From the Club of Rome to 2013 (and beyond) – regenerative thinking and some developing practices

(Originally posted June 2013. Most recently updated September 2014)

I read a recent blog post which made the claim that “In the past 25 years, only lip-service has been paid to SD, particularly around the use of fossil fuels.”   I don’t agree – I believe that we’re much further down the track than most people know. 

To me, the past 25 years have been the design phase of developing a regenerative economy.    Increasingly, those designs are being translated into innovation in the built and made environments. So I’ve started putting together a list of the developing principles and practices of Regenerative Thinking as I understand them.

Who specifically? What specifically? What’s beyond ‘someone should do something’…

OK, so you want a change in your world – what’s that change going to look like?  Do you know ?  Can you describe what you want instead?

A web post I was referred to recently said that: “Those in charge of our world currently are clearly not doing the job that needs to be done“.  The response to that post was:  ‘What are “our current leaders” failing to do? What are you hoping we … [the alternative leaders]…  do?‘

Who specifically….

Who specifically do you want to influence?  Who has the power now, today, to make a decision that will lead to direct action in the domain that you want action? Who is the person who has the power to make that change happen?  Do you know?  Can you get beyond “the government should” or “business shouldn’t” to describe what change you want and who truly has the power to get it initiated?

What specifically…

What specifically do you want them to do?  What process do you want them to follow?  What results will it generate and for whom?   What specific evidence will tell you that the change you want has been achieved?

3 simple practices for success in the business sustainability game

GreenBiz.com recently released its 2013 State of the Profession report on the sustainability executive job market.  One of its findings was that there are key ways of being that support sustainability leadership success – particularly curiosity and an ambition to communicate effectively.

There is a trio of definable and practicable mindsets that support these ways of being. In the same way that Pilates builds core strength in our physical bodies, these practices build emotional resilience and are a strong foundation for career and life success.  The three practices are acceptance, ambition and curiosity/wonder.

Could you help generate the next Ray Anderson?

More and more people these days know who Ray Anderson was – one of the great entrepreneurs, and a world leader in regenerative business.   It’s tempting to just accept the 20th century’s “super hero” assumption – but there was more to it than just inspiration.  Ray got inspired because he  had to be inspiring – giving a kick-off speech to his sustainability working party.

There was a process BEHIND Ray Anderson’s “aha” moment on sustainability…