I read this link and am now mad as hell. Why are gas stations and coal plants even still operating if we have this technology since 2004? http://open.salon.com/blog/green_energy_reports/2012/04/15/censorship_-_the_only_reason_we_are_still_addicted_to_oil This is outrageous!

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Just wondering if there are any plans on hosting a Solutions Lab in Canada in the near future.

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There can be a huge disconnect between the marketing/product development team - tasked with identifying & introducing "new" products for the market - and brand/retailer sustainability strategy.
Example of this can be seen with new product introductions that essentially replace an existing product with - for all intents - the same product. There may be some marginal change in the product, that makes it differentiable from the previous one. But if the improvement is purely aesthetic, then does this not contradict sustainability goals, especially when you consider the impact to the supply chain. Replacement product development can require activities like retooling equipment, sourcing new raw materials, not to mention resources consumed during the development process like short manufacturing runs to produce samples. In addition, what about raw materials used in the replace product that may become obsolete (no longer required or replaced) but still exist in inventory down the supply chain.

It should not be a surprise that in order for consumer products to become more sustainable at the retailer or brand level, that the manufacturers & suppliers need to be part of the solution. So, the question that needs to be addressed is how do strategic product sustainability goals fit with strategic product development goals & how can manufacturers/suppliers support its customers to achieve both set of objectives during new product development.
Because many manufacturers provide similar products to multiple customers, there can be a tendency away from sustainability when each customer request unique aesthetic requirements that don't impact form, fit, or function of the product (especially from a sustainability perspective). This can result in a supplier having to carry multiple material requirements in inventory. For example, multiple versions of blue yarn. This is where a brand/retailer in working with its manufacturer can

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Interesting info at www.circleofblue.org

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Solutions Statement Session
Our discussion began with group reflection on the MIT/SOL speaker’s Conversation Catalyst. Here is what group members thought:
Energy efficiency is playing a critical role in catalyzing interest in changing corporate culture to be more environmentally responsible, particularly in terms of carbon emissions. Taking a bigger approach, like Six Sigma, and starting by eliminating waste and then, as a next step, taking elements of the business that create value and making them the best they can be, in terms of energy efficiency and carbon, have long term financial paybacks for corporations.
Success starts by making a firm commitment towards environmental sustainability, carbon footprint reduction, and energy consumption reduction, and then being accountable and putting resources towards achieving central goals.
Growing pains are common, but in time, corporations can have a stronger ability to reduce their impact.
Paying the real price of energy, including externalities like environmental and human health impacts, can be the most important driver in getting companies to do big things in the energy efficiency space. This could really be spurred on by climate legislation, and absent of federal legislation, we have to look for regional cap and trade systems to lead the way, like New England’s Regional Greenhouse Gas Initiative (RGGI) and the Western Climate Initiative (WCI). Unfortunately, California's referendum to roll back emission reduction goals until unemployment drops could set back potential transformational changes in the energy system of our countries largest energy consuming state.

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I don't see much action on this Wiki so I'll just throw out a big question to jumpstart things:

Can we really move toward sustainability using our existing economic model that requires continual (exponential) growth? Despite an ongoing decrease in energy use per GDP, per capita energy use is always on the rise. Companies require either a growing customer base or an increase per customer consumption to survive.

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Optyva:
Ecosystem drives the change. All stakeholders need to be invested in making progress. Collaboration and enablement.
-Roadblocks
-lack of connection to customer
-surveys
-connection through technology
-how does technology play a role in getting feedback? Communication and connections
-online feedback
-feedback to the supplier
-how do you go back to supplier’s supply chain.
-then go back to manufacturer. Look at one product holistically.
-quantifyable
-feedback from customer- packaging supplier: here’s something that consumer cares about
-through technology can engage consumer through company to make change further back in the supply chain
-without consumers voice, without supplier making the change, wouldn’t happen. Need to bring everyone together.
-utilizing technology to get quantifyiable info to make change.
-how engage government? Ask for more regulation?
-collaborate.
-bring various stakeholders to the table. Environmental group / public

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Gil Friend (Pres #1)
Big Small Big
Community is our secret weapon
We need to transform at the industry level; collaboration is key.

Pres #2 - Amy
what is the role of technology in our transformation? Three opportunities:
1. products to services (Zip Car - We can't have 2 cars in every driveway...)
2. durability: What happens when we start to design for durability? (Aileen Fisher - bring our clothes back, lets find another use - sell them on eBay! :-)
3. ubiquitousness of data - google power meter, intuit apps, so that individuals can see what their impacts are, makes it much easier to shift behavior.
Trends - Moving sustainability into Business Strategy - evolution is required and MUST include these new standards,

Pres #3: Peter
IT/Data storage/Internet server (I think!)
known for their energy efficiency, but can only go so far.
- How can IT enable sustainability beyond energy efficiency?
- Could we develop go to guide for IT practitioners?

We have a lot of advancing technologies... AND, every bit of data that is transferred on the net has a carbon footprint. Could our software be more energy efficient? How could IT accelerate sustainabiliy: now we are all measuring, how can we help?

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We must do what we are here to do; it takes collaboration at the industry level. Big Small Big - Big opportunties for for small and big companies working together.

Community is our secrets weapon!

Great context setter - as usual, he makes so much sense!

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The success of Silicon Valley has led to high housing costs and long commutes, reducing the competitiveness of area companies and dramatically increasing their carbon footprint. There are models for resident-led sustainable communities, EcoVillages and Cohousing, that let people live greener and in greater density, sharing common features and helping each other reduce impacts, well beyond the "sticks and bricks" of green building. The opportunijty is there for companies to help finance the development of these communities, not just for employee housing but also their parents and friends and peers, in a low-risk form of Socially Responsible Investment (SRI).

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