This is brilliant - Ad guys see into the future
Wondering what a BP ad as accurate as this would say today? Maybe, 'In 2010 we created the tipping-point for the move away from oil'
Ramblings and adventures
Changing the world a few ideas at a time.
The Upcycling Consortium Factory Project: Update
Well, there's been quite a bit of activity around this project and all of it positive and exciting. We are getting closer to turning a massively ambitious dream into a small starting-point reality. We have been focusing on what we really need, and understanding what the business case at the centre of the project looks like; without losing sight of the bigger ambitions around innovation of new re-manufacturing techniques and redefining what a 21st Century 'factory' job looks like.
The biggest element in us moving forwards is an injection of support from fantastic collaborators. Gateway to London have been simply brilliant, and great discussions have been held with The Young Foundation. Both organisations have vital experience, knowledge and passion, without which we would be unable to follow through with our plans. They are keen to explore, define and make real, a new production and education centre, turning waste into new jobs through sustainable business and equipping people with new future-building skills.
The picture above is on the wall of our manufacturing partner. They have been in business since 1715! One day we hope to take a modern version of this with a massive gang of smiling workers, proud to be building a new re-manufacturing industry and proving that business can be profitable, inspirational and sustainable. One of the oldest manufacturing companies in the country spearheading the development of the newest.
The future of upcycling, as featured in Wired Magazine
It represents our vision in action, turning corporate waste into beautiful, useful products and Eurostar have been brilliant. Setting out on an innovation path with a client needs a lot of their support and an understanding of what innovation really means. At the start we were unsure of what was possible, and we had to learn fast along the way to turn ideas into reality. Throughout the journey, Eurostar have allowed us the freedom to explore solutions to a set of hefty challenges. We needed to go through two design cycles, work closely with the Train Managers, match the materials to the design and find a UK manufacturer. The result however has been worth it, and the cherry on the cake is the product being launched in Wired Magazine this month.
This is a big piece of press for us, as Wired is about the future and the innovation that gets us there. We firmly believe that upcycling and intelligent resource reuse is part of the vital transition to a sustainable future, although I'm not sure why we aren't allowed to smile in the pictures! Plus, why not make it cool along the way, who wants to be boring and worthy. We hope this is a starting point and proves what's possible. There is no need for any textile waste going to landfill when you can use it to make products like these, let's hope we can make many more!
Will Tesco will be the eco saviour of us all...?
If they are, then they have a long way to go. But what you're looking at here is part of their move in the right direction and an example of a collaborative future. It may only look like a couple of dresses but they represent the tip of a very exciting iceberg. These dresses are the collaboration between upcycling fashion powerhouse From Somewhere and according to twitter, one of the most hated companies on the planet, Tesco. They are made from waste, the stuff people throw away during manufacture. They are beautiful and examples of the resource reuse and efficiency innovation that is going on within small sustainability companies. And that's the point and why this is the future. When these solutions stay in small companies, they do nothing but fill bylines in magazines and stress their owners to breaking points. But when these ideas are combined with big business and can go to scale, suddenly things start to make sense. And this is just the starting point. The innovation flexibility inside most big business is not designed to create exciting common-sense sustainability solutions and collaborations are easier, although still by no means easy. But by combining the frontier thinking from pioneers with the scale platforms of big business, big change can happen quickly and we all know how quickly it is needed.
Now, before you start railing that these guys are the baddies and we should ignore them because they're so bad let's stop and look at reality. Yes, we need an overhaul of economics linked to exponential growth, and yes we need a move away from pointless consumption to a new prosperity and wellness model etc, etc. We discuss these things endlessly in the sustainability and low-carbon transformation community. But, lots of what we discuss, write about and are attempting is impossible to take from start-up to mainstream, in the time we need, without the collaboration of the current owners of the 'big space'. We need them, we need their scale and frankly we need their economic know-how, because unless the world changes overnight, solutions have to make economic sense, if not in the immediate short-term then certainly the long-term.
And the big guys are moving, albeit slowly. And this movement has to be celebrated. Let's look at this again, Tesco are SELLING products made from their own WASTE. Could you imagine them doing this 5 years ago, even 2. And they aren't the only ones involved in the big shift. Check this out. Nike, Wallmart and Starbucks backing the move to green-collar energy jobs in the US. We've also seen M&S make a big, bold statement this week with their Plan A initiative, extending it and expanding their vision - it's not only making savings now but has become the core of their business strategy.
What this collaboration example and big business moves prove is that a) big business is changing, b) consumers are changing and c) the ecosystem is moving towards collaboration - the holy grail of sustainable transformation. It is in its infancy but imagine what this could lead to.
Now, I can just as easily make the case for the 'evil' all these guys create and do regularly on my soapbox in pubs, but I feel a turning tide. Sustainability is inside now. Nike are working towards being a closed-loop company, Apple are facing supply chain issues publicly and Google are moving into renewable energy.
These are just some examples of what's going on. Remember this is only the starting line and it's taken A LOT of work just to get here. Let's not expect them to be perfect yet, support the guys that are making the changes and encourage them to keep it up, yet also keep up strong criticism on the guys that aren't listening.
We still need the sacrifice and dedication of the small companies to fight for the future and carve the real innovation path that we need but the fact that the big guys are willing to collaborate, take on ideas and in some instances lead, mean maybe, just maybe, we can hope that they are now going to be part of the solution not part of the problem.
Collaboration and communication the vital missing ingredients in sustainable textile and fashion futures
Lovely glam/serious day yesterday, all day in DEFRA Sustainable Clothing Roadmap conference, interspersed with champagne lunch at London Fashion Week, then party central in the evening. Odd but brilliant mix of celebration, fun and very serious sustainability work. The growing presence of Estethica and the sustainability brands at LFW is awesome to see and our factory collaborators Filippo and Orsela from From Somewhere, as usual doing a brilliant job. Highlights of the day included a presentation from a Dutch consortium showing off a brilliant new machine to both separate waste textile and create new thread, even in short fiber denim. Prompted the man from Tesco to say, 'we'll buy that from you tomorrow'! Unfortunately the machine isn't quite ready yet but will be later this year so look out for organic/reuse mixed cotton jeans in your local superstore soon.
The thing that was exciting was a feeling of 'coming of age' for the sustainability textile and fashion sector. There is still a very long way to go but much to be encouraged by. The speed factors are definitely collaboration and collective communication and clear messaging. Collaboration across the supply chain, so reuse and upcyclers like us, work with producers and primary manufactures closing loops. Then we need the retailers understanding all the bits in between, the benefits and providing support to create a complete ecosystem solution of production, manufacturing, consumption and reuse.
Also needed is a clear definition of what that ecosystem is for and what it means for all the stakeholders, this is yet to emerge and needs to be developed. I for one, would like to see a shared pot of cash created to develop a campaign around the issues and real solutions today and what the growth of these going to scale, means for our future - the comms output and assets all stakeholders can use in their work, meaning a single issue-based message is shared by all developing a collective identity for consumers and everyone else.
There are definite steps forward but there needs to be so much more. Hopefully the retailers will start to combine forces soon as without them working together, (which doesn't have to impact competitive advantage) scale just isn't possible. Also, as a couple of quotes during the day including a direct threat, demonstrated there is no hiding from these issues any more and if you publicly say you are 'doing sustainability' as a big brand, you have to do it.
Levis were on show with Forum for the Future revealing their futures work for fashion - check it out. Tesco showed a film working with our friends Goodone and From Somewhere, upcycled lines going into stores very soon. And favourite shock quote of the day was the minister from Defra calling out Primark at the Estethica speech, 'lovely to see so many brands here today, although one is clearly missing, Primark'. Very funny and painfully true.
So in short, lots of interesting stuff, not enough real movement to scale yet, the sector needs to collaborate more and a collective message created and communicated. All topped off with amazing Sidecars at a Courvoiser party and ethical dancing with the EFF at the Hospital. Who said sustainability isn't glamourous! What a lovely day.
What next for Climate Change?
So a couple of months has passed since the car-crash that was Copenhagen, and the ripples from the failure continue to stir the waters of the debate. Climate Change is certainly in for an interesting year. On the one hand the deniers and skeptics seem to be winning the battle in the media, at least in certain parts of it and the doom laden messaging is backfiring through a Northern Hemisphere confusion over the difference between climate and weather, as record breaking snow and cold grip the US and Europe and influence people's opinion. Polls, for whatever they are worth, show public opinion going in the wrong direction, and some companies are using the failure as a reason to back out of their commitments, others seizing the chance to strive forwards with gusto and leadership. Even Yvo de Boer has tossed in the towel.
But this is not the grim situation it appears. It's an opportunity and maybe now is the time to gather forces, build a new position and march forwards. With the IPCC glacier mistake, the various 'climategates' and the targets set in the wake of Copenhagen so weak they might as well not be worth it, perhaps we need to take stock of where we're at and examine what's needed to move forwards. The lack of clarity in the public, government and corporate spaces leaves far too much room for fiddling while we burn. The science really hasn't been 'rocked', check this app, yes there is one for that, to see the main points - it is still as terrifying as it was last November. But the mood and human perception is shifting and we would be remiss if we let it slip to the point where we have to wait and see the disastrous effects rather than acting before they happen, nor take advantage of the multitudinous benefits from implementing low carbon solutions. So what are the elements that we need to focus on with this new drive forwards?
Science
Firstly and most obviously the science. But this is easier said than done. Is there a reputable single voice on Climate Change that everyone can trust, no, not really. The IPCC should be that but they aren't and with a paltry budget no bigger than a tiny percentage of an oil company's marketing spend, have little resources to face the onslaught of confusion. Plus they have some serious issues to work through on the communication management front. Some Western government leadership might help, yes America that's you, but this is as likely as Sarah Palin winning a geography pub quiz, and Obama's hands are tied by the corporate controlled senate. So what is needed is a clear position from the climate science community in a clarified and transparent form, assisted by some communications expert help and supported by heavy political hitters. Here's what we know, here's what's in question, this is what is and will happen, this is what might happen and this why we need to act.
All told with simple language and global agreement based on hard science, with the real questions forming a new level of debate. The story of this clarity work should be communicated daily through social media and released simultaneously across the world once complete, with a strong identity and decent financial backing through various media, it needs to be a line in the sand. And then be repeated every year.
It needs to explain the background to today and where we are going in the future. Shouldn't be too hard right? Science is science, that's the whole point, it isn't an idea but facts based in peer-reviewed and agreed truth. And that's what's needed, the facts and truth separating from the maybes and the wrong questions taken out of the debate, yet identifying what still needs to be known, with an ongoing plan for working that out, together. All this should be conducted in the spirt of positive human collaborative understanding.
So who could do this? The UN maybe, but do they really have the balls and skills to take on the skeptics and media, i doubt it. I reckon it should come from independent leaders, the ones from the private sector with big reputations and the independent power and money to set something up. And they do exist, Bill Gates for one, with his recent TED talk, Richard Branson is another, I expect Elon Musk would fancy it too and I'm sure Mr Clinton could be persuaded to help build a gang.
These guys get together, and agree to fund a new organisation, 'The Climate Change Clarity Coalition'. I expect some nice brand could be cooked up with all the 'C's'. It is set up with relationships across the scientific community and it's job is to translate science into simple clarity and provide funding for a big brand style communication campaign. The job of the coalition isn't to set targets, government agreements, corporate solutions or citizen involvement, but simply present the facts properly and provide a solid foundation.
Communication
Ok, so say by some miracle that happens, what else is needed? Well, international target setting, government agreements decided and planned for with policy and incentive introductions, corporate solutions researched and developed and citizen involvement increased to mainstream engagement. The biggest missing piece of the puzzle to achieving this - a new kind of story and one we can all believe in and be part of. Human beings live through story telling, starting when they can first talk and using it throughout their lives. It is the oldest form of communication and the thing that we rely on to make sense of our reality. It may take many forms, films, advertising, conversations, newspapers, facebook or government reports, whatever it looks like it does the same thing, it transfers information and creates a sense of belonging.
To date the 'story' of climate change hasn't exactly been one to inspire. The doom-laden fear messages got the necessary attention to frighten the debate into the mainstream but then froze, got stuck and failed to progress further. Producing repetitive stories on the the same theme, 'do something or the polar bear gets it' have not engaged a global audience to embrace low carbon transformation. There is little mass demand for governments and corporations to change. But there needs to be. So the story has to change; how do we do that?
Well some have already started, here's Futerra and their 'sell the sizzle' stance. The message needs to become one of hope, change, innovation and benefit. Plus, let's not pin everything on the future, people don't live there. Let's focus on what low carbon transformation means today. By all means let's have beautiful and inspiring images of those solutions taken to scale but also real communication around micro actions that change people's homes, lives and lifestyles for the better; as well as protecting the polar bears' ice floes. And who best to do this? Why not the guys that sell us all the crap we don't need, the advertising community. A plan is currently underway for this and i'll report on news in due course, but they are a very talented bunch of folks with work that is hardly testing their planning and creative capacity. Selling nappies and brown sugar water is one thing, but climate change, well surely that has to be, 'the world's toughest brief'.
Real Solutions
So great, people 'get it' understand the whys and whats but then they need to get involved. And here is required some serious work. Changing lifestyles, companies, infrastructure and government policy means a massively complex and interconnected system working together, with each bit working individually. The changes required are far too many to list but what is possible is a mapping project. It will take some seriously clever brains, but why not, what else is more important to work on. Imagine a huge map showing all the elements both big and small that could be started today, and in many cases are being already in action.
Bet that process would throw out some incredible opportunities, kind of like a Climate Change Solutions Census. With a clear map, the task of which i am not underestimating, we could see what was being done today and get involved at a touchpoint relevant to our lives. Additionally we could see where innovation needs to happen and set task-forces at the job, with as much collaboration as possible. Think about what huge corporates with revenues larger than countries have to work out on a daily basis, is it really beyond us if we wanted to do it. Might need a few people to get their cheque-books out but why not.
Then we come back to the communication issue, oh and the government incentives and policies. By explaining how and enabling to, people might really get involved. Not forgetting that we've done the why, perhaps they might actually make the changes necessary, at least it would be on an improvement on today's status quo. Now onto the reason none of this is happening yet at the scale we need it to.
The Biggest Challenge - Vested Interests
The biggest solution - collaboration. It's that simple yet that hard. Herein lies the biggest of battles and the most dangerous of foes. But this, and I'm not going to use the war analogy, is survival. Climate change isn't just about climate and that's their problem, it's about change and they don't like it. But we need it, the low carbon innovation path has so many more benefits than just regulating the temperature of our world, it brings us a new one, and once there we'll be really glad we made it, even the baddies.
@nationaltrust - a shining example of fantastic sustainability leadership
I love the National Trust. I use it regularly, am an avid supporter and share my life with an employee (my wife), so I may be a little biased. But this week has seen a series of announcements that mark the organisation as a true sustainability leader. Firstly, they have publicly made known their commitment to CO2 reductions, they are committing to a reduction of 50%, yes 50 by 2020. As Fiona Reynolds, the Director-General said' 'World leaders may not have provided a political solution to the climate change problem at Copenhagen, but that should not delay us from delivering practical solutions on the ground,'.
This needs serious recognition. Whilst the issue drops down public polls in terms of importance, some companies use the failed talks to shirk their reduction responsibilities and the debate has violently reignited over whether climate change is really happening due to the IPCC mistakes and various 'climategate' scandals, (if you can really call them that), here we have one of the country's leading charities, with a membership of over 3 million saying not only that the issue is vital, but sod the lame targets set, we're going to show you what's possible.
Amongst other initiatives, 'The target will be met by reducing energy use for electricity and heating by 20 per cent and introducing ‘grow your own’ micro and small scale energy schemes using wood fuel, solar, heat pumps, hydro and wind.' Seriously, how cool is that! And the initiative is no small measure but will, 'involve our entire in-hand building stock, which includes 300 major historic houses, office buildings, visitor centres and 360 holiday cottages.'
I think this is brilliant, bold, innovative and demonstrates a true demonstration of their brand motto, 'for ever, for everyone', as if the world boils to a crisp through lack of climate action, there won't be anyone and there won't be an ever. But more than climate change, they support locally grown food, community involvement, many more sustainable initiatives and now are well on their way to the goal of creating 1000 new UK allotments.
But this week that simply wasn't enough, they stepped in and put their, (well our) money where their mouth is, over the Abbey Road studio debate. Following a BBC radio question about whether the Trust should step in, thousands of respondents through social media and email positively backed the idea. Personally I'd love to see them turn the studios into a music development centre for the next generation of musicians, backed by some of the profits from the current crop of stars.
All very impressive and begs the question, (often discussed in our house), at a time when sustainability needs leaders, clarity creators, trust and real solution movement from fringe to the mainstream, could the National Trust become the people's champion?
What about tie-ins with commercial companies delivering sustainability solutions, an NT social network sharing home grown fruit and vegetables across communities, talks and advice given by an army of sustainability trained staff at their sites, a series of issue based explanatory films on the key issues, and a products and services licensing programme so we know when to trust what we're being sold. I know a lot people think they are there to just look after old houses, but the Trust is so much more than that. With their in-built integrity and now demonstrable leadership is there a better placed organisation to take on the great sustainability transformation challenge?
@richardbranson gets into a Virgin hot air balloon like never before! (with the help of Worn Again)
The following is a quote from the Virgin Group on their work with Worn Again, which we're chuffed with. We helped them reduce their waste by turning awesome old balloons into gorgeous products, even if we do say ourselves. And when we asked for a picture of Richard wearing them, they sent us one of him in his kitchen, nice!
'Richard took the chance to try on this striking jacket made from a retired Virgin balloon during his recent flying visit to the UK. This Red Hot Air hoodie is one of several products RE:Made by Worn Again from the balloon nylon donated by Virgin Balloon Flights. They will be sold online and through selected ethical fashion stores with a percentage of sales going to Anti-Apathy, the sustainable lifestyles charity.
After trying on the jacket, Richard said: "This is a fantastic collaboration between Virgin Balloon Flights and Worn Again and a really creative way to reduce waste and make sustainable clothing memorable and fun."
"A hot air balloon flight in a Virgin balloon is an amazing experience, and just as every flight is different, these fantastic products are totally unique. Each one has its own story and i hope lots of people will take the chance to own one so that the journey continues with them."
Thanks Richard!
Philippe Starck's New Wind Turbine - Waste of time
via fastcompany.com
Personal turbines are like going outside when it's raining, cupping your hands and saying you 'harvest rainwater'. Useless things.
A big bank collaborative sustainable innovation fund idea, the 400 club.
Sustainability innovation, the life blood of a much needed 21st Century economic transformation - and big banks, the most hated institutions of the moment. What might happen if the two came together? Some time ago over a spirited conversation a few of us world-changing chumps were discussing the collapse and subsequent much faster than they should have re-emergence of the big banks. We were also lamenting how hard it is to get low-level seed funding for new ideas, many of which won't work but the development of them and the learning acquired would spawn new ideas that would. Plus a few of them would succeed, such is the way of trial and error innovation. At a time when all business models need revision, including the entire underpinning of the system, more than anything else, it is the trying and development of new ideas that is needed. New sustainably designed products and services, more efficient social business and social enterprise solutions to societal and environmental needs and changes to the way we educate the next working generation; all of these things should be marching on at pace with a massive shot of new thinking in their collective arms. BUT they need fuel and the fuel they need is cash.
However, it is in short supply, dedicated funds are small and you need lots of inside knowledge to even get through the door, angels and angel networks thin on the ground for this kind of money, but the traditional institutions of capital lending, our banks have absolutely zero to offer. Nada, nothing, not a single low-level investment innovation programme amongst them. Then there are their employees, surely a few weeks of work using their skills to help develop these vital ideas would be good for all. And whilst we're at it, what about getting help from the legal community and marketing industries; a pro-bono network of professional from big businesses able to lend skills for a few hours to people designing the future. Oh and the government, they should pitch in too. So what might this look like?
The 400 club, a £30m innovation fund that gives out grants convertible to equity (if the idea works), dolled out to entrepreneurs and teams with new ideas to change the face of Britain. £15m coming from the banks and £15m match funding from the dept of Business, Innovation & Skills. Say the top 10 banks all chip in, that's a bonus each.
The money gets 400 new ideas off the ground, say 10% work well with revenues of £1m each - not a bad return. But why don't we try to improve the odds of success by supporting all the entrepreneurs properly and capture all the learning to cycle through into new ideas.
By creating a club with on and offline support, all the ideas people work in a collaborative way. Entrepreneurs share their learning with each other, and their pressures - online advice, training films and key information speed up knowledge, and a pool of dedicated experts can be drawn upon to give time and knowhow in areas such as legal, finance, marketing, product development. Plus, run twice yearly conferences to share best practice and learn from people who have 'been there, seen it, done it'. The initial £75 000 is provided in three stages, concept development, market proof and revenue projections. Most ideas need a year to get going by which stage they are either going to work or not. But if you're entrepreneurial, chances are your first idea won't be your last so it also acts as a training school for the next generation of wealth and job creators.
And the clever bit - each of the banks involved have the option to invest in any of the ideas that get off the ground and move into growth stage, through individually set-up innovation funds, plus the public, through a platform like Zopa for example, can choose to micro-lend to ideas they like too.
One for all and all for one innovation, it's not rocket science.
