Billet
::07:: the year of concreteness
2006 for me was the year of actualization and of flowering into a true phase of sustainability. For many companies, it was the year of the environmental slap on the wrist. What will 2007 hold in store?
::1 AUTHENTICITY
Along with repurposing Rona Ambrose, the Harper gorvernment will have to make some major dancing steps to regain the public’s trust. Can the Conservatives be sincere stewards of the Kyoto Accord? After being nominated Fossil of the Year, “can do” should be a leitmotiv for the canadian government this year.
If the elections occur this Spring, the Green Party will no doubt operate some unexpected magic in terms of public support as well as gain much needed public funds to finance the party into its Third Wave. Fingers crossed: perhaps even 2 or 3 candidates will get elected on the West Coast (the Saanich-Gulf Islands riding has my money). The NPD will likely come as a close second to the Liberals, and Stéphane Dion will probably be our next Prime Minister. Of course, both campaigns’ backbones will drive on environmental issues. What I wonder is: will Stéphane Dion succomb to the spin doctors and get an extreme makeover or will he stay true to his mightier-than-thou, intellectual public image?
::2 CONSCIOUSNESS
2006 ended with the announcement that the polar bears are officially in the endangered species category. December will also be remembered for the 4 major snowstorms that made Vancouver screech to a halt. Al Gore got himself some TV time on Oprah and made a pretty serious (and very public) case for the damaging of the effects of global climate change. If all this doesn’t spell “danger” what will the wake-up call have to be?
Unsurprisingly, NGOs are gaining clout and media savviness, and the LOHAS movement is gaining momentum every day. This potent combination will make for some very interesting turn-abouts in 2007.
::3 EMPOWERMENT
Even though some popular movements are halted by SLAPP laws and the government deems it palatable to use special privileges to pass hard to swallow laws, people will feel increasingly empowered to do something about the inequities that we face every day. Movements like Aux arbres citoyens will gain more and more momentum, as people become more and more frustrated with being force-fed manufactured information.
All in all, these three keywords signify that issues will become more real and problems will appear ever more pressing. The year of Concreteness is all about getting our heads out of the sand and doing something clever, symbolic or dissonant about whatever we find insulting, unfair and downright outrageaous. Whether you are a designer, a lawyer, a factory worker, a student, retired or a new Mom, you CAN find something that will help change things around for the better. Whether its just turning down the heaters by 3 degrees in your house, switching to soap nuts or starting a recycling program at your workplace, it all adds up, in a very concrete way.
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As for me, the year of concreteness will take on very real forms in the projects that I have started: the POSCH bags will get even more international and the t-shirts will be made available in time for Spring/Summer; Perennia will be getting new office spaces and brand spanking new contracts with organisations we would never have dreamed of; the UP:cycle project will take on a decidedly tangible pathway with partners that will help take it to the next level.
All I can hope for this year is to be ever more carbon neutral and to tread even more lightly on our collective environment, be it natural or social. My blog will remain my main communication tool and hopefully I will have the time to upgrade it and add some functionalities to it.
I have also pledged to get in better physical shape, so get ready for some yoga references, and perhaps even some snowboard pics this year. But for now, namaste and a happy return to work tomorrow.