Amazon Blogs

In Our Every Deliberation

Sometimes you think you have something important to say, and hope that someone in the publishing community agrees with you. That was the scenario two years ago when I sat down to write, In Our Every Deliberation, Seventh Generation: The Journey Toward Corporate Consciousness.

The idea behind it was simple:  I believe that you can’t grow a responsible business without also growing everyone in its community.

My experiences at Seventh Generation taught me that developing this consciousness is a process that is not for the faint of heart. It requires a lot of patience, a lot of honesty, and, perhaps most importantly of all, a lot of mutual support.

My new book is a way to provide some of this support. It describes a very personal journey that attempts to answer a question that business is not well designed to answer: What does the world need most that we are uniquely able to provide?

This question embraces the vast potential that business has to be a positive force for change rather than simply an engine for the use of capital and the creation of wealth. It’s a question that forces us to explore how we support the development of the new spirits, fresh minds, and different thinking needed to respond to the huge challenges and boundless opportunity now facing our society.

I wrote this book to help executives and employees find answers. In doing so, I hope to inspire a brave new group of business leaders committed to ensuring that business realizes its highest potential.

The possibility of a more just and sustainable future needs everyone’s help if it is to succeed. In exchange, the journey toward it can and will provide the most powerful potential for each of us to enrich our lives and fulfill our dreams.

The book is available exclusively at Amazon.com.

By Jeffrey Hollender
Chief Inspired Protagonist and Executive Chairperson
Seventh Generation, Inc.
www.seventhgeneration.com

Demonstration Green Dorm Rooms

Sometimes we humans just need to be shown an example to get the confidence to give something a go. Whether its framing a house, learning to fish, creating a wedding cake from scratch, writing a poem or sauntering vaguely into a Greener existence, it always helps to have some guidance as we begin. To that end, a story from earlier this summer I found via the Trendcentral.com daily newsletter:

"This summer, officials at the University of Virginia Bookstore and the Housing Division are encouraging incoming first-year students to think green when purchasing college dorm necessities like laundry detergent and notebooks.

To jumpstart students’ eco-friendly mindsets, the U.Va. bookstore has placed many environmentally friendly products in four demonstration rooms in Page and Lile houses for incoming students attending summer orientation sessions." More.

~Amazon Green Scene

Undies for a Change

 By Linda Teschler for Fastcompany.com:

"I’m feeling particularly inspired today. The words are flowing.  And I’m feeling at one with the planet and my fellow man. It could be that late summer tranquility that comes with knowing the October design issue is finally out the door. Or it could be my underwear.

Under my Calvins, I’m test-driving a pair of PACT gutchies (my granny’s Eastern European term for what I shouldn’t let the boys get into…). PACT, a company whose official roll-out begins today (see www.wearPACT.com), is an underwear company with a purpose: founders donate 10 percent of each sale to nonprofit organizations that work to create social and environmental change.  Hence, their motto: Change Starts With Your Underwear. Inaugural partners include 826 National, ForestEthics and Oceana." More.

Perhaps underwear shopping just got better for me.

~Jeremy G. for Amazon Green Scene

EPEAT Goes Global and Stupid Green Names!

From Environmental Leader Daily:

"A registry that rates computer desktops, laptops and monitors by their energy efficiency and other environmental measures now has been synchronized with the equipment that is actually available for purchase in 40 nations.

The rating system was introduced in the U.S. market in 2006. It now includes information about electronics available in Canada, Mexico, Europe, China, Japan, Brazil, Taiwan, Australia and New Zealand, among others, reports AFP." More.

From FastCompany.com:

The Top Ten Worst Green Brand Names

"We've finally moved beyond the eco____, green____, nature's ____, and over a decade later, we've finally stopped giggling like third graders every time we say "Prius" (which is a Latin word meaning "to precede" but sounds like, um, well, never mind). But with the coming of the Nissan Leaf, announced last week, we were befuddled. Really? Leaves are supposed to be what your sleek new fuel-efficient vehicle kicks up as you zip more responsibly through the streets. Right?
 
But it turns out Nissan's electric vehicle is not the only offender when it comes to misguided green names. We dug up the ten worst and tapped two of our expert design bloggers, Valerie Casey and Stuart Karten, as well as design editor Alissa Walker to assess the damage." More.

Jeremy G. For Amazon Green Scene