Tuesday, November 10th, 2009
There are amazing social changing stories found on Changents.com. Changents, partnered with Timberland and EarthKeepers, promotes eco-Heroes (and their adventures) in the hopes of gathering supporters from around the globe. As part of the Earthkeepers Movement, you can team-up with some of the most exciting, up-and-coming eco-Change Agents out there! This is a great opportunity for you to make a personal connection with emerging agents of change and be part of their extended teams.
Adding to our list of Heroes whom I have had the privialge to interview, I would like to introduce London based ec0-amassador, Cate Trotter
Cate Trotter (a.k.a. the “Green Insider”) is a 25-year-old sustainability trend-spotter and “greentrepreneur” with the inside track on who’s leading the environmental revolution and how to join them. Cate not only inspires individuals, but also advises businesses on how to go green. She is sharing stories on her journey to discover cutting-edge developments emerging from London’s “green scene” including environmentally friendly design break-throughs, eco-architectural feats, ethical fashion trends, green technology innovations, and Gen Y eco-conscious culture spanning from art to nightlife.
She’s been described as a ‘renaissance woman’ (Cate drums, DJs, writes, does all the graphic and web design for her businesses, and was a clown for a little while too) and hence she has her (seemingly numerous) business thumbs in a number of green pies. Insider Trends, is Cate’s consultancy that combines her knowledge of what’s great and green with marketing strategy expertise. She takes businesses out and about, giving them powerful first-hand experience of the best initiatives.
Earth Promise: Tell me a little bit about yourself and your involvement in the environmental “movement.”
Cate Trotter: I’m a green trendspotter and entrepreneur. One of my businesses, Insider Trends, shows businesses the latest, coolest ways to attract customers whilst improving their sustainability. It does this through delivering trend tours of leading green stores and products, or giving behind-the-scenes looks at some of London’s greenest buildings.
The other business, Insider London, offers a ‘Cutting-Edge Green Tour’ which is a three-hour crash course in a broad range of green London initiatives. This includes buildings with green roofs, completely biodegradeable fashion shoes, a really funky sustainable restaurant, London’s first five-star green hotel, and more.
Both businesses work to inspire by showing people the best of what others are achieving now.
EP: What changes, or Earth Promises as we call them, have you made in your lifestyle to be greener? Changes in home, travel, work, and your community?
CT: I’ve made a wide range of pretty unglamourous changes – I share a house with 3 other people, I don’t own a car and walk whenever possible, the things I buy are generally second-hand. I took part in Timberland’s Serv-a-Palooza this year – it was a day of volunteering to help improve a community park – it was great fun.
EP: Were you “green” as a child?
CT: Not so much as a child, but I became aware of how important sustainability is when I was 17, studying design at college. Most of my work since then has aimed to make the world more sustainable in one way or other.
EP: What was your first, “aha!” Green moment?
CT: Can I pick biggest, rather than first? Some of my biggest have been consciously realising why sustainable design can make us happier than any other kind of design, and the huge sustainability implications of redesigning an entire system, rather than simply the objects within it. Other good ‘Aha’ moments come from reading the work of Edwin Datchefski – he has a marvellous way of boiling a hugely complicated subject down to its fundamental parts, without ever oversimplifying it. Check out his ‘80% More Sustainable in One Day’ PDF on his site, and his book ‘The Total Beauty of Sustainable Products’. They’re great.
EP: What led you to take design and eco-design courses at Goldsmiths College, University of London?
CT: The fact that there was no other course like it. I think there was only one other eco-design course in the country at the time. The Goldsmiths course suited me to the ground – it was multidisciplinary, and I am a Jack of all trades; it was challenging, and I need to be stimulated; and it was based in London, a city which continues to blow my mind.
EP: Sometimes if a message is played over too much, consumers will tend to ignore it after a while or tune it out or turn against it. How can green Evangelists be more effective in making sure we are relevant but not overbearing? This includes sites like Earth Promise and others as well as people in media, music, advocacy, politics, education and more.
CT: Hmm, I’m not sure customers do switch off to particular messages – one of the ads I saw most recently featured a fast red car and a glamourous lady, suggesting that if men bought a particular product they’d be more attractive as a result. That message has been around for years!! I think it’s a case of finding the green message that really, truly works. Personally, I think this will be focusing on what genuinely makes us happy, and encouraging people to deepen their connections with others rather than trying to become more desirable by owning objects that few other people have. The relevant message comes by focusing on what actually makes people happy and showing how sustainable products and systems can meet that better than any other approach. It can be done!
EP: What are some of the things that anger you or drive you crazy that you see people do that hurt the environment?
CT: Businesses who label things ‘green’ when really they’re ‘more sustainable’ upsets me. Obviously these products are needed as they’re a step in the right direction, but it’s pretty easy for a professional to see how it’s still contributing to environmental degradation. I worry that the average consumer thinks that buying something labelled ‘green’ is enough to avoid climate change, whereas a huge amount of change is needed. Don’t get me wrong, these products are an important part of the solution, but I just worry their labelling oversimplifies things for people who are struggling to get to grips with the scale of the problem. Products labelled ‘green’ make me feel we’re burying our heads in the sand sometimes, rather than tackling the problem with the gravity that’s really needed.
EP: You appear quite busy! InsiderTrends (the fast track to killer business ideas) and Insider London (private tours of the best of modern London) are two of your successful businesses. Can you tell us about these companies and what types of companies/individuals request your eco-expertise?
CT: Hopefully, I described the businesses well enough when I introduced myself. Insider Trends has worked with a broad range of very exciting clients, including some household-name global brands from the electronics, apparel, transport and alcohol industries, amongst others. We devised a ‘Sustainable Communities’ tour for the advisers of one of the world’s leading architects, and took a well-known creative agency on an in-depth tour of some of London’s most groundbreaking green buildings. We’ve shown a government agency some of the actions that individuals are taking to make their offices more eco-friendly. We’ve also had a steady stream of self-employed designers and students take the Insider London’s Cutting-Edge Green Tour.
So yes, we are very busy, but loving it and growing!
EP: While we are being hurt by the climate crisis right now, the next generations are in big trouble if we don’t take action. How can green strategists, like yourself, inspire others to be involved and help the environment?
CT: The inspiration we provide comes from showing people the huge range of exciting things that are happening now. As a consultant, you can often make suggestions to people, and they can find it very difficult to turn these ideas into action. The tours we deliver show that action can be taken, and not only that, that it can attract customers, build advocacy and loyalty, and hugely increase profits. Showing that it works financially can be a huge source of inspiration!
EP: How did you get involved in Timberlands Changents program?
CT: Changents approached me to become one of their London-based Earthkeeper Heroes. It’s been a great opportunity, I’ve met some great people through the program, including Project Dirt (the other London EK Heroes) and Jeff Swartz, the CEO of Timberland. They’re both a massive inspiration to me so I’m thrilled to have met them.
EP: I saw your video on Youtube, for the “Spot Green Contest.” Can you tell us about this project?
CT: The ‘Spot Green Contest’ asked people from around the world to submit a green initiative that they thought was a trend. Interesting, many of the ideas focused on Portland in the States! What I found most exciting about the competition was hearing how ideas that I’d previously only read about have now become reality and are making a real difference in their communities. It’s exciting stuff.
EP: What message would you give others who want to spread their eco-ideas?
CT: Go for it! The internet makes it easier than ever to publish your ideas or build on those of others. I’d try and take as much action as possible, too, though – ideas are important but mean nothing without action. That’s why Project Dirt is so great – it’s a social network for people to share ideas and encourage and support each other as they take action. Well worth checking out!
EP: When travelling and going on your eco-tours, have you taken any steps to green your travelling routine, including getting around, and equipment in general?
CT: Most of our tours are walking tours. If we do need to move faster through the city, we use public transport, or take a Green Tomato Car. Green Tomato is one of our partners – it’s the carbon-neutral taxi service with a fleet that consists solely of Toyota Prius hybrid cars.
EP: What is the one Earth Promise you are going to make in the future that you have not done yet?
CT: I’d really like to go back to being vegetarian, as it makes a huge difference to our sustainability as individuals. I eat a lot of my food out and if you don’t plan you just end up eating things covered in congealed cheese, but I think I just need to plan a bit better to achieve this.
EP: I’m sure all of the projects you have accomplished have a special place in your heart, but was there one that was more personal?
CT: I think Insider London’s Cutting-Edge Green Tour has been the most important project so far – it formed the foundation of both Insider London’ and Insider Trends’ offering. I devised and delivered the tour completely alone, launching it before I had any idea of whether it would work or how the businesses would even survive. Feedback was much, much better than I ever would have imagined, showing me that if you give your all to something and let your enthusiasm shine through, success will follow.
EP: Thank you so much. I hope to come to London one day and participate in your tour!
Tags: agents, carbon footprint, Cate Trotter, change, Changents, changes, climate change, earth, earth promise, earthkeeper, earthkeepers, earthpromise, eco-friendly, energy, environment, environmental, environmental footprint, environmental issues, global, global warming, green, green challenge, green changes, green future, green living, green practice, green practices, green revolution, green tips, green tomato car, Hero, heroes, insider london, Insider trends, London, organic, recycle, reduce, reuse, social network, Street Pack, timberland, Toyota Prius
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Thursday, November 5th, 2009
Today I would like to share another fabulous interview from one of Changents’ Timberland Earth Keeper Heroes. Nate Bastien is deemed an eco-Hero who shares his personal stories from the front lines of social and environmental change.
Nate Bastien (a.k.a. the “Impact Designers”) is creating break-through, environmentally friendly design solutions for impoverished and low-income communities. At RISD Nate designed products from a folding bicycle for urban commuters to an “assemble on site” oxygen concentrator for rural hospitals in the developing world. The more he learned about the role of industrial design the more he questioned it.
Nate is creating a ‘Street Pack’ for the homeless made entirely of scrap material otherwise headed to the landfill. The backpack is part of Local 401, a project he created and launched, and its mission is to design environmentally responsible products for marginalized communities and the organizations that serve them.
His goal is to provide as many backpacks as he can to individuals experiencing homelessness. Nate’s plan is to involve as many people as possible in this project by creating a ‘buy one, give one’ distribution model. Every time someone buys a backpack from Local 401, he’ll donate one to someone in need.
Earth Promise: What changes, or Earth Promises as we call them, have you made in your lifestyle to be greener? Changes in home, travel, work, and community?
Nate Bastien: I am always aware of how much I consume, and how much use I am able to get out of it before it is “waste”. The cashiers always give me funny look when I refuse bags and carry my items out of the store like a stack of firewood.
EP: Tell me a little bit about yourself and your involvement in the environmental “movement.”
NB: As an industrial designer who develops products for everyday use, I am passionate about our responsibility to pay close attention to what we are designing with, and who we are designing for. If you look at any dynamic system in the natural world; nothing is wasted. The byproduct of one process fuels another. I aim to develop products, systems, and ventures that are as concerned with this model as they are with generating profits.
EP: Were you “green” as a child?
NB: I have always been the outdoors type. Even as a youngster I appreciated my environment and knew the beer cans and food wrappers littered on the hiking trail was not doing it any good!
EP: What was your first, “aha!” Green moment?
NB: My first “aha” green moment was definitely seeing a landfill for the first time on an elementary school field trip. I remember thinking to myself “This can’t be right!”
EP: Being a graduate of RISD (Rhode Island School of Design), you must have created some fantastic products. Please share some of your favorite (and if any) eco-inspired projects.
NB: My experience at RISD was incredible. As a design student you are not limited by the constraints of your employer or clients, so you are able to work on projects that you are most passionate about. For me, I tended to be more interested in the engineering and mechanics of the products. I applied this interest into designs that were environmentally and or socially responsible. Some of my favorite products I developed were: a collapsible bicycle designed to work with the public transit systems creating a more desirable and realistic commute to work. Later, I developed an “assemble on site” oxygen concentrator that was designed with refurbished and recycled materials to make medical oxygen more affordable and accessible in hospitals in developing countries. The main innovation is that the container that the components are shipped in is designed to become the housing of the new medical device. Assembling on site saves cost and functions as a training exercise educating the staff on the maintenance and repair of the device.
EP: It appears that impoverished and low income communities are truly important to you and the work that you produce. How did this come about?
NB: I grew up in middle class family and never took for granted how fortunate I was. Both my mother and my father are remarkably compassionate people and have influenced me tremendously. As soon I began to lean the skill set required to design and develop products I wanted to give back to my community by applying that skill set to helping others.
EP: What is Local 401 and what was its inspiration?
NB: Local 401 is a project I started in November of 2008, where waste material, scrap material, and recycled material come together to create sustainable products for marginalized communities. My inspiration for the project is the countless number of individuals experiencing homelessness who I have made friends with, ate with, slept outside with, learned from, and designed with in the past year. What we came up with is the Street Pack, and a unique business model that enables a quality sustainable product to reach the hands of the individuals that need it most, but are the least likely to be able to afford it.
The Street Pack is a low cost yet highly functional backpack that was designed with and specifically for individuals experiencing homelessness. The pack is made from repurposed advertizing vinyl intercepted on its way to the landfill. The material is durable, water proof, and FREE. Some of the features that make the Street Pack unique are a roll down closure to keep water out and eliminate zipper failure, and a customizable external storage system enabling the ability to add on in any direction. Also, instead of using foam padding in the back panel of the pack, I integrated a thermal blanket into the back panel which functions as padding when the pack is worn and an emergency shelter when removed and unfolded.
EP: Sometimes if a message is played over too much, consumers will tend to ignore it after a while or tune it out or turn against it. How can green Evangelists be more effective in making sure we are relevant but not overbearing? This includes sites like Earth Promise and others as well as people in media, music, advocacy, politics, education and more.
NB: From my experience, people don’t respond well to preachy overly idealistic attitudes. Advocates, educators, politicians, and corporations need to simply demonstrate that being “green” is not an obstacle or a trend. It’s the natural result of our society becoming smarter and more efficient. If you want to promote a green behavior or green product for example, make it simpler, better looking, and less expensive.
EP: What are some of the things that anger you or drive you crazy that you see people do that hurts the environment?
NB: Littering! Making sure your trash and recycling end up in the right bucket has got to be the easiest way to contribute to the cause. Some people just don’t get it.
EP: How did you get involved in Timberlands Changents program?
NB: Changents and Timberland contacted RISD and my name along with several of my peers were mentioned. I had several conversations with them describing my project and they liked what I was doing and wanted to get involved and help. Timberland and Changents involvement in my project has help it progress tremendously.
EP: While we are being hurt by the climate crisis right now, the next generations are in big trouble if we don’t take action. How can educators, like yourself, inspire the public to be involved and help the environment?
NB: I hope to inspire the public by demonstrating that environmental responsibility is not difficult or complicated. It is not possible to tackle every issue in one generation. Every small action contributes to the cause, so we just need to make one step in the right direction so the next generation has a foundation to build upon.
EP: How can the people in United States be the world leader in green awareness to help 3rd world nations? What do we need to accomplish?
NB: Like I said earlier, we need to develop green technologies that are less expensive and easier to use than the current alternatives or there is no incentive to transition and will never be adopted in developing countries.
EP: What message would you give others who want to spread their eco-ideas?
NB: Put yourself out there and develop partnerships. The more people you can bring together the more you can get done.
EP: What is the one Earth Promise you are going to make in the future that you have not done yet?
NB: I need to try to use more public transportation and be less dependent on my car.
EP: Where will your passionate design skills take you next?
NB: I am in the process of launching a product development firm who specializes in developing sustainable products for marginalized communities. Currently I am finalizing our first product (the Street Pack) which will be sold at retail using a one for one model. For every pack we sell we will donate one to an individual in need.
EP: The best of luck to you. Thank you.
Tags: agents, carbon footprint, change, Changents, changes, climate change, earth, earth promise, earthkeeper, earthkeepers, earthpromise, eco-friendly, energy, environment, environmental, environmental footprint, environmental issues, global, global warming, green, green challenge, green changes, green future, green living, green practice, green practices, green revolution, green tips, Hero, heroes, homeless, impact designers, low income, low income communities, Nate Bastien, organic, recycle, reduce, reuse, RISD, social network, Street Pack, timberland
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Tuesday, November 3rd, 2009
The global awareness social media platform, Changents, “connects Agents of Change with a fan base of ‘Backers’ around the world, enabling them to create change together.” Uniting storytelling with social networking, Changents, partnered with Timberland and EarthKeepers, to promote these praiseworthy environmental ambassadors (and their adventures) in the hopes of gathering supporters from around the globe.
Earth Promise has been privileged to have interviewed some of Changents’ environmental Heroes: Christopher Swain and Andrea Bakacs . Now let me please introduce, Sami Nerenberg:
 Sami Nerenberg (a.k.a. the “Impact Designers”) is creating break-through, environmentally friendly design solutions for impoverished and low-income communities. Sami, the youngest adjunct faculty at the Rhode Island School of Design, developed and taught the advanced studio, Design for Social Entrepreneurship (DeSE) to juniors and seniors. As an Earthkeeper Hero, she is designing high impact, green “makeovers” for environmentally challenged homes as part of a community project with inner city youth.
Sami grew up in San Francisco and was constantly reminded with every light switch, faucet, and toilet flush of our world’s limited resources. The comfortable neighborhood she grew up in was a block away from the Projects, which also reminded her everyday of our world’s social inequalities.
Earth Promise: What changes, or Earth Promises as we call them, have you made in your lifestyle to be greener? Changes in home, travel, work, and your community?
Sami Nerenberg: One very small thing I do is carry around a spork from Bamboo so I can avoid plastic utensils whenever possible.
EP: Were you “green” as a child?
SN: I suppose you could call it that. My mom and I used to compete around the house to see who could be more efficient. She once gleefully showed me how she dried her paper towel and then reused it. I followed suit and was always very resource conscious and pro-active in high school in getting friends to pick up after themselves and recycle.
EP: What was your first, “aha!” Green moment?
SN: There have been several aha moments throughout my life. There isn’t just one thing we can do to magically become sustainable. Everything is interconnected. I’m interested in how the environment affects people and the inequalities therein, because really- the Earth will be fine without us, it’s ourselves we’re trying to save. An aha moment was when I found the “Environmental Justice” movement which talks about the disproportionate distribution of environmental burdens on low-income often minority communities. Something I think the larger environmental movement is just starting to get comfortable talking about.
EP: Sometimes if a message is played over too much, consumers will tend to ignore it after a while or tune it out or turn against it. How can green Evangelists be more effective in making sure we are relevant but not overbearing? This includes sites like Earth Promise and others as well as people in media, music, advocacy, politics, education and more.
SN: Well, I think the first step is to not see it as evangelists. People can take it or leave it. There are scales to being green and you have to meet people where they are at. Recycling might be a huge step for one family, while others may have a living machine in their backyard. A message would be very different to those two families. The Environmental Movement also tends to use guilt to persuade people. I think we can come up with more effective means of communicating a message- making it fun, exciting and engaging.
EP: What are some of the things that anger you or drive you crazy that you see people do that hurt the environment?
SN: I try not to get angry anymore because that just leads me to judging people. I don’t want to judge people because I can no longer see them for who they are. My goal is to provide opportunities of engagement for those that are interested in learning more about social and environmental sustainability. All I can hope for is that people question their assumptions.
EP: Tell us about Grain Designs?
SN: Grain is a sustainable design collective started by me and fellow RISD alum. It’s an umbrella for all of our projects that are socially and environmentally driven. We do anything and everything from modular furniture, vinyl free shower curtains, to prefab housing and educational programs.
EP:We hear you made it to be a finalist in the reality show, Room by Room. Tell us about this exciting project.
SN: Room by Room is a pilot healthy home make-over show with inner city teens that I developed. This summer, 10 students went through 6 weeks of eco-design boot-camp to learn about environmental threats within the home such as lead, mold, pests and toxic cleaning products and then were trained on interior design and making principles to make-over their own rooms. The whole program was video recorded and we are currently working on editing the footage. We were a finalist on the ideablob competition in the spring. We didn’t win but luckily we ended up getting funding from the Recovery Package, Brown University, and in-kind services from the Rhode Island School of Design.
EP: I read that you are the youngest adjunct faculty at RISD, (Rhode Island School of Design). What do you teach? How has this impacted your drive the make your environmental green statements?
SN: I had the great opportunity to develop and teach “Design for Social Entrepreneurship” which aims to cultivate social entrepreneurial designers by investigating the power of products, systems and services to create positive social and environmental change both internationally and domestically. The studio was a great success. 1 in 4 of the students has continued with their projects and are currently working on developing them into businesses including my fellow Earth Keepers Hero Nate Bastien!
EP: How did you get involved in Timberlands Changents program?
SN: As I recall, Changents contacted RISD to get wind of any exciting change agents on campus. RISD’s media partners had seen my studio’s final critique so they recommended me among others. We had an over the phone interview and I sent Changents some more info about me along with a home made video. I guess they liked it and chose me as one of the Earth Keepers Heros!
EP: What message would you give others who want to spread their eco-ideas?
SN: It can be paralyzing and intimidating to think about all the problems in the world and all that is being done that may or may not work. All one can do is try and keep the momentum going in the positive direction. Otherwise we will collectively fall. Think about what you enjoy the most and what you are best at and there you will find your way of giving back to the community.
EP: When travelling and taking part in a myriad of lectures, have you taken any steps to green your travelling routine, including getting around, and equipment in general?
SN: Ya! Actually in fact, just recently, when offered a flight from DC to NYC for an upcoming conference, I instead requested a train. I love trains and this has a much smaller carbon footprint than flying.
EP: What is the one Earth Promise you are going to make in the future that you have not done yet?
SN: I’d like to start a company one day that employs designers to work on socially and environmentally sustainable projects to systemically problem solve some our country’s hairiest issues. Right now, most of the work being done is on a volunteer basis, but I believe we can use market forces for the greater good.
EP: I’m sure all of the projects you have accomplished have a special place in your heart, but was there one that was more personal?
SN: Well there were a couple of special moments this past year. One of them was while teaching at RISD when I had a student take the bus for the first time to reach her nonprofit partner. This for me was a great indicator of getting RISD students out of the RISD bubble. I also just loved having one:one time with my students. I remain friends with most of them today. The other was my summer program Room by Room. Working with the high school students was great and it was amazing to see some untapped creativity that the students didn’t even know they had come out!
EP: Where will the next designing social change project take you?
SN: Hopefully to grad school. I’m currently applying for MBA programs. I’ll also be co-teaching a “Design Futures” course in the Design Management program at Pratt this coming winter and then plan to travel in Asia come spring. I am currently scoping out interesting projects to work while abroad on and am always open to suggestions.
EP: Thanks so much for taking time to share with us!
Tags: agents, carbon footprint, change, Changents, changes, climate change, earth, earth promise, earthkeeper, earthkeepers, earthpromise, eco-friendly, energy, environment, environmental, environmental footprint, environmental issues, global, global warming, green, green challenge, green changes, green future, green living, green photography, green practice, green practices, green revolution, green tips, heroes, organic, photography, recycle, reduce, reuse, sami nerenberg, social network, timberland
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Tuesday, October 27th, 2009
Today’s post is an interview with photgrapher, Andrea Bakacs. She is one of the many inspiring Timberland EarthKeeper Heroes from the global awareness website, Changents .
 Andrea Bakacs is harnessing the power of photography to deliver eco-messages. At just 29, Andrea is pointing her camera at amazing pockets of nature worth saving and a host of green projects sprouting from nooks and crannies across New York City. Ever seen Manhattan’s eco-friendly composting nuns? How about a farm complete with goats and chickens and cherry trees smack in the middle of the east village—on a rooftop? What about the green movement’s equivalent of graffiti artists—guerrilla gardeners? Andrea is taking the public along for a ride on her visual story of green NYC.
Andrea is a photography graduate of Parsons School of Design and has experience as both a photographer and photo editor. For the past two years, she’s authored a blog about other photographers’ environmental work. Andrea recently started working with the Majora Carter Group to help amass and edit a photographic and video library mapping its green course across the world. In the past, she’s campaigned for better paper use at Martha Stewart Living and Seventeen magazines, encouraged local photographers to “green” their shoots, started recycling programs across multiple departments, and began conversations with heads of print production to make them aware of the most cutting edge green technologies available to them.
EP: I read that you are originally from Romania. How old were you when you moved to the U.S.?
Andrea Bakacs: I am Hungarian from Romania, born in Oradea (or Nagyvarad as it’s known in Hungarian) until I was 7 years old, leaving 1 year after my parents escaped communism during the Ceausescu regime in 1986. I am part of the Hungarian minority, from a section called Transylvania. You might have heard of it?
EP: Were you “green” as a child?
AB: My parents gave up everything they had, everything they knew, everything they ever were and potentially were, to leave Romania, to give my younger brother and I hope for a better and more opportune future in the west. Leaving behind not only their material possessions but also their network, and in the case of my father, even the notoriety of his degree and career (the US will not recognize a Masters in Civil Engineering from Romania), we grew up extremely frugal, similar to that in Romania, where frugality was a given, only in that you had no choice. Goods simply weren’t available there, whether or not you had the money to pay for them. My parents particularly taught me about using things well into if not beyond their life cycle. How many people do you know that have had the same washer and dryer since 1988? Ok, they finally broke down last year after repair after repair (on behalf of my father– thank you very much) became dangerous to the house and to them (the heat on the dryer wouldn’t turn off and would therefore risk fire.) But that’s not to say I didn’t have things or opportunity. My parents definitely valued experience over materials things however. I played every sport I could’ve imagined and traveled all over the world. That’s when I started to think about the environment. Not necessarily that anything was wrong, or that it needed my help, but more that I truly loved being a part of it and having access to its never ending wonder. Since I probably still haven’t really answered your question, I should add that my household growing up was only green in the sense that we never had the thermostat above 68, didn’t have AC, only drove used cars, and took bottles back to the store to collect the deposit. Other than that, nobody including me had any clue.
EP: Being a photography graduate of Parson School of Design, as well as having various jobs as a photographer and photo editor, was there an “aha!” green moment that changed your focus?
AB: People often ask me if I’ve always been green, or if there was ever that “aha” moment. I think it’s much more gradual than that. It’s hard to pin point a specific time or event that triggered a huge change in thinking or behavior. Certainly, training in a career that involves ridiculous amounts of expendable supplies (you don’t even want to know how much film and paper and chemicals we went through in school just to be chucked away at the end of the day) it definitely happened in the past 5 years or so. I had been working as a photo editor and my eye is trained to notice things. Sometimes these are absolutely regular and ordinary things most people over look, or are normal and therefore unconscious. I started noticing the amount of paper in the recycling bins, my recycling bins, in the printers that would go unclaimed, in the garbage, now soiled, doomed for the landfill. And I began reading. I’ve always been more of a non-fiction reader, and as a few years ago I began to take more interest in food, agriculture, and eating a healthier diet some of the books I read on this subject happened to directly relate to environmentalism. The more I read, the more I wanted to read further. I became consumed and passionate like I had never been about something before. Because here was something I truly felt I could be a part of, have a voice in, and create positive change for.
EP: Sometimes if a message is played over too much, consumers will tend to ignore it after a while or tune it out or turn against it. How can green Evangelists be more effective in making sure we are relevant but not overbearing? This includes sites like Earth Promise and others as well as people in media, music, advocacy, politics, education and more.
AB: Wow this is a tough one. I’m certainly guilty of this myself! To be honest, I’m not sure I have the answer. Except I know that we can’t stop, just because we think it may not be working. I’m not saying keep preaching so-to-speak, but don’t give up on the message and don’t give up the fight. I really think to make a change it has to come from the top. But in order to create change in government it takes us down here on the ground voicing our opinions and creating a movement. The more people involved in the movement the stronger our voice and the more power we’re creating for our voice to be heard and listened to seriously. That said, say it with kindness. And a smile. A smile usually works.
EP: What are some of the things that anger you or drive you crazy that you see people do that hurts the environment?
AB: I just blogged about this yesterday! I saw a superintendent of a building in my neighborhood take 2 bags of folded sweaters and dump them in a curb-side trash can. Don’t even want to get into it! Most of my friends know me to be pretty hardcore when it comes to recycling, so when I see people at Whole Foods read the signs that clearly show (with pictures too!) what should be thrown in each individual tub and then completely get every single one of them wrong—well, it kills me. And not because some of the stuff is now contaminated, even if people are sorting it on the back end, but mostly because I know that probably means they don’t care. Ok sometimes it means they don’t speak English! But it definitely makes me sigh.
Obviously there are much larger issues that both anger and frustrate me, if not cause me to question humanity and our society as a whole. Whoa. Definitely don’t want to get into it on that one.
EP: At some of your past positions, for example at Martha Stewart Living and Seventeen magazines, not only did you partake in your “regular” duties, but you provided some “green” guidance. Can you elaborate?
AB: My greenness, if you could call it that, certainly took hold of me during my 5 year stint at Martha Stewart. At some point, alarms would go off in my head when someone a few desks down was throwing out folders and I’d immediately run over and ask if I could take them off their hands. I was going to reuse them, whereas they were going to use new ones. I wasn’t the only one however that began noticing the regular mixing of our pre-sorted recyclables and garbage late at night. Besides some of these detective roles I played which thankfully led to positive solutions, I also began some conversations about better and more sustainable paper practices both in the printing of the magazine as well as with regards to our general office duties.
At Seventeen, which occupies a floor of the LEED certified Hearst Tower, we transitioned from a highly paper wasting production process to an almost completely paper free one. Hearst wanted Seventeen to be the model for the rest of the publishing house, and therefore also the guinea pig. I worked with a fantastic department who were excited about contributing ideas on how to implement the program, and posted tips and suggestions on cubicles. Paper tracking software installed by the business department showed paper use had gone down drastically, and it was just the beginning. I also began conversations with the well known cafeteria in the building after I noticed that the fish at the sushi station was not labeled with place of origin and catch method like other fish at nearby stations. After I learned the sushi fish was coming from places like China, India, Japan, Brazil, etc. I began discussing alternatives with the head of the cafeteria.
EP: While we are being hurt by the climate crisis right now, the next generations are in big trouble if we don’t take action. How can people inspire others to be involved and help the environment?
AB: I think the best way to inspire others is to use the skills and talents that each individual inherently has, and channel them for the cause. I’m not a solar panel engineer, nor a project manager for an NGO, I’m a photographer and a photo editor who is using what I know and the skills I have to put out an important and urgent message. Use your notoriety and expertise for the greater good. I seriously think most people who aren’t yet convinced or aren’t yet involved simply do not understand the gravity of the current environmental crisis, the sheer scale of it, nor the urgent danger we are in.
EP: Your photography and love of travel takes you all over the world. How can the people in United States bring green awareness to help 3rd world nations? What do we need to accomplish?
AB: We have to start practicing what we preach! For one, who are we to tell others what to do if we won’t do it ourselves? How do we set an example our children, to other countries, to our leaders, if we refuse to take responsibility for our part in this? And that’s a big part. We throw away enough food to feed the entire planet. Yet roughly 14% of the world is hungry and suffers from undernourishment. We have only 5% of the world’s population but we account for 25% of the energy used. That means, if every family in the world lived like the average American family we would need 5 planet Earths to sustain us. We don’t have 5 planet Earths people—wake up!! And no, it is not ok to think you deserve to live like this but millions of other people don’t. Right now, in the States, we have an amazing opportunity. An opportunity to act, as a nation, collectively, for the greater good, and for the future of our entire planet. We have the technology, we have the know-how, and I believe we have the will power, we just have to do it. Imagine that our grandkids will be saying that we were part of the generation that saved the world vs. the generation that let this happen, and knowingly. To do this however, we have to convince our government, because they are the only ones that can implement the change we need on the scale that is required.
EP: Tell me about the Majora Carter Group and how you got involved?
AB: A friend, John Mundy, is the Project Manager there and recounted the inspirational story that led him to apply for a job there. At the time, I had left Martha Stewart, and was well into the freelance world. I was also looking to make my way into the green industry somehow, but hadn’t yet found my niche. I wanted to target companies and organizations I both cared about and believed in, and those I felt I could contribute to in a unique way given my background and expertise in the photo industry. I came on board to track and down and acquire photographic content from various events that Majora has attended over the past few years, along with video footage, to begin a media library of sorts, accessible for PR purposes, presentations, etc. I worked mostly with the VP at MCG, James Chase, although I do want to say Majora is absolutely every bit as inspirational in person as she is on television or radio.
EP: Earth Promise is about connecting and sharing ideas for change with others. What things have you done professionally that you can share with our community of members who are now making changes in their lifestyle? What have you done to raise awareness?
AB: Treehugger said it best last week when they wrote if we all just made 2 changes in our lives, just 2, we could truly help solve the climate crises. Stop eating meat and sign up for green power. I do both of those things, along with the usual stuff like only buying all natural beauty and cleaning products, drinking only from the tap, unplugging appliances when not in use, shopping seasonally at the farmers market, buying milk in reusable glass bottles, recycling my textiles, etc. On the professional side, I have gone digital, which has replaced enormous amounts of chemicals used in the making and processing of film. I upgrade my computers instead of purchasing new ones, soft proof when I edit to avoid using paper, when necessary to print do so on 100% post consumer recycled paper, opt out of all credit card offers and junk mail, cancel yearly paper phone books, etc. I do have a sticker on my door that shows I support and subscribe to 100% wind power, as I think it’s one of the most effective, if not easiest choices you can make to greening your home, office, or business. That said, beginning and continuing discussions on how to incorporate sustainable business practices is a must.
EP: When travelling, have you taken any steps to green the process, including getting around and the photography equipment you use?
AB: Yes, I’m all for train travel whenever possible to avoid unnecessary planes, and love to master the public transportation in any city I’m in. As far as equipment, I am now digital which makes me greener when I travel, in that I’m no longer carrying hundreds of rolls of film which later must be chemically processed. I was recently on a shoot where the location van, or RV, was green. Solar panels, full on recycling, souped up fuel efficiency—it was amazing.
EP: In your blog, Photography for a Greener Planet, your intention is to unite photographers and environmentalists; a great place for artists to learn from one another. What have you learned?
AB: I’ve learned a great deal both about photography and about environmentalism. In researching for appropriate photographers to write about I inherently also find out about their backgrounds, why they’ve gone into environmentally related subject matter, and of course about the issues at hand which they’re exploring. For me it’s a great way to submerge myself in both worlds simultaneously. That is, the photo/art world and the green world.
EP: Looking at your photography and other environmental artists’ works, I can see that art is a relationship between people and their environment. Regarding your environmental works, you truly focus on what the true problem is: neglect, greed, selfishness, gluttony. What are your thoughts on this?
AB: I have certainly also focused on the positive, not just the negative. For example I began a photographic project on Jamaica Bay, specifically the salt marshes there which are classified as official wild life refuge, right next to JFK airport. I focused on the beauty and unique habitat and ecosystem these marshes are providing, yet always with the underlying urgent message that they are in danger, in that they are sinking too rapidly for conservation and rehabilitation efforts to keep up with. I also produced a body of work called “Natural Containment” which questions taming and containment of both man and nature and lies on the positive spectrum. However, I’ve also photographed my fair share of work on the problems you highlighted. I do not want to shout doom and gloom, but sometimes you’ve got to see the negative before you can imagine a positive solution. There is a certain beauty to decay and the message can be easier to read. For me it truly depends on the subject matter and how I approach it personally before I decide how to approach it photographically.
EP: What is the one Earth Promise you are going to make in the future that you have not done yet?
AB: I’m going to start composting in the next 6 months. And that’s an earth promise!
EP: Thank you!
Tags: agents, Andrea Bakacs, carbon footprint, change, Changents, changes, climate change, earth, earth promise, earthkeeper, earthkeepers, earthpromise, eco-friendly, energy, environment, environmental, environmental footprint, environmental issues, global, global warming, green, green challenge, green changes, green future, green living, green photography, green practice, green practices, green revolution, green tips, heroes, Majora Carter Group, martha stewart living, ocean habitats, organic, parsons school of design, photography, recycle, reduce, reuse, Seventeen, social network, timberland
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Tuesday, October 13th, 2009
As you know, Earth Promise has formed a relationship with Changents, a site that “connects Agents of Change with a fan base of Backers around the world, enabling them to create change together.” Not only have I posted some blogs about the site in general, but have begun interviewing some of the most incredible Heroes.
When I first found Changents, I registered to be on their mailing list. Yesterday’s email that I received truly caught my attention. Here is a portion of the post:
Change Agents Help the World.
What Happens When One of Them is in Trouble?
 Change Agent Denise Russoproduces events and concerts that raise $$ and awareness for the global water crisis. She’s been telling her story on Changents and building a community around her work since March. And right now, Denise is in distress.
On September 21, Denise’s hometown of Austell, GA started to flood. That morning Denise had no idea that by nightfall her kids’ elementary school, as well as the family car, would be completely submerged under water. She began the next day – which, by the way, was her birthday – with a “personal gondolier ride…in a canoe…to [her] front door.” Over nine feet of water had flooded her house and destroyed her family’s belongings – more than $80K in damages. Today, the house is down to its studs and her family is living in a shelter.
We stand behind our Change Agents, and right now it’s time to rally the Changents community around Denise.
As a real Change Agent, Denise is focusing on the solution instead of succumbing to grief. While this is undoubtedly an extremely tough time for her, her husband, and her two young children, she’s full speed ahead on rebuilding her life and telling us how we can help. So in true Changents fashion, we are jumping head first into problem solving mode!
Denise needs your help. She’s posted a special blog on Changents with three requests. Please check it out and while you’re there, make sure you leave a comment of support for the family! You can also forward this email to a friend using the “Forward Email” button below.
This is my way of spreading her message. Please take the time to support Denise and all that she has done for the Global Water Crisis; it is now time for the world to help her.
Tags: agents, Austell, carbon footprint, change, Changents, changes, clean water, climate change, denise russo, earth, earth promise, earthkeepers, earthpromise, eco-friendly, energy, environment, environmental, environmental footprint, environmental issues, flood, Georgia, global, global warming, global water crisis, green, green challenge, green changes, green future, green living, green practice, green practices, green revolution, green tips, Hero, heroes, organic, recycle, reduce, reuse, social network, swim, timberland, water crisis, water pollution
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Monday, October 5th, 2009
The global awareness website, Changents, “connects Agents of Change with a fan base of ‘Backers’ around the world, enabling them to create change together.” The best part about Changents is that it brings global awareness about uniquely fascinating people (aka, Heroes) and their do-good actions. Combining storytelling and social networking, Changents, partnered with Timberland and EarthKeepers , promoting these praiseworthy environmental ambassadors (and their adventures) in the hopes of gathering supporters from around the globe.
Earth Promise was fortunate to have interviewed many of Changents’ environmental Heroes.
 Christopher Swain, on Earth Day 2009, dove into the frigid and dirty Atlantic ocean, beginning a 1,000 mile, 2-year swim from New England to Washington D.C. — an eco-expedition designed to find alternatives to “unhelpful human activities” (as Christopher likes to say) destroying our ocean habitats as a result of water pollution. The public can follow Christopher’s swim, communicate with him, and experience first hand what he sees while freestyling through water contaminated with algae blooms, oil slicks, trash, heavy metals, toxic chemicals, sewage and nuclear waste… not to mention container ships, rip tides, rain, snow, lightning, high winds and tiger sharks.
Earth Promise: What changes, or Earth Promises as we call them, have you made in your lifestyle to be greener? Changes in home, travel, work, with your kids and community?
Christopher Swain: Like many people who are concerned about the environment, I used to drive long distances in my SUV to give speeches about how people shouldn’t drive long distances in their SUVs. So, for me, the first step was admitting publicly to this sort of silly inconsistency. That led to a slow series of changes in my life, like switching to a diesel pickup truck that runs on waste vegetable oil, and doing my hometown errands on my mountain bike (yes, even when it rains). In terms of my kids, well, they notice what I do more than what I say.
EP: Tell me a little bit about yourself and your involvement in the environmental “movement.”
CS: I wouldn’t call myself an environmentalist. I am a swimmer who wants clean water, and a dad who wants his kids to grow up in a healthier world.
EP: Were you “green” as a child?
CS: We didn’t even have curbside recycling when I was little. It was a big deal to stop littering—I remember my mom yelling at me to pick up my trash and throw it in the bin.
EP: I’ve read that you were drawn to the water at an early age, growing up by the water and winning your first sail-boating race at age 7. I’m assuming this love of the water drew you to making your bold statements about preserving our oceans?
CS: I love the water, and I enjoy doing projects with kids. I am doing to this swim as a way to help 50,000 kids do project-based learning about the ocean. I think working with kids is the most leveraged use of my energy–adults can be pretty set in their ways.
EP: What was your first, “aha!” green moment?
CS: Not sure there was one. I remember feeling sad when I found trash on the beaches when I was little.
EP: Sometimes if a message is played over too much, consumers will tend to ignore it after a while or tune it out or turn against it. How can green Evangelists be more effective in making sure we are relevant but not overbearing? This includes sites like Earth Promise and others as well as people in media, music, advocacy, politics, education and more.
CS: Nobody likes being told what to do.
EP: What are some of the things that anger you or drive you crazy that you see people do that hurts the environment?
CS: It is sad to see that so many of us lack the courage to leave our comfort zones behind in order to live in healthier ways.
EP: Tell us more about the 2007 documentary, Source to Sea: The Columbia River Swim?
CS: In 2002-2003, I swam the entire 1,243 mile length of the Columbia River to call attention to the disrupted ecosystems and dislocated peoples of the Columbia River basin. The documentary went a long way toward telling the river’s story in the voices of the people who lived along its banks.
EP: How did you get involved in the Changents program?
CS: One of my neighbors told me about the site and suggested that I get involved.
EP: While we are being hurt by the climate crisis right now, the next generations are in big trouble if we don’t take action. How can parents and schools inspire their kids to be involved and help the environment?
CS: I believe the best way to inspire kids is to lead by example. Beyond that, I think parents and teachers should give kids the information and tools they need to begin searching for solutions.
EP: Do you feel that the United States needs stronger laws to protect the environment? If so, in what areas?
CS: In every area. In particular, I feel that the U.S. should be leading the world in protecting the web of life and in addressing the climate crisis. Sadly, we are not there yet.
EP: How can the people in United States be the world leader in green awareness to help 3rd world nations? What do we need to accomplish?
CS: We need to lead from the front. We should not ask anyone to do what we are not doing ourselves.
EP: Are these inspiring environmental actions a trend? We have interviewed Nathan Winters who just completed his 3,500 mile bike ride across America dedicated to raising awareness for land and nature conservation and to support the Nature Conservancy. What type of message should people be taking from eco-adventurous people like yourself?
CS: It takes courage to go forward when things are scary or difficult. Whether we are swimming in the ocean or riding through the Rockies in a hailstorm, we all need to fund the reserves of strength that will sustain us in challenging times.
EP: What message would you give others who want to spread their eco-ideas?
CS: You have to have the heart for this sort of work. Unless you are willing to put yourself, and maybe your life, on the line for what you believe, you aren’t going to win many hearts and minds.
EP: When on your swimming adventures, have you taken any steps to green the process, including getting around and equipment in general?
CS: Sure. We use sea kayaks and extremely-efficient, catamaran-style inflatable boats and four-stroke outboard motors for escort craft. We travel in a vegetable oil-powered truck. We are setting up virtual classroom visits for the coming school year to lower our travel miles. Our overall goal is to reduce our footprint as much as we can and then try to balance out the remaining impact through various helpful activities, like investments in new renewable energy projects.
EP: What is the one Earth Promise you are going to make in the future that you have not done yet?
CS: To try to enjoy myself more when I am working hard out in the field.
EP: I’m sure all of the swims you have accomplished have a special place in your heart, but was there one that was more personal?
CS: My swim down the Columbia was a trial by water. By the time I reached the Pacific Ocean, I was an entirely changed man.
EP: Where will the next swim take you?
CS: Good question…ask me again when I get to Washington DC!
EP: This has been great. Thank you very much.
Be sure to come back and read more about the Earthkeeper Heroes.
Tags: agents, carbon footprint, change, Changents, changes, christopher swain, clean water, climate change, Columbia River, earth, earth promise, earthkeepers, earthpromise, eco-friendly, energy, environment, environmental, environmental footprint, environmental issues, global, global warming, green, green challenge, green changes, green future, green living, green practice, green practices, green revolution, green tips, heroes, ocean habitats, organic, recycle, reduce, reuse, social network, swim, timberland, water pollution
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Change the way people think. Isn’t that what any movement is all about? In order for us to see a change in environmental issues, we need to modify the public’s thought process. We need to make it personal; how it will affect them. Turning off the lights in rooms in the house which are unoccupied can not only save you in energy costs, but will help reduce greenhouse gases. That hits home for many. Overall, people do want change to help make a better world. Even just a small alteration in lifestyle certainly could be a solution to our crisis of climate change. However, it can be difficult to get people to transform many aspects of their lifestyles. How about a company, then, that changes their method of running their business? Would this draw you to shop, knowing that they practice energy efficiency? How about this for a strategic plan: Your business is advised to take specific green steps to make energy-efficient changes. In exchange, a “mob” of customers on a set day will to come and purchase from your store. A set percentage of that day’s sales will go towards revamping your business to upgrade the store to adhere to the energy efficient recommendations. What a fabulous way to applaud your business based on their green practices. 
