Goldman Sachs’ environmental initiatives.

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MC is well-suited for this project, she spent 20 years in corporate marketing, working for Fortune 500 companies as well as start-ups. She’s taught marketing and public relations at the University of California, Berkeley, and the University of Hong Kong in China.

Here’s our interview:

This story contains additional media. Click here to view the media.

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The Power of Unreasonable People: How Social Entrepreneurs Create Markets That Change the World, by John Elkington and Pamela Hartigan, takes a slightly different tack and explores how altruistically minded people operate a bit differently in the business arena than typical entrepreneurs.

Published by Harvard Business Press, this book reminded me a bit of, Blink and The Tipping Point, both by Malcolm Gladwell as the authors discuss how a small movement can gain momentum until reaching critical mass. Filled with case studies from around the world, ranging from Whole Foods to Band Aid, Elkington and Hartigan demonstrate how compassionate entrepreneurs use market based solutions to tackle problems and opportunities in a variety of situations.

Read more of this story »

After looking forward to it for several months, the Opportunity Green Conference is now just around the corner. To be held November 17 at UCLA, the conference’s organizers are asking a question that seems to be on everyone’s lips: “Is green the new gold?”

The conference will bring together those involved in all aspects of green business, from visionaries and entrepreneurs to executives and investors, all of whom are dedicated to building socially conscious, sustainable, and profitable enterprises.

Organizers have put together an impressive list of speakers, all well-known in the socially-conscious world of business, including

• Kevin Wall, Founder of Live Earth
• Jonathan Greenblatt, Co-founder of Ethos Water
• Josh Dorfman, Author/Producer of “The Lazy Environmentalist”
• Max Schorr, Publisher and Founding Editor of GOOD Magazine
• Graham Hill, Founder of TreeHugger.com
• Gunther Lie, Director of Interactive Media for Method Products
• Ellen Strickland, Founder/Owner of Livingreen

The agenda features a panel discussion entitled, “Real World Green Business: Challenges, Mistakes and Opportunities” moderated by sustainability consultant and visionary John Picard. In addition, the schedule provides many options for break-out sessions, including Green 2.0: Connecting to Our Community, The End of Cars: The Future of Mobility as We Know It, and Venture Capital in the Green Marketplace.

There are also significant opportunities for networking, most notably before the event even starts. Through EventVue, registrants receive a login that allows you to upload a short bio, picture, etc. Once in, you can see who else will be at the event, including their areas of expertise and what they are “seeking”. A bit like a personal ad, but perfect for networking – you can even contact other registrants through the system before the event.

With more than 500 expected to attend, this conference is certain to help business people learn how to make gold from their green.

Innovest, an investment research firm, launched the study in order to better understand the effect of sustainability upon potential business investment. What they found was a much more substantial difference than most had predicted. In fact, the report found that, "In the longer term, the out-performance potential will become even greater as the capital markets become more fully sensitized to the financial and competitive consequences of environmental and climate change considerations”.

While this may be great news for some, it does not mean happy days for all. The report noted that the ’strong and postive’ correlation between a business’s performance and its sustainability was not necessarily true for every sector of business.

Further, the report found that potential investors are having difficulties figuring out which companies are truly sustainable. Because of inadequate reporting methods, investors have to do a substantial amount of leg work to figure out which companies have a comprehensive sustainability program in place, and this may be a deterrent in future investing. As the report notes, disclosure information is notoriously unreliable, inconsistently reported across companies and over time, and generally not validated by independent third parties… Emissions data alone provides less than 25 percent of the information a sophisticated investor requires."

The folks at Innovest think that the method of disclosure is a pretty big obstacle for investors looking for a truly green company. As founder Matthew Kieman puts it, "It is increasingly critical that performance-driven investors move beyond simply pressing for greater company disclosure," he said. "We are now seeing them begin to demand the sorts of investment tools, research and products they need to turn mere information into superior investment decisions and performance." Superior investment decisions, indeed! As business owners and conscious citizens, we really need to take measure that would ensure that investors looking to put money into a green company had the resources to make informed decisions. Not only will it be good for green minded investors, it will bonly serve to increase the green business edge.

The UK’s Paul Curtis, also known as the "Moose," and Brazil’s Alexandre Orion are taking a new approach to graffiti to convey a sense of "clean," and to inspire pedestrians to keep it that way. Their cue comes from the "Wash Me" message commonly wiped away from the back of dirty semi trucks. They call this reverse graffiti, and they create their work by removing soot, sludge, carbon from exhaust, etc., from the wall to reveal a message.

Moose generated a message in a transport tunnel that reads "Go Gently" to remind drivers of the impact their cars have on the planet. "Once you do this, you make people confront whether or not they like people cleaning walls or if they really have a problem with personal expression."

Orion created a work in a Sao Paolo transport tunnel; his is a series of skulls that also depicts the impact drivers’ emissions have on the planet. As a result of this project, the transit authority washed the wall to remove the public expression. In reaction, Orion created the same artwork on the other side of the tunnel. This resulted in the transit authority cleaning the entire tunnel on both sides. They then continued to resist the public work by cleaning every transport tunnel in the city. Not such a bad idea on all accounts.

Another artist, Edina Tokodi, recently created a work of green graffiti in Brooklyn, New York. Edina saw the idea of graffiti as an opportunity to stimulate positive green thoughts and encourage city dwellers to resurface their connection to nature. She decided to maintain the venue while changing the medium. Her work consists of moss installations adhered to the wall where spray paint might commonly be seen. Using this much less harmful medium, she creates images such as prancing animals, and uses existing imagery to create trees and objects found in nature. The beauty of this medium is that it can continue to grow. As moss receives water from the air, condensation, and rain, it continues to grow as the artwork remains fixed to its site.

Makena Brown, grade 8, has a plan to help keep the planet healthy and make money, too. Makena collects all of her family’s recyclables and stores them in the back yard. About once a month, she and her family load up the car with the many bags of bottles and cans and take them to the local recycling center. Because it’s her project, Makena gets to keep the money paid by the recycling center for the aluminum, plastic and glass. "Makena is the chief of our recycling plant," says Mr. Brown proudly. "She’s the recycling queen."

"The money is the number one thing that’s in my mind," says Makena. "I’m like, that’s great! And in the back of my mind I know that this is helping the environment, [reducing] pollution, and helping the earth to get better step by step." With her recycling money, Makena is helping to pay her mom back for her new computer.

Ask a little more about Makena’s interest in protecting the environment, and you’ll find that she’s a fountain of knowledge. For example, she explains that more water is used to make plastic water bottles than can be contained by the bottles after they’re made. She’s also especially interested in renewable energy. Her eyes light up when she talks about San Francisco’s proposal to get electricity from tidal power generators.

It’s been about a year now that the Brown family has been saving their recyclables for Makena’s recycling project. Makena’s grandparents have also started to save their recyclables to contribute to the Brown family’s recycling program. "We end up with a big pile of bottles and cans on the side of the house," everyone chuckles. "We can’t walk past until we clean it up."

In addition to supporting Makena’s recycling project, her parents and her younger sister, Ashley, all have their own ways of helping the environment. These include choosing environmentally friendly cleaning products and using cloth shopping bags.

Ashley says, "we watched a show on Oprah and it was ‘Green Day’ and she gave organic cotton bags that help the environment to everybody in the audience."

"So when you go to the grocery store," she says cheerfully in unison with her mom, "and they ask ‘paper or plastic?’ you can say neither because you have your own bags."

It was Makena’s school that gave her the interest to pursue her recycling business. "It actually started last year when I learned about global warming," recalls Makena. "In 7th grade, we did a project on global warming. Each group was assigned to do something. There were groups for food, recycling, pesticides, and all these things about global warming. It was called the Green Fair. And I learned about recycling and how much litter is on the side of the roads. And I was like, that’s a great way to get money and help the environment."

Mr. Brown adds that he has taken Makena to see a wetland preservation project in which he is involved with the hope that it would interest his daughter in environmental protection.

What’s the family’s least favorite part of delivering their recyclables to the recycling center? "The smell," everyone says together, laughing. "It’s pretty bad."

Makena and Ashley explain, "When we go, we do not want to catch the germs and the stickiness on our hands so we wear latex gloves."

With her recycling business rolling along, I wondered if Makena would like it if companies stopped producing plastic bottles, even if having fewer bottles to recycle might put a hole in her profits. "I would," she said, "because then we’d be saving the water and it would be healthier for the planet. It would be another step to stop global warming." Spoken like a conscientious and environmentally responsible businessperson.

For people Makena’s age interested in starting an at-home recycling project, Makena has some advise. "The only thing," she says, "is just to keep your mind on it and help your family know and make rules. I told my family that if they’re done with a bottle or can, they could just put it on the counter. I put it in a bag and take it out to the yard. Keep your family informed. And the other thing is just try to get other people involved because you’re going to get money for it and you’re also helping the environment."

It would appear that I am not alone in my passion for the heavenly food. Hundreds of people attended the Chocolate Show here in Paris this weekend. They went to watch the experts prepare chocolate delicacies, to hear lectures on the latest in chocolate-making machinery, or to see the latest chocolate-inspired fashion. But most of all they went to sample an astounding variety of the fine food. Although they did not steal the show, organic and Fair Trade chocolate featured prominently throughout the weekend.

I spoke to Emilie Guerin, a member of Ethiquable, a French Fair Trade company that has a partnership with a cooperative of cocoa producers in the Dominican Republic. Ethiquable, a combination of the words "éthique" and "équitable," French for ethical and fair, was founded in 2003. "Four years ago we started with 8 products," Emilie said. "Now we have 120." They began with coffee and now work with a range of products from orange juice to rice, and, of course, chocolate. But their goals remain the same from one foodstuff to the next: Ethiquable is dedicated to ensuring Fair Trade with farmers in the developing world and respect for the environment.

Emilie explained how the Fair Trade labeling process works. "In conjunction with the FairTtrade Labeling Organization (FLO), Max Havelaar evaluates the costs of production for a given foodstuff," in this case cocoa beans, "and the cost of living for the producers." A minimum price for the beans is determined based on that evaluation. "We as an importer must respect that price at the very least," Emilie said, "but we are free to propose a higher price to the producer if we want." What is more, the minimum price does not vary with the often highly volatile market prices, and so Ethiquable guarantees fair and steady revenues to producers in exchange for their produce.

This system of Fair Trade functions thanks to the reduction of intermediaries and margins. "The price that we offer to the consumer is the same and sometimes less than that of other brands," Emilie said, "because we as importers have smaller margins, and in addition we limit the number of intermediaries." Whenever possible, the full production and packaging processes are completed within the country of origin. Ethiquable transports the finished product to France where it is directly distributed to supermarkets and shops throughout the country.

At Ethiquable, Fair Trade goes hand-in-hand with a deep respect for the environment. For example, in the Dominican Republic they work "with families that have maintained a strong tradition of agriculture, families that cultivate small plots of land." Indeed the cocoa from the cooperative is in the process of being certified as 100% organic. "We are not interested in an industrial model that is impersonal and ultimately unsustainable," said Emilie. "Ours is based on human contact and care for the environment."

With some 30 partnerships in 21 countries, Ethiquable is growing quickly. May they continue to expand, leading the way with other fairtrade groups, to a humane and sustainable system of world trade and consumption.

The Chocolate Show

Ethiquable

Voting has been open to the public online since mid September. As it is too late to cast your vote, it isn’t too late to congratulate the winner and find out what people consider excellence in design. The most exciting part of this year’s ballot is that many of the nominees were for projects geared towards sustainable progress. Social sustainability is one of the most important attributes for the public to consider, our responsibility towards sustainability and global issues shows promise.

Last year the public chose the Katrina Cottage by designer Marianne Cusato. Designed with similar dimensions and attributes to the FEMA homes, this project is the alternative. The 308 square foot cottage is constructed with fiber reinforced cement siding and a metal roof to withstand hurricane force winds. Since the launch of the project it has grown to attract habitants for multiple purposes. The cottage itself isn’t necessarily a sustainable edifice, but as it will live through intense natural forces and sustain its structure over time.

Also, similar to this year’s nomination for the LifeStraw (a $2 straw that purifies water while drinking for those who don’t have access to safe drinking water), the Katrina Cottage highlights the need for alternatives regarding current issues. When these alternatives are designed with sustainability, necessity, and in this case affordability in mind, we get closer to practical solutions and functional design for a sustainable, safe and healthy future.

This year’s winner is TOMS shoes. TOMS shoes is a simple project- with every pair of shoes bought, a pair is donated to a child who doesn’t have any. TOMS mission is to simply make life more comfortable. Currently TOMS is running a pledge to get 50,000 pair of shoes to take over to South Africa on November 1. These shoes will be divvied out to children in need. The shoes are not necessarily constructed with sustainable (recycled, reusable) materials, but the project does indeed socially sustain communities by enabling a more comfortable, and healthy lifestyle.

Other nominees on the ballot this year geared towards social sustainability and massive change were Good Magazine, Design Can Change, and Global Green Efforts in New Orleans. Good Magazine is a new San Francisco based publication highlighting projects geared towards social activism and sustainability. Design Can Change is a global campaign put together by SmashLAB geared towards bringing designers together to fight climate change.

Finally, Global Green was nominated for their work in New Orleans geared towards using the opportunity to rebuild in a way that is more beneficial to the environment and the community. Based on these nominations we can say with confidence that there are a lot of design efforts taking place to improve the condition of our health, safety, relationships and environment. Now it is your turn to participate.

What’s unique about the vocabulary-building game at Freerice.com — and the reason we think you should give it a gander — is that as you play you’re donating rice to feed hungry people through international aid agencies. A sister site of Poverty.com, Freerice.com is a fun way to help humanity while you improve your language prowess.

It’s the perfect scheme: hook students and aspiring socialites on a vocabulary-building game so captivating that advertisers will pay big bucks to market on the site, then use the marketing profits to feed hungry people around the world through international aid agencies. Excellent…

The word generator used in the game matches your skill level. Thus, whether you’re a scholarly lexical wizard or a sixth-grader with some savoir faire, the game will give you words appropriate to challenge you at your current vocabulary level. This makes the game is a good tool for people of all ages — from the young student to the college grad studying for the GRE to the person simply looking to beef up her or his vocabulary.

Here’s how it works. For each word, you get four possible multiple-choice definitions. For every word you get right, Freerice.com donates ten grains of rice and raises your vocabulary level slightly. If you get a word wrong, the correct definition appears and the game offers you a slightly easier word.

And remember, helping to alleviate hunger helps the environment and other species as well. As we mentioned in 7 Unorthodox Ways to Help Save Gorillas from Extinction, the threat of hunger often forces people to adopt unsustainable methods of survival, like poaching, exhaustively depleting natural resources, encroaching on new land in search of further resources, and relying on IMF loans to buy pesticides and genetically copyright seeds.

So fire up your vocabulary and give the game at Freerice.com a shot. It’s a fun way to tickle the gray cells, build your vocabulary, and better the world while you’re at it — one grain of rice at a time.

Photo Source:

A bowl of boiled rice | Flickr

imagine… | Flickr

I hope this is of interest. Please contact me for more info…Jerry

Cool Planet Jewelry announced today that it has teamed up with the Stop Global Warming Virtual March to develop a special StopGlobalWarming.org collection of  fine handcrafted jewelry, using recycled precious metals.   All Cool Planet Jewelry products have been developed to ensure that every aspect of the company’s operations are socially, economically, and environmentally responsible.   The collection uses recycled precious metals thus eliminating new mining, which is a significant source of environment degradation.
 
The StopGlobalWarming.org collection features a men’s and women’s line jewelry ranging from necklaces to bracelets and pins, all featuring the StopGlobalWarming.org logo.
 
“We are thrilled to partner with Cool Planet Jewelry and encourage concerned citizens to support this beautiful and environmentally responsible jewelry collection,” said Laurie David, global warming activist and founder of StopGlobalWarming.org.   
 
Founded by Laurie David, John McCain and Robert F. Kennedy Jr. StopGlobalWarming.org has galvanized over 900,000 individual marchers including leading scientists, entertainers, athletes, political and religious leaders, and corporations who are concerned about the overheating of the planet and have united to urge government to find solutions to the growing and imminent danger of global warming.
 
With every purchase a generous donation will be made to both StopGlobalWarming.org and the Natural Resources Defense Council.  Visit www.coolplanetjewelry.com <http://www.coolplanetjewelry.com/> . The web site is 100% solar powered.
 

So, for those of us alike who prefer socializing, enjoying the company of others, and connecting with like-minded professionals nationwide, there is a creative and more sustainable hotel alternative for you called Airbed & Breakfast. Two independent designers in San Francisco recently had the idea to rent out extra space in their SOMA loft to provide an opportunity for conference attendees to connect with others off the premise. This October 17-20, a rather large conference is taking place in the bay area called the IDSA World Design Congress. The last time this conference was in the US was 20-something years ago. As a result, designers of all ages from all over the country will be traveling to the city to be a part of this important design weekend. With the theme of the conference being "Connecting," this opportunity is perfectly appropriate.

What these two gentleman realized was that they have a wealth of extra space, extra desks, plenty of kitchen space to cook everyone breakfast, and somehow a stockpile of airbeds. When you put these extra resources together, it makes for a great environment that many travelers could advantage of. This is "something new and different: classier than couchsurfing, and more personable than craigslist — it is an AirBed & Breakfast."

In addition to building a website to advertise the brilliance of this new way to connect people at the conference, the two founders, Joe Gebbia and Brian Chesky, both in their mid to late twenties, wanted to provide an opportunity for others to list their place in order to create a new network of socialization and entrepreneurship at conferences nationwide. On the site is a link tovacancies where prospective residents can browse through and choose their weekend home and office based on location, attributes, ambiance, and other details. The moment that Joe and Brian launched the site (just this past week), the word spread quickly. There are now four different spaces offered on the vacancies link, and one is already sold out.

The brilliance in this idea is not only attractive because it builds relationships and creates a more comfortable living alternative to hotels, but it is far more sustainable. Even the acclaimed "green hotels" are required to use far more resources to maintain a whole room for one individual than an existing home with an added bed. If you think about it, if one is already making coffee in the morning, why not make it for 10?

Now, you may be thinking, "green event planning?" Apparently there is an awful lot of environmental degradation happening at the hands of big events. As Seven-Star explains,

As planners, producers and consultants, our job is to provide easy, economical and practical solutions to reduce your event’s impact on the environment and society. Every event has associated negative impacts: Carbon emissions result from shipping, exhibitors and attendees use fuel for travel, waste is generated, electricity is used, the list goes on. Our goal is to reduce and mitigate these negatives, then transform them into more profit for you and positive PR for your event.

Seven-Star has incorporated their sustainable philosophy, known as eR/sR, into their day-to-day operations. eR/sR is an acronym for environmentally responsible and socially respectful. As the company notes, "We coined the term eR/sR to precisely describe the high standard we believe in: true environmental responsibility and social respect. It’s simple, it’s user-friendly, and in the world we live in today, eR/sR is synonymous with a powerful alternative."

Seven Star works to make every event, from street fairs to private parties, as green as possible. They work with their clients to reduce waste, ensure efficient energy technology is utilized, organize event recycling, and even facilitate the use of green decorations. According to Seven-Star,

[We take] a comprehensive approach to transforming an event, one step at a time. We begin by reviewing an events’ ecological footprint, taking energy use, waste stream and the quality of products into account. We then develop and implement an operational and product usage plan outlining steps to green the event on a specified timeline. We identify opportunities for material re-use, carbon emissions neutralizing and product conversion to eco-friendly alternatives.

The list of clients taking advantage of Seven-Star’s services is reads like a list of environmental "Who’s Who." From the Green Fest in Chicago, to the Global Exchange in San Francisco, Seven-Star is working on projects all over the continental United States.

Seven-Star’s committment to sustainability extends into the workplace itself: As the company states on their website,

At Seven-Star, we internalize our commitment and express it in practical ways. Our employees are served all-organic breakfast and lunch each day, and all of our employees are enrolled in a health care plan that emphasizes prevention. Meanwhile, our office participates in recycling and composting.

Needless to say, Seven-Star is a great example of a fully integrated green business plan!

It seems as though Seven-Star has taken the idea of sustainability and effectively woven it throughout nearly every aspect of their business. It takes a lot of planning and dedication to make a business as sustainable, both in principal and practice, as Seven-Star. In the end, Seven-Star not only provides quality event planning services, they also serve as a model for other businesses striving for environmental sustainability.

All quotes in this article can be found on Seven’ Star’s website.

Whether you desire to buy trees to help the environment for personal reasons, for investment purposes or you simply refer others to buy trees through our Affiliate Program,  PanAm BioFuels has made the process so simple that everyone can find a way to participate in it.

1) Purchase Trees for Investment

Jatropha trees can be bought directly from Pan-Am Biofuels for only $4 each in lots ranging from 250 trees for $1000 to 25,000 trees for $100,000.  Though delivery is possible for larger volumes, we will believe most people will take advantage of our Contract Farming Program where we will actually plant your trees on our plantations. 

With our Contract Farming Program we do all the work from planting to harvest to sale of the oil.  The only fee for all of this is a 10% fee from profits.  Then 90% of the profits are passed on to you, the tree owner.  All you have to do is purchase your trees in lots for only $4/each.

If you have priced trees at your local nursery you will see most prices range from $10 to $25. So now you may be thinking…

"How can you produce, plant and sell these trees at only $4 each?"

There are several reasons, including, but not limited to,

• Because the cost of living as well as labor is much cheaper in Central America where our nurseries are located.
• The efficiencies and economies of scale we enjoy by the huge volume of trees our nursery outputs allow us to save a tremendous amount of money passing the savings on to you.
• Our nursery is in close proximity to our Jatropha Tree plantation in Costa Rica where our Contract Farming Program is being implemented so there are minimal transportation expenses.

"So how much money do I stand to earn by buying your Jatropha Trees? What is the return on my investment?" 

Your trees can potentially bring  as much as 45% PER YEAR calculated  from your original investment once the trees start producing within 3-4 years.   Jatropha trees start bearing seeds the second year and reach maximum production at about 4 years.  You can review the full details and Financial Projections once you register and login.

Pan-Am Biofuels has truly created a unique situation and opportunity for the average person to take advantage of.

Now you can participate in an industry that has produced the wealthiest individuals and corporations in the world. The only difference is, instead of drilling for oil and destroying the environment, you will be growing oil and restoring the environment by owning oil producing Jatrpha Trees

2) Sell trees for Commissions as an Affiliate

We will pay you to refer customers! Pan-Am Biofuels has created a lucrative opportunity for webmasters,  business owners and individuals alike. By becoming an Affiliate you can help promote our Jatropha tree project, earn commissions and at the same time you’ll be doing your part to better our environment.  Learn more about how our Affiliate Program works.

The Weather Makers

The Future of Nature: Writing on a Human Ecology from Orion Magazine (Milkweed Editions, $18.00), just might be that book. A collection of thought-provoking essays selected and introduced by Barry Lopez, The Future of Nature includes writings by such heavy-hitters as Wendell Berry, Bill McKibben, and Derrick Jensen, all originally published in Orion, the seminal magazine covering the intersection of culture, nature, and the environment.

Released this past Thursday, the book is divided into six loosely-themed sections. Actions runs the gamut of activism, from small suburban grassroots efforts to stop construction on a SuperTarget store to bailing out direct-action activists in Appalachia. Refugees discusses those displaced by humanity’s interactions with the environment, giving a face to the faceless victims of climate change and the unending hunt for resources. Boundaries addresses the idea of the wilderness and our relationship with it. Reverence discusses how appreciation for nature, a love of and respect for it, is the essential guidepost for sustainable living. Monsters lays out just exactly what sorts of devastating things we’re doing to our only home, and Native leaves the reader with both hope and guidance for living in harmony with our ecosystem.

Highlighting both theory and practice of sustainable (and unsustainble) living, the causes of our ecological crises, and a vision for a lasting future, The Future of Nature provides a plethora of contexts for understanding just why we desperately need to change the way we live. Elegantly written and compiled, this book should be required reading for those interested in sustaining our future on Earth. The themes balance each other nicely; the reader understands the reality of the direness of humanity’s situation but is left with hope that good things are happening everywhere, those little pockets of positive change that will lead to a more balanced way of life. It immediately made me want to go read not only Orion, but every other piece of writing by this insightful group of writers.

This campaign makes it even easier for your town to become a Fair Trade town, following in the footsteps of Media, PA and Brattleboro, VT. This campaign has developed guidelines on how to achieve the five goals required to become one:

1. The formation of a steering committee that
meets regularly.
2. Availability in local stores, cafes, and other venues
of a range of Fair Trade products that are either certified by
TransFair USA or sold by retailers that are members of Fair Trade
Federation.
3. The use of Fair Trade products by a number of local
organizations, such as places of worship, schools, hospitals and
offices.
4. Attraction of media attention and visible public support of
the local campaign.
5. Passage of a resolution supporting Fair Trade by
the town or city council/governing body and a commitment to serve Fair
Trade products at meetings.

A Fair Trade Toolkit(pdf) is available that covers in depth, each of these five goals.

Forming a steering committee is the first step towards your towns new designation. Check out Co-op America’s list or search your community groups and find out if a Fair Trade coalition already exists in your area. If not, start one up! The toolkit offers advice on how to structure your group and ideas for hosting various events in your community.

The second item states that Fair Trade must be available; there should be “at least one business selling Fair Trade products for every 2,500 residents in a town of 10,000 or less. There should be at least one store selling Fair Trade products for every 5,000 residents in a town that has over 10,000 residents.” To increase the number of Fair Trade products offered, consider sending aletter or hitting your grocery store with Co-op America & Oxfam’s Super Market Campaign Kit. To get a gauge on your town’s knowledge and interest in Fair Trade send out the Merchant Survey and use this as a baseline to measure your progress. This survey can also be useful in getting Fair Trade products into local organizations such as churches, schools, hospitals and offices.

To assist in media attraction, begin building relationships with the press. Send out press releases each time there is an event (including your very first event, the coalition formation!) Offer to be a speaker or an interview candidate.

Finally getting the local governing body to pass a resolution use all your previous accomplishments. Present a collection of merchants that sell Fair Trade, and show the growth using your Merchant Survey. Compile signatures and proclamations of support from local community members and business leaders along the way. Bring in all media coverage as well as your own coverage of all meetings and events, including future plans.

The ultimate goal of the Fair Trade Towns movement is to grow Fair Trade through grassroots efforts including access and education. Beyond the normal benefits of Fair Trade to both the producers and consumers, Fair Trade Towns bring together diverse people within the community united towards a single goal, receive recognition from the community on up, and lead the way in making positive changes within our world.

For more information, contact Fair Trade Towns coordinator Sara Stender by phone: 802.356.0551, or email: sara@fairtradetownsusa.org .

Resources — Just as two heads are better than one, the collective knowledge of several business owners can be extremely valuable. While I may not have known how to install a greywater system in my building, the café owner down the street sure did! By getting together to troubleshoot, you can save a lot of wasted energy searching for answers that your group members may already have. Having trouble finding the right green products for your company? More than likely, other group members will have helpful tips about the green products they use. Also, by combining areas of expertise, business can use each other as sounding boards for new ideas.

Publicity — If what is good for the goose is good for the gander, then to see other local business succeed in going green should do nothing but help your own sustainability efforts. By joining green businesses together, you can use your collective greenness to your advantage. If every small business on your block or in your section of town is taking positive steps towards sustainability, than you can honestly advertise that you operate in a "green friendly zone."

Further, if you and your neighbors join together in a green business group, you can send out a joint press release touting the green-friendly nature of your businesses. Press releases are a great way to let the public know about all the great things your group is doing in the name of sustainable business. Whats more, by forming a green business group, you can create many opportunities for cross-marketing. Does the coffee shop down the street roast their own Fair Trade coffee? Why not use it in your restaurant? By seeing members of your green business group as allies in your struggle for sustainability, you can form a bond that can benefit all business involved.

Group Work — I don’t know about you, but my city’s recycling program leaves much to be desired. Not only do they refuse to pick up the large loads of recycling that my business produces, the times and days they offer pick-up service do not jibe well with my business’ schedule. Because of this, members of my local green business group came up with a recycling program of our own. With our combined efforts, we are able to recycle our waste on our own time, at the recycling station of our choice. The man who owns the business next to mine has a large truck, and every week each business takes a turn picking up everyone’s recyclables and taking them to the recycle station. This is not only time efficient, but it also encourages other businesses in the area to jump on board.

See, peer pressure can be a good thing from time to time- when the other businesses in our area saw the effort we were putting into our recycling program, they were encouraged to hop on the bandwagon! Plus, we are able to hold small, informal meetings to explain to newcomers exactly what can be recycled and in what condition it will be accepted. Talk about a grassroots approach!

Another neat way we all work together is through public education. As a group of business owners, we are able to hold small, fun events to educate the public on the topic of sustainable business. Whether it is a community round-table discussion or a found-objects arts and crafts day for local children, events are much easier to plan and execute when there are a number of forces working towards the same goal. Not only is this a good chance for the public to brush up on their sustainability knowledge, but it is also a great way for us to get the names of our businesses out there.

The first step in forming a green business group is to identify potential members. You can either send out a mass email through your local chamber of commerce, or simply rely on plain old fashioned word of mouth. Either way, the main goal is to attract other green-minded business owners to the group.

Next, you need to come up with goals for your group- do you want to keep your group’s purpose internal and really just act as a resource for each other in your attempts to go green, or do you want to focus on publicity and public education? While a green business group can easily achieve both of those goals, it is good to start off with one or the other. As business owners, we have enough on our plate and, if the group gets too complicated or time-consuming, it will be harder to retain membership.

Lastly, try to avoid stark hierarchies in the group. Because this should be seen as a collaborative effort, there is no immediate need for a president, vice-president and secretary. Often business groups do not succeed because of autonomy issues. To ensure effective teamwork, avoid making certain members seem more important than others.

If you belong to a green business group and have other tips for success, please feel free to share them below. Much of what I have learned in this process has been through trial and error, so any additional knowledge is welcomed and encouraged!

GO and ENN news articles have reported on Ecuador’s high-minded decision to leave its largest oil reserve untapped. The unexploited oil fields lie in Yasuni National Park, home to at least two indigenous tribes. Drilling them would add a pretty penny to the country’s purse. However, under the YasunÌ-ITT Initiative, President Rafael Correa has vowed to leave the oil in the ground. The initiative also sets the lofty goals of developing greater renewable energy, building greater mass transit, and stimulating eco-tourism.

How can the average person reading this article encourage Ecuador to do the right thing by the Earth and its indigenous people? Is it enough to say "good job, well done?" With the rest of the world fumbling to look busy over addressing climate change, it is our opportunity and perhaps our obligation to stand up and support Ecuador for its brave move.

Ecuador hopes to receive some compensation from other governments for the unexploited oil due to the benign effect on the global climate of leaving it in the ground. But for the average person in a country that exports 420,600 barrels of oil a day, President Correa’s decision may seem like a risky one. Ecuador’s official unemployment is 10.6% and an estimated 47% are underemployed, estimates the CIA World Factbook.

41 year-old Maritza Salazar owns a stationary store in Guayaquil, Ecuador’s largest city. She is one of a long list of Ecuadoran entrepreneurs requesting a loan through the micro-financing organization, Kiva.org. For vendors like Mrs. Salazar, national oil revenues may be less important if she’s able to fund the growth of her non-oil-dependent business. By funding businesses like Mrs. Salazar’s, the average person from anywhere in the world can make substantive progress in alleviating Ecuador’s dependence on oil and encouraging its transition into one of the world’s leading environmentally friendly nations.

Another green option that may appeal to the lover of travel is to visit Ecuador and make use of its rich eco-tourism opportunities. Tourism is the Ecuador’s fourth most valuable source of revenue. Eco-tourism is a great way to get the memorable experiences that tourists often look for when traveling to Ecuador, including visiting indigenous tribes, experiencing local customs and tasting regional foods, horseback riding, animal-watching, and setting out on guided hikes through the unbelievably beautiful scenery of virgin rainforest. Take this opportune moment to visit the land that eco-tourism company, Global Exchange, calls "a bastion of cultural and biological diversity… home to one of the most successful and peaceful indigenous movements in the Americas." See the list of resources below for some ways to take advantage of Ecuador’s eco-tourism industry.

The decision not to drill in Ecuador’s Yasuni National Park will benefit the entire world, by protecting an ecological heritage and indigenous lands as well as effectively preventing 436 million tons of carbon dioxide from entering the atmosphere. Ecuador must know that its decision was a good one, and here’s where you and I have the opportunity to step in. As usual, if you have other ideas about how to encourage Ecuador’s exciting, ecologically minded move, please leave them here below in the comment and discussion area.

Resources:

Kiva.org

Ecuador | Iloveecotourism.com

Adventure Ecotourism in Ecuador | Piedra Blanca

Ecuador | Global Exchange

Department of Tourism | Ecuador National Website

Ecuador Adventures | OARS

Ecotourism and Ecuador | Ecuador Tierra Viva Travel Company

Rio Muchacho Organic Farm | Guacamayo Tours

Ecuador and the Galapagos Islands | Lonely Planet

References:

Ecuador to Leave Oil – And Revenue – In the Ground | GO

Gutsy Ecuador proposes to put a lid on oil | Environmental News Network (ENN)

Introduction to Ecuador’s Economy | Ecuador Ministry of Tourism

Ecuador | The United States Central Intelligence Agency World Factbook

This new move is a mixed blessing and hits upon one of the main points of contention within the Fair Trade movement. Fair Trade has moved into mainstream and is appearing everywhere from McDonalds to Dunkin’ Donuts to Wal-Mart. Any and all exposure of Fair Trade and it’s ideals to consumers is beneficial. And a larger market translates to more sales for producers and their communities.

However, as Fair Trade is embraced by large corporations with questionable ethics, so too is the potential to for exploitation and weakening of Fair Trade. Similar to companies that "greenwash," to bolster their environmental credit, there are companies which seek to cash in on the feel-good PR Fair Trade offers, without making a true commitment to the ideals and meaning of the movement. One such gap between company marketing and ethical behavior occurred when Nestle released its Fair Trade coffee in 2005. Nestle has been at the center of ethical controversy for over twenty years, with boycotts for their "aggressive and irresponsible promotion of infant formula," and for contributing to child abuse and torture within the cocoa industry, including large distribution from the Cote d’Ivoire. There was much critism of Nestle’s Fair Trade coffee and following it’s release, they were reported to the UK Advertising Standards Authority for a misleading and dishonest advertisement.

"Nestlé’s advertisement and website for its Fairtrade product imply it will have a significant impact on farmers in El Salvador and that the company’s activities in the coffee industry are ethical. The truth is only about 200 farmers in El Salvador supply coffee for Partners’ Blend and over 3 million farmers globally who are dependent on Nestlé remain outside the Fairtrade system. Nestlé is held partly responsible for forcing down prices paid to suppliers, driving many into poverty, while its own profits have soared. Recently I interviewed a researcher from Colombia who told me 150,000 coffee farming families have lost their livelihoods due to Nestlé policies.”

There is also confusion relating to the different Fair Trade labels and what they mean, and, unfortunately, companies are happy to prey upon this confusion. The Fair Trade Certified Mark means that particular product was certified. In most food products, this means it is certified at the beginning point such as farming and harvesting, but not always beyond this point. This creates opportunity for corruption at subsequent points along the way, such as with the problems with Fair Trade bananas and the exploitation of banana ripeners. Such inconsistencies occur when a company wishes to use Fair Trade, rather than commit to it.

Then what is the solution? Should Fair Trade be confined to its current size and guarded from the large corporate giants? I don’t believe this is the solution. I believe the growth of Fair Trade, when true and committed, should be an important goal. Fair Trade is not a premium brand label, but a different approach to our entire concept of trade. The Fair Trade movement is based upon a fair and just interaction between the consumer and the producer. If the vessel for this interaction is corrupted or dishonest, then it is upon our shoulders as consumers to correct or discard the vessel for one that is more trustworthy. The fact that Fair Trade is entering large corporate retailers is not necessarily a reflection of their goodwill, and it is important to remember this. The mainstreaming of Fair Trade is, however, a reflection of our growing desire to consume ethically and responsibly and it is upon this foundation that we should build the movement and hold all participants accountable. So it is with skeptical optimism that I welcome this Fair Trade expansion, and a hope that the company will commit to the true Fair Trade and an acceptance of responsibility to ensure they do.

In business, even the most effective environmental program can be held back by employees who "don’t buy into it," or who refuse to put forth the effort required to participate. While educating current employees about the measures they will have to take to help implement the program exists as step one to making the greening of a business successful, step two is just as important. When looking for new employees, it is important that businesses today find people whose eco-values align with that of the company. It is for this reason that I want to outline a few ways to attract and recognize employees who exude the eco-potential necessary to make the greening of a business as beneficial as possible.

Advertise It: Employers usually have no problem identifying the characteristics of the people they are looking to employee. Ads will usually tout attributes like "self-motivated," "independent worker," and "reliable" … so why not "eco-conscious," "green-minded," and "earth-friendly?" If your company is looking to attract people with sustainability on the brain, go straight to the source: the job posting! Not only will a unique and honest post attract the right crowd, but it will also make your business stand out in a sea of potential employers.

Ask the Right Questions: Once a potential hire has made it to the interview process, the employer usually has a pretty good idea about the applicant’s basics: their background, education and similar qualities. It is at this point where it becomes very important to make sure you are asking applicants the questions that tell you the most about who they really are. While, "Where do you see yourself in five years?’" is a pretty straightforward question, it may not tell you enough about their eco-potential. A good way to get a feel for the greenness of a person is to ask questions about their personal life such as, "Do you recycle at home?" Another good question to ask is, "What do you do in your life outside the work place to contribute to environmental sustainability?" The depth of their answer will give you good insight into whether or not the applicant would be a positive addition to the greening of your business.

Make Your Standards Known: Instead of interviewing and training a potential employee only to find that their value set does not match well with that of the company, make your expectations known from the get-go. Although I have yet to see it, there might come a time when you find a candidate for a position who is resistant to the idea of working for a green company or, even worse, is reluctant to participate in the greening process. In place of hiring them with the hopes of changing their paradigm, it is beneficial to both parties involved that the discrepancy in mind-set be known early in the process, as to avoid anyone wasting time or energy. Further, make sure that potential candidates are clear about what is expected of them in terms of the sustainability program. If a potential hire is uncomfortable drinking water from a fountain, as opposed to drinking bottled water, then there might be a company where they would be a better fit.

Finally, hiring green-minded employees should really be every company’s dream. Not only can they be valuable resources when it comes to the development and implementation of sustainability programs, but they can also act as catalysts for enthusiasm about the project. Just as a stubborn employee can sink any good sustainability program, an eco-conscious employee can make it that much better.

Are you an Eco-Minded Employee looking for a job? Here a some good places to find work:

Eco-Employ- a site with a searchable database of green jobs, resume-tips and career advice. Bonus- it is updated frequently!

Green Jobs- a great resource for people looking to work in the alternative energy sector.

Sustainable Business- In the "Green Dream Job" section of the site, you can find a database of green jobs that is searchable by catagory, skill level and region — very comprehensive!