Asia Pacific Biochar Conference 17 - 20 May, 2009

http://www.anzbiochar.org/AP Biochar Conference 2009 Program.pdf

See: Australia and New Zealand Biochar Researchers Network

http://www.anzbiochar.org/

Hopefully all the Biochar companies in the US will coordinate with Dr. Jeff Novak's soils work at ARS;

http://www.ars.usda.gov/pandp/people/people.htm?personid=24434

Thanks for your comment Gregory: Great that you're inspiring workers. Do they have to already be in the helping mindset, or do you ever convert individualists?

Always keep in mind that knowledge is power. I do not think the reason why my company has made a successful transition to being a sustainable entity is because I had to convert my staff to think and act like I do. I have found education to be a very powerful and inspiring tool both for my employees and for the general public. Many people in the “helping mindset” want to make a difference because they are educated on the problems that exist in addition to some of the tools and resources that are out there to help remedy these existing problems.

In my initial post I mentioned that I was starting a series of employee workshops to teach my employees about the current state of the environment and ways that they can personally live more mindfully and sustainably at home. To date, I have conducted three workshops for my staff: one on product lifecycle, one on waste and recycling, and one on transportation. I have structured these workshops in a way that my staff can learn about the problem, learn about what they can do at home, and also learn about local resources to help them achieve some ‘wins’ at home.

The feedback from these workshops has been extremely positive. I have found my staff asking more questions pertaining to sustainability and more excited about what they are doing in their personal lives. If people, my staff included, are not aware of the problems that are directly and indirectly affecting their lives and the lives of future generations, it will be incredibly difficult for them to get into this “helping mindset”.

People need to believe in what they are doing and know why they are doing it. For example, if I simply tell my employees we are composting and don’t inform them why, there is little reason why they will start to compost at home. Conversely, if I tell them that each person generates roughly 4-5 pounds of garbage per day and that over 30% of landfills are filled with paper and cardboard which should be recycled to begin with, they will hopefully be more inclined to start composting or at the very least be more conscious about the ways they dispose of their waste.

We live in such a fast paced world today and sometimes there are not enough hours in the day to take the time and find out where to drop off recycling in your neighborhood, where to bring toxic hazardous waste, or how to get to work using public transportation. I bring this information to my staff so they are one step closer to making a life style change that is positively effecting the environment, society, and community. Once people have this information at their fingertips and achieve some success, no matter how big or small, they are empowered to do more and are equally excited to tell friends and family about what they are doing.

Great that you're inspiring workers. Do they have to already be in the helping mindset, or do you ever convert individualists?

WOW! If film producers can think green (like bands do), why can't we all innovate in this area. Thanks again John, great update!

Scott,

In order to listen effectively, which by the way has nothing at all to do with comprehending words, you must have a clear intention to listen nonjudgementally.

David

This is a great post! Here's the point: on both sides of the eco-fence, we all have to be more thoughtful and innovative.

From marketers to consumers, we can all make a difference by identifying what's broken in our system (think "make/waste") and then tackling it by advocacy or protest!

I work for Citysearch.com, one of multiple online sources for finding information about local businesses. In essence, these online sources do exactly what the Yellow Pages do, with a lot less waste. So few people actually use Yellow Pages now to find businesses. Think about all of those saved trees if even half of the non-users opted out. I really enjoyed your post, and forwarded it to several colleagues and friends to spread the word!

And on top of it, companies' most important assets are their employees. People are an extremely valuable asset as they are the ones making your products and services valuable.

Like any investment, you make money from people in good times, and you may lose money in bad times, but in the end, the investment in your people is a sound financial investment.

For example, my company has a network of freelancers. We're currently exploring ways of putting some of them on a part-time payroll in order to alleviate some of the financial stresses of this downturn. Is it the best fiscal policy? Maybe not, but they've taken care of us in the good times, and we hope to take care of them in the bad times... and in the end, we maintain quality standards with quality workers.

I absolutely agree - and it seems to me that in battening down the hatches in preparation for tough times ahead, companies are creating a self-fulfilling situation... more and more people lose their jobs and have no income therefore consumer spending continues to decline - meaning fewer people buying the products and services these companies are producing! It's scary what a vicious cycle it could become.
Instead, companies should look at other methods of running leaner: ways to reduce their own waste, reduce energy consumption, and optimize their resources. They can save costs while also doing something socially responsible.

iGive.com is another such site that donates a portion of your purchase to your favorite charity (if you shop through the iGive site). And nonprofit/charity organizations can sign up for Ralph's Community Rewards Program - a contribution program that runs through shoppers' rewards cards. Shoppers can go online and find their favorite charity organization and sign the org up on their Ralph's Reward Card, then every time they shop at Ralph's, a portion of their purchase is donated to that organization.