Ann Davison

Growing up Green

Today's young Americans are less interested in the environment and in conserving natural resources than their elders were when they were young, according to a recent Associated Press report. The reporter’s source is an article in the Journal of Personality and Social Psychology in which the authors compared attitudes among Baby Boomers (1946-1962) ,  Generation Xers (1962-1981) and Millennial (1982-Wikipedia won't give us an end date.)

I’m familiar with these studies having used them as a guide to help shape advocacy and social marketing campaigns targeting youth.  But I question this interpretation of the data.  The analysis seems to be lacking an appreciation for the changing context in which youth are experiencing environmental issues.

For Baby Boomers, demonstrating concern about the environment required some effort.  Recycling was rarely an option and usually only for paper.  Public transportation or bike paths were either terribly inconvenient or non-existent.  Energy efficient lighting, appliances, and cars didn’t exist for affordable purchase.  At the same time, rivers were catching fire in Ohio, the air in major urban areas was often unbreathable, and medical waste was washing up on shorelines. 

To show concern, Baby Boomers joined organizations like the Sierra Club, participated in Earth Day clean-up events, wrote Congressman demanding resource protections and donated to “Save the Penguins” causes. That's not to say every Baby Boomer took these actions - but enough did that their peers noticed and surely their beliefs and attitudes (the measures tracked in the longitudinal surveys cited in the aforementioned journal articled) were influenced by that action.

As a result of that early activism, there are now laws on the books such as the Clean Air and Clean Water Act.  Corporations have stepped up to create innovative products and services intended to help consumers reduce their environmental impacts – from hybrid cars to hip reusable shopping bags.  And the scrappy NGOs created to save the planet are now some of the most highly funded and powerful advocacy groups around.  The environment movement has morphed into a sustainability movement and it's part of the fabric of our lives. 

What the surveys fail to consider is this new context.  Young people today don’t see “saving the environment” as a special cause – it’s part of their every day life, particularly in large urban settings.  They recycle in the high school cafeteria, flock to movies about the consequences of humans depleting the earth’s natural resources,  go to class in new LEED certified buildings at college, walk or use the subway to their first jobs, and find Energy Star appliances already installed in their first homes.  What more do they need to do?

Are today’s young people really un-moved by the risks to Mother Nature, or is it simply that pro-environmental attitudes and behaviors have become an integral part of their daily activities and thus don't register as a "concern" in surveys relative to some more immediate issues such as the need to find work or pay off school loans? 

 

Black Friday Undercuts Sustainable Economy

Though nearly 11 months out, the Black Friday which precedes the Presidential election is a sign of the strength or weakness of the incumbent. Sales figures are a measure of consumer confidence, closely tracked and reported by financial, consumer and political media.  What's the verdict for Obama?

Early reports in the wee morning hours were dim, but as the morning sun began to rise, news reports looked a bit more hopeful.  While the typical stories of shoppers gone mad dominated the online headlines, the below the fold story of an expected 10% increase in sales of 2010 are a good sign for the White House. The final analysis will more likely show single digit improvements.  One could predict a similar storyline next November 6th, though with much tighter margins.

The measure of consumer spending as a sign of an improved economy is, however, an unfortunate indicator.  At at time when our nation is deep and debt, as are our citizens, do we really need to scramble on top of one another to grab the latest game console like savages?  Spending has become synonymous with "good economy."  But a sustainable economy should emphasize rationale spending and even some serious savings.  

Sure, one can argue that Black Friday is in fact about savings, and I'll buy that to a point.  But just once, I'd love to see a presidential candidate come out on Thanksgiving and encourage everyone to "sleep-in" the next day, as opposed to racing to the big box stores fighting for parking spots and a place in line.  Get some real exercise (not the kind where you run down the aisles) to shake off the extra calories heaped on during the holidays; spend time with family discussing how we can do more with less as a society - because that is the reality we live in. 

Instead of waiting on a presidential candidate to emerge with all the solutions, we must take personal responsibility for our health, our pocket books, our neighborhoods and our future.  My husband says, gleefully, I sound like a Republican.  But I call this Sound Citizenship  - something neither of the parties has yet grasped.

Coffee Cup Sustainability

Thinking about how to re-energize your organization in the aftermath of the recession?  Looking for insights into how leaders transform companies? Want some scoop on Pike's Peak Roast?  I recommend Onward, by Starbucks CEO Howard Schultz.

On the sustainability circuit, I've heard a million times about their recyclable paper cup commitment.  But this memoir-meets-business leadership guide delves much deeper into decisions and actions across the enterprise that were critical to its short term survivability, much less long term sustainability. 

Never a big fan (until now) of the corner coffee shop giant, I picked up the book to help me prepare for a conversation with another organization which, like Starbucks, is celebrating a 40th anniversary at a crossroads.  Much to my surprise, I was captivated by Schultz's stories of a year (2008) of company life as stock prices crashed and they focused on recapturing financial and reputational footing. 

If you like punchlines, jump to page 309 where Schultz sums up many of the lessons:  Grow with discipline. Balance intuition with rigor. Innovate around the core.  Dn't embrace the status quo.  Find new ways to see.  Stick to your values, they are your foundation.  Hold people accountable but give them toos to succeed. While the advice sounds familiar, the context is illuminating and entertaining.

In the end, I not only bought the book, I bought a rewards card, downloaded a SB app, and blogged about it.  That's good advertising, but I got some great leadership advice and finally learned how to order exactly what I want (it's called a Misto!) next time I cruise in one of their cajillion stores.