DECEMBER 16, 2008

I love books, but due to some work and general life craziness, I’ve been unable to read much for the past few weeks. Luckily, things have slowed down enough that I was able to finally sit down and finish a book I started a month or two ago - Claire Messud’s The Emperor’s Children, a novel about an aging liberal patriarch, a veteran of the culture wars of the 60s, and his relationship with the younger generation, comprised of his daughter, his nephew and his daughter’s two friends.

I’m ashamed to say I picked up the book because of its inclusion in several critics’ Best of 2006 awards. I don’t read a lot of fiction and not many of my friends do either, so when it comes to figuring out what I should read next, I generally have to rely on the Pulitzer committee or the New York Times’ Review of Books. I figured The Emperor’s Children was a safe purchase because of its critical acclaim.

Was I ever wrong. Undercurrents isn’t a book review site, but suffice it to say that the critics’ perception of this book didn’t match my own. I thought the dialogue was hackneyed and impossibly witty, that many of the central premises of the book were outlandish,  and the characters unbelievable. The constant refrain running through my head as I read was “People like this do not exist, and if they do, they do not deserve to have a book written about them.”

After finishing the book, I blamed my own upbringing for my lack of appreciation - I’m a hayseed from Richmond, Virginia and a current resident of staid and practical Washington, not the child of Manhattan literary eminences -  but upon reading reviews at Amazon and Metacritic, I quickly discovered that my opinion about The Emperor’s Children wasn’t unique. At Amazon, the most commonly-used tags for the book are “waste of time and money”, “avoid”, and “awful”, the most common rating for the book is one star, and the average rating is a mere two and a half. At Metacritic, the aggregate rating from professional critics is 85 (denoting “universal acclaim”) while the rating from readers is 69. Whichever way you slice it, reader reactions to this book were a far cry from those of elite reviewers of literature.

Reading these reviews, my insecurity over not “getting” The Emperor’s Children quickly melted into triumphalism - I was right, and the professionals were wrong. I mean, it’s not surprising the book was reviewed so well - it’s basically about the same New York literary-journalism class that reviewed the book, and paints it in a very appealing light. But it’s nice to know that that small clique isn’t capable of driving public opinion about books like they once did.

This particular book aside, it’s incredible how much power social media has had in debunking the ideas of “professionals”.  As print media continues to die, the blogosphere has eroded the opinion-setting power of all kinds of pundits, from art and literature critics in New York, to political talking heads in Washington - and one can only hope that the unwashed masses on the internet continue to prove that the emperor has no clothes.

[No Comments »] [TrackBack »]

DECEMBER 1, 2008

Last week, I read an article in Newsweek that was cleverly called “Change You Can Conceive In: Could Euphoric Obama Fans be Sparking a Baby Boom?”

The author writes, “In the hours and days since Obama’s victory, many of his exhilarated supporters have been, shall we say, in the mood for love.  And though it’s too soon to know for sure, experts aren’t ruling out the possibility of an Obama baby boom—the kind of blip in the national birth rate that often follows a seismic event, whether it’s scary (a terrorist attack) or celebratory (the end of World War II).”

Authors William Strauss and Neil Howe have actually co-written a number of books on the subject of generational baby booms, namely, “Generations: The History of America’s Future,” which tells the history of America through a succession of generational biographies circa 1584 to the present.  According to Strauss and Howe, just as history molds generations, so too do generations mold history.  They even claim to have identified a historical pattern in which each generation belongs to one of four archetypes, or ”Turnings,” that repeats sequentially:

Awakening.  During an Awakening, rising adults are driven by inner zeal to become philosophers, religious pundits, and hippies, as they alienate children (who see the adult world becoming more chaotic each day) and older generations alike.  A Nomad (or Reactive) is born during an Awakening.  Nomadic leaders are cunning, hard-to-fool realists, and taciturn warriors who prefer to meet problems and adversaries one-on-one.

Unraveling.  An Unraveling is an era of relative peace and prosperity between an Awakening and a Crisis.  A Hero (or Civic) is born during an Unraveling.  Heroic leaders are considered vigorous and rational institution-builders, entering midlife as aggressive advocates of technological progress, economic prosperity, social harmony, and public optimism.

Crisis.  A Crisis is a decisive era of secular upheaval in which a values regime propels the replacement of the old civic order with a new one.  Wars are waged with apocalyptic finality.  An Artist (or Adaptive) is born during a Crisis.  Artistic leaders are advocates of fairness and the politics of inclusion, and are irrepressible in the wake of failure.

High.  A High is an era between a Crisis and an Awakening.  A Prophet (or Idealist) is born during a High.  Prophetic leaders are cerebral and principled, summoners of human sacrifice, and wagers of righteous wars.  Early in life, few see combat in uniform; late in life, most come to be revered as much for their words as for their deeds.

What I want to know is whether you agree or disagree with Strauss and Howe’s dissection of generational archetypes.  If you agree with them, where do you believe your generation stands now?  If you disagree with them, what would you add or amend to make them more relevant?

Personally, I believe that an Obama baby boom would compose part of a New Adaptive Generation - a collection of “artists” who will be irrepressible in the wake of modern-day failures.  At least, that is what I hope.

[No Comments »] [TrackBack »]

NOVEMBER 20, 2008

Warren Buffett once said, “My favorite holding period is forever.”  Apparently, James Altucher, President and founder of Stockpickr, agrees with him. He wrote a book called “THE FOREVER PORTFOLIO: How To Pick Stocks That You Can Hold for the Long Run“, and during an interview on CNBC yesterday, Altucher suggested investing in companies providing services in the following areas:

• Obesity: 33 billion dollars are spent each year on services for the obese.

• Dirty Water: Developing countries are finding it much harder to deliver clean water to their growing populations, and companies that sell clean water treatment technologies will thrive.

• Luxury: The rich are recession-proof, and the stocks of luxury producers make a great hedge against any slowdown in the global economy.

Now I’m no financier, that’s for sure, but from a New Persuasion point of view, his advice makes perfect sense. The future looks a lot more predictable when you actually take the time to pay attention and study the trends/issues that are presently hidden in plain view.

[No Comments »] [TrackBack »]

OCTOBER 3, 2008

In case it hasn’t been obvious in my previous posts, I like to write about innovations in public policy. The idea that small changes in rules and practices can produce big benefits for society is fascinating to me.

For awhile now, I’ve been meaning to pick up Cass Sunstein and Richard Thaler’s Nudge, a book about simple policy changes that can be made by governments and employers to encourage people to make better choices. The book is based on two papers authored by the pair in 2003 (sorry, you’ve got to pay for the second one!).

Backtracking a little bit: traditional economics - you know, the Adam Smith stuff - infers that people in general are “rational actors” - that we collectively make decisions based on our own personal interest. That makes sense in a lot of ways, and many think it’s the basis of how human beings act. For instance, I made a rational decision to come to work this morning because I know that: a) I won’t get paid otherwise; and b) I like what I do.

But in the past few decades, a new field has emerged called behavioral economics that investigates people’s irrational desires and actions, and how they affect the larger economy. Some examples of this can be seen in the poor understanding we human beings have of risk - a concept Kelly Stepno works on here at TMG - as well as the current economic crisis, which some believe was caused by an asset bubble driven by media hype rather than actual value.

The goal of Sunstein and Thaler’s work is to change people’s “choice architecture” by introducing policies that gently correct our tendencies toward irrational behavior. For instance, the authors identify savings rates as one area in which humans do not act rationally, and did a study of ways employers could help their employees save more money. They found that businesses who automatically enrolled their employees in 401(k) plans and offered an opt-out provision had dramatically higher savings rates than employers who had opt-in 401(k) plans. Thaler also experimented with a plan called “Save More Tomorrow” that allows employees to set aside parts of their pay raises toward their savings. The principle here is that people are irrationally loathe to give up any of their current income, but don’t have as much of a problem forgoing future gains. In this program, too, he saw the savings rates of participating employees more than triple.

The authors also discuss smaller policy changes, like removing key lime pie from a buffet line, that could help all sorts of pressing issues like obesity, indebtedness, and global warming. The basic theme is that changing people’s “choice architecture” is a way to deal with the irrational aspects of our behavior.

Like I said, I haven’t read the book yet, but I find a lot of the themes very intriguing. Of course, there are objections to this philosophy - who are you to tell me I shouldn’t have key lime pie? - but it’s refreshing to see people thinking outside left-right paradigms when it comes to public policy.

[No Comments »] [TrackBack »]

JULY 28, 2008

With over one million copies sold on a wimpy $300 marketing budget, this 256-page tale of human sorrow and divine redemption is undeniably a literary and religious phenomenon.  But how did this happen?

Just over a year after it was originally published in paperback, William P. Young’s The Shack debuted at No. 1 on the New York Times trade paperback fiction best-seller list, and hasn’t budged since June 8.  Currently it is No. 1 on the Borders Group’s trade paperback fiction list, and, until recently, it was No. 1 on the Barnes & Noble trade paperback list.  Motoko Rich at the The New York Times says it’s “the most compelling recent example of how a word-of-mouth phenomenon can explode into a blockbuster when the momentum hits chain bookstores, and the marketing and distribution power of a major commercial publisher is thrown behind it.”

To summarize (but without revealing too much of the story): Early in the novel the young daughter of the protagonist, Mack, is abducted.  Four years later he visits the shack where evidence of the girl’s murder was discovered.  He spends a weekend there in a kind of spiritual therapy session with God, appearing as an African-American woman who calls herself “Papa;” Jesus, who shows up as a Jewish workman; and Sarayu, an indeterminately Asian woman who incarnates the Holy Spirit.

As intriguing is the storyline sounds, I’m not writing this post to encourage or even discourage you from reading The Shack – that’s entirely up to you.  But I’m curious as to why this book has become so popular so fast.  In other words, I want to know how we - the reading public - and even the author himself have turned this book into a best-seller.  I’ll offer five of my ideas:

1. It’s a quick read.  At 256 pages – a whopping 1055 pages fewer than the King James Bible – it’s no wonder that readers are drawn to a shorter rather than longer route to a cathartic encounter with the Christian God.

2. It’s cheap.  Foregoing the more expensive, hardcover version, Windblown Media originally published the book in paperback, making it approachable and affordable to everyone.

3. It’s bought in bulk.  In an effort to spread the word and share the love, many church leaders are asking bookstores for a dozen copies at a time – sometimes even a whole case – to distribute to colleagues, friends and family.  So, whether the book is digested in full or gathers dust on the bedside table, it counts as a sell.

4. It’s controversial.  Christian “feely-types” say it’s life-changing and will bring you closer to God.  Christian “thinking-types” warn that it’s subversive and will make you question the author’s intentions.  Sounds like it’s worth investigating for yourself, right?

5. It’s ambiguous universalism.  Beaner927 at the Closer to Free blog writes, “There were even parts of the book that almost seemed like they were meant JUST for me. . . . I got goosebumps!”  Inverse personalization?  Enough said.

Finally, I believe DHubka at the Thinking About Today blog has the most insightful rumination of all:

Why are so many people’s lives being changed by the book?  What can I take from the book and apply everyday?  I don’t know that there is anything. . .  I think it’s encouraging that this book isn’t life-changing for me, I think it means I’m already well on that path.

To be sure, with 40% of fickle - err, impressionable - American adults having changed their faith at least once since childhood, it’s no wonder The Shack is “changing lives.”  Today, it really doesn’t take much to become someone totally different than you were yesterday.

[Comments(3) »] [TrackBack »]

JUNE 11, 2008

A funny thing happened to me last week: I learned something valuable about 21st century America from a children’s story.  That’s right: the pages I stumbled upon were from none other than the 1960’s classic, Are You My Mother? by P.D. Eastman.  Reading the story as an adult rather than a child, however, I realized that Eastman’s tale was much more than a narrative about a lost bird trying to find his mother.  It was also an account of what happens when one leaves the proverbial “nest” and embarks on an existential quest for one’s true identity.

As childlike as it is profound, Eastman’s classic American tale is a tale about modern America.  Think about it: aren’t 21st century Americans also in search of our mother?  Now more than ever, we are looking for someone or something that will identify us, provide for us, and lead us into the unknown future; and, in doing so, we are also on a quest to find ourselves: who we are as individuals, and not just a nation.  But there’s a problem in 21st century America: we don’t know where to look or who to trust anymore.

To be fair, I didn’t draw this conclusion from Eastman’s text alone; I largely credit an article I read in the May/June 2008 issue of Psychology Today entitled “Dare to Be Yourself” by Karen Wright.  At the core of our quest, Wright claims, is a deep psychological craving for a sense of authenticity.  Not only do we as individuals need it, but America as a whole is starving for it, now more than ever before.  “Americans remain deeply invested in the notion of the authentic self,” says ethicist John Portmann of the University of Virginia. “It’s part of the national consciousness.” 

Our desire to achieve a sense of authenticity and identity has manifested itself in various forms over the past decade in America.  Consider the following cultural trends: 40% of U.S. adults have changed their faith since childhood; the total number of cosmetic procedures performed on Americans has increased 457% since 1997; and antidepressants have become the most commonly prescribed drugs in the United States.  To me, this shows that loyalty is now second to authenticity: we are turning away from the alter because we can no longer withstand being untrue to ourselves and to our faith; we are exploring alternative images that may better reflect our “true” selves; and we are turning to prescription drugs in an attempt to bring ourselves back to our “intended” state of being, to who we believe we really are.  Meanwhile, America’s teens and twentysomethings – our country’s future leaders – are constantly trying out new friends, fashions, hobbies, jobs, lovers, locations, and living arrangements to see what fits and what doesn’t.

So, the question arises: have we come any closer to achieving the sense of authenticity that we desire?

Not really.  In the United States, we’ve found that too much cultural clutter stands between us and our authentic selves.  In other words, we live in an over-saturated society, a cultural environment that is flooded, among other things, with too many options and alternatives.  From having to choose one television channel among 500 available stations, one track on our iPod from a library of 20,000 songs, one cup of Starbucks coffee among 87,000 possible concoctions, the “saturation generation” is overwhelmed with choices, many of which do not reflect who we are at all.

To make matters worse, in our struggle to choose only one among many selections, we are also tasked with having to distinguish what is authentic in America from what, as The Catcher in the Rye’s Holden Caulfield might insist, is “phony” America.  I imagine Caulfield would especially cringe over the phoniness that’s polluted our country of late: embellished social network profiles, fake blogs, and phony online diaries; performance enhancing drugs like anabolic steroids and amphetamines; fabricated memoirs like A Million Little Pieces and Love and Consequences; and even the questionable tear shed by Hillary Clinton.  Amid a clutter of counterfeits, how can we know who to trust?

At TMG, we believe the answers to today’s most challenging questions are often “hidden in plain view,” and the answer to our nation’s identity problem may be no different.  Coincidentally, while the bird in Eastman’s tale searches frantically for his mother, he unwittingly passes right by her.

As Americans, we face a similar challenge: learning to ignore the alluring array of phony distractions that hinder our progress toward achieving authenticity, and, instead, observing those self-evident truths upon which our nation was founded.  Rather than focus on the changes that have taken place in our country within the last ten years, then, perhaps we should shift our gaze to the elements that have withstood the forces of change – the pieces of America that have persevered and, like the bird’s mother, stood by us all along.

[Comments(2) »] [TrackBack »]

MAY 23, 2008

I read a good book recently by Dr. Ben Carson called Take The Risk .  If you’ve seen any of my posts lately, you know I’m a bit obsessed with putting risks into perspective.

Dr. Carson is in a unique position to talk about risk.  He’s the director of pediatric neurosurgery at Johns Hopkins.  As he says in his book, “People who become surgeons – particularly neurosurgeons – tend to be risk takers.”  In the book, Dr. Carson expresses strong views on the need to look at risk in the right way.  As he says, “The most important developments in science, history, technology, and the arts came from taking risks.”  I hate to think about what great innovations we would have missed out on had we applied today’s views on risk over the last several decades.  Would we have embarked on the space program, for example?

There are many points in the book that really resonate with me.  One of the points that I agree with most is what Dr. Carson calls “our schizophrenic obsession with risk.”  For example, he says, “On the one hand our pop culture idolizes the edgiest athletes – from the professional bull riding circuit to… made-for-entertainment extreme sports events features on television’s X Games.  [A]nd yet, at the same time, every public school in the country is required to have six to eight inches of rubber tire fragments…under every teeter-totter, swing set and monkey bars…so that no child will suffer an accidental injury.”  Does this make sense?

We all need to take a step back on risk and try to figure out what we should worry about, and what we shouldn’t.  I know it’s hard in this era, when we’re inundated daily with news about those things that are bad for us. I know it’s not easy. 

I’m flying to Boston today for the holiday weekend and I can guarantee you that I will worry (and already am worrying) more about the flight up there than I am about the drive to the airport.  Clearly, I’m not putting these risks in their proper context.  But, I’m prepared to make a commitment to try not to obsessively worry about the wrong things.  Are you?

[No Comments »] [TrackBack »]

APRIL 21, 2008

Collaborative storytelling is nothing new.  I can remember in grade school, sitting in a circle with my classmates, each person in the circle adding an element to the plot of a story the teacher had begun.  In the end we usually just laughed at the jumbled mess of story that emerged.  But now more than ever, I appreciate that entertaining exercise, as it illustrated the importance of controlling the tone and voice of a story.

I read this piece from The Washington Post about WEbook, a website designed to let writers, editors, and experts create literary projects together.  The site launched last week, but it’s not the first.  Other publishers like Penguin Books (UK) and HarperCollins have already launched similar wiki-type projects adopting the “crowd-sourcing” model of creation.

WEbook’s first published novel, Pandora, was written by 17 authors.  Besides the nightmarish thought of ever having to cite this literary work, I’m curious how cohesive and concise it could actually be.  This book could potentially be authored by writers from 17 different backgrounds, 17 different cultures, and 17 different countries.  Can such diversity come together to create a unified product? And, is the result a better book? 

In a way, this type of publishing redefines a writer’s identity, with each author asked to compromise, and even sacrifice, for the “good” of the book.  I can imagine this is a difficult task because for me, losing my identity as a writer would feel almost like losing a piece of myself.

As a social experiment, a possible testament to globalization, and certainly a nod to consumer product control (works only get published if they get high marks from the site’s members), I think WEbook raises interesting concepts.  But as a writer, I’m not sure I want to get mixed up with that kind of crowd.

[No Comments »] [TrackBack »]

OCTOBER 17, 2007

A couple years ago, I wrote about free.  And now that I’m finally catching up with my daily blog reading, I find that Chris Anderson of The Long Tail, is writing a book about free.  He’s delving into the economics of free and how it can work in many different industries.  One quote - from an old Financial Times article - caught my eye:

"Never in history has so much innovation been offered to so many for so little. The world’s most exciting businesses – technology, transport, media, medicine and finance – are increasingly defined by the word “free”. Whereas WalMart, the world’s largest retailer, promises “everyday low prices”, entrepreneurs and ultra-competitive incumbents develop business models predicated on providing more for free. It is a difficult proposition to beat."

It is hard to beat free.  It’s become part of our changing expectations.  We expect things to be free - especially when it comes to the Internet. 

[Comments(4) »] [TrackBack »]

OCTOBER 1, 2007

Dr. Karel J. Samsom, a specialist in environmental and sustainable entrepreneurship and author of Spirit of Entrepreneurship told Entrepreneur magazine that green business is “… a highly underrated opportunity for small business.”   

What are the opportunities for small businesses that want to “go green”?  Every industry, every hobby, every action can have a shade a green.  Broadly, green means either improving the planet or improving its people or both.  Any process, product or service that saves natural resources or re-uses these resources is considered green.  Any effort to help people live healthier lives is green.  The green umbrella also includes the growing field of social entrepreneurship – a business which sets out to solve a social problem while at the same time making money. 

Are people really buying green?  The answer is yes – although many green businesses find it helps to sell quality and price first, and green bona fides second.   Some 63 million American consumers are classified as LOHAS (those with “lifestyles of health and sustainability.”)  According to the Natural Marketing Institute, this means that they
“have a profound sense of environmental and social responsibility… these consumers are also the most likely of the segments to buy environmentally and socially responsible products.”  These are the customers who, according to Fast Company magazine, “…have proven themselves willing to spend up to an astounding 20% premium on clean, green products…”  Add to that another 38% of consumers who “are less resolute in their LOHAS attitudes, though still show moderate levels of related concern and select LOHAS behaviors (such as recycling, among others), and you have an incredible consumer base which at the very least open to green ideas and products.

So where are the best opportunities for entrepreneurs?  Here are five areas:

1.  Organic Products- We’ve all read about the exploding organics industry – There are organic cosmetics, toiletries, vodka, pasta, tea, waffles, peanut butter - but there is still tons of room for growth here particularly since, as Andrew Zolli wrote in Fast Company, “With two huge generations dominating American society–the baby boomers, who created the first draft of contemporary environmentalism, and the millennials, the most globally connected cohort in history–principles of conscious consumption will come to dominate the brandscape.”

• About 75% of shoppers buy organic products at least occasionally, up from 55% in 2000; 23% buy them at least once a week.  (Supermarket News, 8/27/07, subscription required)
• Organics are here to stay - Goldman Sacks snalyst Steven T. Kron said, "We believe that the recent surge that organic foods have experienced is not transient, but rather a sustainable shift in food consumption with ramifacations up and down the food chain."  (Associated Press, 7/13/07)
• Organic beer still represents less than 1% of U.S. beer sales, but those sales doubled to $19 million between 2003 and 2005 (last year figures available).  In 2005, organic beer ranked with coffee as the fastest-growing organic beverage.  (Reno Gazette Journal, 6/27/07, purchase required)
• U.S. organic food and beverage sales totaled nearly $17 billion in 2006, representing 3 percent of all retail sales of food, up from 2.5 percent in 2005 and 1.9 percent in 2003.  So though organic retail sales have grown between 20% and 24% each year since 1990, that’s still only 3% of the category.
• Organic-cotton production in the U.S. increased by 8%—and was up 7% in China, 25% in India, and 40% in Turkey—between 2004 and 2005, according to an April, 2006, Organic Exchange report that lists the top four producers. But demand for organic-cotton fibers by clothing makers increased 93% in the same period.  (Business Week, 9/27/06)
• U.S. sales of organic sheets and towels rose 38% to $20 million in 2005, while sales of organic mattresses and pillows increased 32% to $2 million. (Financial Times, 9/3/06)
• MediaPost reported that the $20 million organic chocolate category grew 57% last year, compared to a decline of 0.1% for conventional chocolates.

One example of an organic company is Eco Lips, which makes organic lip balm.  From Entrepreneur magazine: 

Placed “anyplace that has a cash register,” the product, which is made using solar  energy, is an easy sell to consumers who not only want to buy green, but also  want a quality product. “It’s so inexpensive, and it’s a gateway organic product– people will try Eco Lips and maybe have such a good experience that they’ll want  to try organic orange juice or organic cotton sheets,” says [Eco Lips co-founder  Steve] Shriver…

For more information, the Organic Trade Association runs HowToGoOrganic.com – a site “for anyone exploring how to transition to organic.”

2.   Trash – Thar’s gold in them there rubbish hills. According to the EPA, Americans generated some 245.7 million tons of garbage in 2005 (latest figures available.)  That’s 4.54 pounds of trash per person per day.  Here are some of the things we throw away:

• Americans currently dispose of 128 million cell phones a year, only 1% of which are diverted from landfills.  This does not include the 2 million tons of used electronics we also discard annually.
• A typical baby goes through around 5000 disposables during its diaper days; across the US, this adds up to an astonishing 20 billion each year, enough to cover a football field with a three-mile high pile.
• Each year, 3.5 billion wire hangers end up in U.S. landfills. (Reader’s Digest, June, 2007)
• Americans throw away 2.5 million plastic bottles every hour. (Illiinois Times, March 8, 2007)

If you can figure out new uses for a specific garbage item, you’ve got yourself a business.  Terracycle makes plant food from worm poop and packages it in recycled soda bottles.  One company, EVCO Research in Atlanta, uses scrap plastic beverage and water bottles to make water repellent coatings for cardboard boxes used for shipping fruit and meats. Chicago Cargo Bike and Trailer Co. makes bike trailers out of reclaimed materials.  ReCellular, Inc. collects, recycles and resells cell phones.  They process around 300,000 phones a month – which still leaves over 120 million phones in the trash. 

3.  Government– including Federal, State, County, and City levels.  How are governments an opportunity for small business?  Two ways:

a) Find out what your local government is doing re “green” – and craft a service to meet their needs. A good place to start is The SustainLane Government Knowledge Base – where, according to Shirl Kennedy at Resource Shelf, “You can read full documents submitted by urban planners and sustainability managers from across the country. Find out what cities, counties, and states are doing to improve their carbon footprints, quality of life and resource efficiency. Find the latest programs in urban ecology.”

b)  Create a service or a product that helps other local businesses comply with  environmental regulation/laws/ordinances that apply to them.  For instance,  San Francisco recently banned plastic bags – can you supply a biodegradable or  recycled or reusable alternative to retailers?

c) Take advantage of government grants and loans encouraging green practices. From the Wall Street Journal: “The government is also giving small businesses a spur to go green. Just as large companies receive government breaks for environmental-friendliness, the Department of Agriculture offers a Small Business Innovation Research Program that offers awards of $80,000 to $250,000 for using certain environmentally friendly practices in selling or processing wares. The Environmental Protection Agency gives grants to small businesses involved in environmental industries and initiatives. On a state level, New York awards  funds to small businesses that are involved in projects such as pollution prevention and recycling.”

RubberForm Recycled Products LLC, in Lockport, N.Y., recycles old rubber, such as tires, and turns it into new products.  The owners used federal, state and local funds (and private investments) to launch their business last year.

4.  The Green Lifestyle – As I said earlier, just about anything we do in our regular lives can be transformed or altered into a green state.  So if you examine your own life, you might come up with something you do everyday that could use a green element.  Do you use a lot of paper – how about making recycled paper?  It’s only left to your imagination.  Here are some of the small businesses created around the green lifestyle that may spur your thinking:

• Green Singles – find your perfect match in the environmental, vegetarian, or animal rights community…
• Vivavi – eco-friendly furniture and home design.
• Stay at a green hotel
• Save your money at a green bank – ShoreBank Pacific is the first commercial bank in the United States with a commitment to environmentally sustainable community development.
• Working Assets Funding Service issues a “socially responsible credit card.”
• Build and live in a green home.
• Memorial Ecosystems - Bury your loved one in a green cemetery.  From their website:  “Our main focus is to develop multi-functional memorial nature preserves that we create with the cooperation and assistance of non-profit organizations. Through becoming members of the preserve during life, and choosing burial in the preserve after, our clients leave a permanent legacy for their families, their communities and the natural world. We are committed to being the leaders in environmentally and socially responsible death care.”

5.  The Local Angle – Kemi Osukoya recently wrote in the Wall Street Journal, “Many green consumers tend to see a small, local business as naturally more environmentally sound than a sprawling multinational. And small businesses can provide a personal touch that big ones can’t — which can be important when selling complicated eco-friendly wares.”

This type of local green businesses commits to the locale and the customers, and they promote the green life beyond what they sell.  These green local merchants are authentically green – they consciously use less energy, try to find local suppliers so their carbon footprint is smaller, and often live a green personal life.  As small businesses they owe nothing to shareholders or investors – which in the eyes of consumers, makes them more trustworthy.  Their payback? Loyal customers, a decent business, and the notion that they are doing good. 

Green Opportunities for Existing Small Businesses

For existing small businesses, going green can be anything from a wellness program for your employees to reducing your energy consumption to making a green (or greener) product to committing to a sustainable business model – a cradle to grave effort. 

If you’re looking into going “green” figure out what that means for you and what makes sense for your business.  You need to find what the Harvard Business Review called the– “shared value” – does your green effort create a “meaningful benefit for society that is also valuable to the business.”    If you sell office supplies, it probably doesn’t make sense for you to sponsor a program at a nursing home – maybe you could open a section or your store with sustainable supplies or solicit supply donations to a school in your area – or if you’re in a relatively affluent area – then a sister school.

The other thing small business owners should keep in mind is that they need to tell people about their green efforts –customers and suppliers and anyone else.  Local papers and local television news always like a good story.  Small Businesses can position themselves as part of a larger story about how local businesses in the area are trying to improve the planet in lots of different ways.  And don’t underestimate the value of blogs – write an article, offer an interview to a green blog – there are loads of them – here’s a good list to start and you can always look at their blog rolls for more:

Treehugger
WorldChanging
Clean Edge-The Clean Tech Marketing Authority
Ask Pablo – Sustainability Engineer
ecogeek
Green Trust Sustainability and Renewable Energy
Joel Makower
Lazy Environmentalist
Lime – Healthy Living with a Twist
Marketing Green
Organic Researcher
Envirolink Network – environmental resources
The Watt - energy news and discussion

I would also recommend these two books for an overview of green issues:

Shopping with a Conscience by Duncan Clark & Richie Unterberger
WorldChanging: A User’s Guide to the 21st Century, edited by Alex Steffen

[No Comments »] [TrackBack »]