Be the change...

"If you think you’re too small to make a change, try sleeping in bed with a mosquito." -  Anita Roddick

This quote ain’t new.  While there’s much truth to it, and while it’s inspirational, it’s often forgotten or overshadowed by the bigger picture.

You might not be able to completely change the world but you can at least start with your own backyard.  And there’s no better time than the present to do so.  Not only is it easier to make changes when they are small, but you can be confident changes close to home are ones you can affect, ones you can control.

Hence, no matter where you’re at in life, you can always make a change.  Everyone will make different changes, and while they may be different, collectively a greater good is still achieved, which then trickles onto others.  I hold the domino effect in high regard.  

Using a keepcup, carrying a reusable bottle, living car-free, are some of the changes I‘ve made.  But it doesn’t stop here, nor should it ever stop, as we and the world are constantly evolving.

So where to now?  Assess your surroundings, your environment.  Change to GreenPower, too expensive? Change to Red Energy who sources renewable energy.  Use less water but you like your long showers, so do something else instead.  Grow your own veggies but you’re not a gardener, then don’t torture yourself into thinking that you are.  So I ask the question again, where to now?

Well, I do own an investment property.  A rental where I pay the tenant’s water bill.  You see it’s an old school apartment, one of twelve.  An apartment block with one meter, hence the reason for divving up the water bill.  Unless each apartment has its own water meter, it will always be the responsibility of the landlord to pay the water bill.  This piece isn’t actually a rant about paying the tenants water bill, as one could easily combat this by increasing the rent.  The real issue is however, that if the tenant isn’t paying the water bill, then they don’t have any regard for water saving.  While this is purely an assumption, the fact that the water bill of the 3 bedroom house I share is much less than the 1 bedroom apartment I lease, convinces me I’m not way off.   Tenants clearly don’t care about their water usage and frankly why would they, since they aren’t the ones paying for it.

So rather than let it be, I decided to effect change.  I attended the body corporate AGM and added water meters to the AGM agenda.

For those in similar boats, here’s a template passed on from one concerned landlord to another....  I welcome you to tweak it, use it and share it.

"As you are aware currently the water bill is split 12 ways, as you are also aware the cost of water has been rapidly increasing over the last few years and will continue to go up.

The benefit of individual water meters is each owner will have total control of their own water usage.

Owners that have their units leased will be able to pass the supply charges directly to their tenants, the supply charges are around $450 per year and climbing, so they will see a ROI in less than 1 ½ years.

I consider the supply charges on the high side, I have multiple family members living in houses in South East water areas, whom supply charges are less than the 12 way split I receive. Tenants clearly don’t care about their water usage, and frankly why would they, they aren’t the ones paying for it.

For owner occupied units that take holidays or live alone will see a much low yearly supply charge."
 

All arguments point to a win-win situation, so if it’s just simply sending off an email or making a call, don’t you think it’s worth it?  It sure can’t get any simpler than this to make a change.

7 years...

My mate Ang got me this.  It's not a new invention but it's definitely a smart concept, Seltzer's 7 Year Pen.  It's sold as sustainable but it doesn't look green nor does it look recycled, and if we were quick to judge, the pen seems more a novelty than sustainable.  But when given greater thought, it's actually quite ingenious!  You see what I realized, we as people have become accustomed to the everlasting supply of pens.  Whether we use and/or "borrow" them from work or they're given to us as promotional gifts, pens are freely available, so much so when we lose a pen it's no sweat off our backs.  

So here enters the 7 year pen and this is how the game plays out:

First the question, "Really? This pen will last 7 years?"  

Next comes the challenge, "I'm going to test this claim".  

And finally "excuse me, do mind if I grab my pen back", after lending the pen. 

What's happen is, I am now more cautious when I use/lend my 7 Year Pen.  I also make sure I always carry this particular pen with me to ensure it gets it's full 7 year use.  This change in behaviour is quite astonishing as these thoughts and actions would not have come about had it not been for the composition of four little words "the Seven Year Pen".

Conclusion.  All I really need is one pen.  While some may argue that a pen doesn't take up much space, and what harm could a little pen do, the bigger picture is imagine multiplying this with the number of pens discarded daily on a global scale.  Each year, an estimated 100 million pens are discarded every day.  And imagine those that go to landfill.  And imagine to keep up with the illusory demand for low cost pens, the type of workers who make them (sweatshop labour comes to mind).

Wow, who would have thought a novel idea such as the 7 Year Pen could have such a positive effect on the world?   

Guess this simply shows the importance of innovative communication strategies when it comes to addressing conscious consumption and a sustainable future. 

Seltzer's 7 Year Pen reduces waste by increasing the size of the ink supply inside the pen. The jumbo ink cartridge fills more of the barrel's circumference, enabling the writer to pontificate a remarkable 1.7 meters a day for seven years.

"Regardless of the uber-efficient technology, we knew it would be equally important to design the Seven Year Pens in such a way you'd actually want to keep them for seven years. Our designers went to work, turning "regular" pens into "favorite" pens. We started calling them the Seven Year Pen so everyone would know it was designed with a purpose."

Seltzer Goods is a company that uses FSC certified 100% post-consumer recycled paper and veggie-based inks.  They are "serious about eco-friendly materials, packaging, and production methods".  They also support Earth Justice with an annual donation.  "Earth Justice uses the power of the law to protect our natural resources and defend the right of all people to a healthy environment."

#3thingscityilove

Airbnb might be gaining much traction these days but it’s not the only #collcons site where you can ‘find a great place to stay.  Or rent out your own.’  Windu is another similar peer-to-peer travel source for booking private accommodation all over the world. 

Wimdu.co.uk with their good friends Velvet Escape and Traveldudes are currently running the ’3 Things in the City’ I Love contest where they want you or rather us to tell them 3 things about a city we’re in love with.  This is my submission.

For I, it is very much influenced by my recent trip to Denmark.  Having spent two weeks in Denmark’s second largest city, Aarhus, I was surprised the city had not been given the attention it ought to.

When in Aarhus, 3 Things you must do;

1.  Visit AROS - One of Northern Europe’s largest Modern Art Museum.  What’s extra special about this modern art museum is the rainbow panorama that sits on the rooftop of the building.  Not only do you get to see Aarhus in a 360 degrees capacity but you also get to view the city in an assortment of colors.

2. Hang around The Latin Quarter - It’s the oldest part of Aarhus and an area where creatives converge.  Eat, shop, and immerse yourself in how the Danes express themselves through art.  My two favourites places in the quarter are Cafe Drudenfuss and KaosPilots.  

Cafe Drudenfuss is a cafe that stocks its pantry with at least 75% organic ingredients but you wouldn’t know it on face value (though the vine leaves on the outside are quite green!).  Slick, modern, dane-sique.   The gourmet vegetarian hot dog is to die for.  Even my meat loving mate was impressed.  Topped off with organic vodka, organic OJ and fair trade coffee, this green chick was completely smitten. 

KaosPilot on the other hand is the training ground for the next generation of change agents and leaders in Denmark and beyond, strong on creativity, sustainability and social entrepreneurship.   It is regarded as the world's most adventurous alternative business school backed by companies such as Apple, LEGO, SAS, Carlsberg, and Nova Norsk.  Situated amongst block after block of coffee houses and cafes, the exterior of KaosPilot headquarters looks like something out of "the Haight-Ashbury district of San Francisco during the flower-power days of the 1960s."  It's then no surprise that Aarhus likes to think of itself as the San Francisco of Scandinavia.       

3.  Drop by the Marselisborg Palace - The summer residence of the Danish Royal Family.  While the palace itself isn’t open to the public, the palace grounds which functions as a park, holds a fine collection of sculptures, a rose garden with a pergola, and a herb garden, is open to the public when the Royal family is not in residence.  And when the Queen is staying at the palace, it’s still regarded as quite an event.  You can even watch the changing of the guard each day at noon if you happen to be around!

Marselisborg Palace

Gaining traction #whyiride

Today Project: Why Do You Ride? finds a new home at a new web address www.whydoyouride.info and site platform.  In the 3 months since the project went live, the support has been overwhelming.  Anita Roddick was so right when she said "if you think you're too small to make a difference, try sleeping with a mosquito."  From Tumblr, we've moved over to Wordpress.  While I do love the simplicity and circular images at the tumblr site, wordpress seems to let me, and you, do more.  You'll be able to view riders by city, find cycling tips on one convenient page, and be inspired by beautiful filmography that encapsulates why we ride.

Thank you for taking an interest in and being a part of the Why Do You Ride? journey.  If all this can be achieved in 3 months, imagine what can happen in 12 months?!

It's an exciting time and I look forward to discovering why you ride?  Enjoy!

1 Camera, 1000 Smiles

 So a couple of months back I purchased a new camera. I didn't want a SLR, as that's what friends are for! hehe!! But I wanted something that took decent snaps and was reliable.  My old trusty Sony was nearing its death, plus after playing up on me in Denmark (losing half my photos AND photos from 3 years back, I know my bad I should have backed up, well I didn't), it was time for a new camera.  On the recommendation of my housemate, I got myself a Lumix Lx5, one of the sell points was it had a Leica lens.  Word on the streets is Leica in the photography world is synonymous for sexy.  Can't afford a Leica camera but can afford a Lumix!  Now all I need to do is to learn how to use it.  But what about the old Sony?  It still works.  Since everyone around me seems to have a better camera anyway, I guess I could do what I usually do, that is give it to the op shop or I could google a project I had heard about in passing.  So to google I entered "donate camera melbourne children" and voila, 1 Camera, 1000 Smiles.

1 Camera, 1000 Smiles is a "project that runs photography workshops with young people living in rural villages in Bali."  They are committed to empowerment through photography and believe that by learning photography skills, young people are better able to express themselves, tell their own story and develop problem solving skills.

Wow, imagine my no longer loved Sony could bring about 1000 Smiles.  Thus, it's a no brainer, I got in touch with the guys running the initiative, dropped $6 in postage to 87 Evans Street Port Melbourne, Attn: Richard Piscioneri, and hello good deed for the day! 

Project WHY DO YOU RIDE?

I've started a little side project, which I hope will support bigger and greater things.  But in saying that, the project is ultimately all in the name of sustainable behaviour. Project WHY DO YOU RIDE? in a nutshell, is a platform that showcases the person behind the bicycle. The idea is to put the human element back into cycling, as sometimes we forget cyclists are people too (yes, I'm looking at you road rage driver).

If you’d like to participate, which I'd love you to, please get in touch, either on Twitter @cangreenbechic or via email.

Happy - The Movie

Two words: WATCH IT. 

http://www.thehappymovie.com

My Eco Bag that's not made Eco

My everyday bag holds a lot of stuff. It's stuff that helps me lower my impact on the environment.

• Reusable water bottle - which I refill with cold filtered water. We're pretty lucky that filtered water can be found pretty much anywhere these days.

• KeepCup - for my coffee naturally

• Foldable/crunchable carry bag - say no to the consumption of throw away plastic bags

• iPhone - no longer do I rely on a paper diary. I do however still carry a notebook which gets much use as oppose to a diary which never really ever gets filled. I don't know about you but I somehow have conditioned myself into believing that if the date has past, I can no longer write in that space... what wasted space.

• Hairbrush - made from bamboo, a natural renewable resource
  

• Melbourne Bike Share blue key - while I do have a bike and I do ride it, I don't always have it with me. With a bike share station a 2 min walk from my work, it's perfect for those days when it rains in the morning, thus I don't ride but clears up in the arvo when I can ride (very Melbourne). It's also great when I'm at one end of the city wanting to get to the other end of the city. However, one of the problems why Melbourne Bike Share hasn't been a success like in many other cities is that riders in Melbourne must wear a helmet. Thus in order for me to use one of the blue shared bikes, I need to carry my helmet with me pretty much at all times. While carrying my helmet hasn't become habit yet, wishful thinking has me hoping it will become a habit...? At present, my bag can't accommodate a helmet but I guess I can clip the helmet onto it. The question then is can I put up with having a helmet hanging off my bag? I guess I'll have to convince myself it's just like one big fancy keyring?! We'll see or I could just use a bigger bag?... hmmm.....

Anyhooz, Melbourne Bike Share is another product/business I can add to my #collcons list. While I'm a little behind on reporting on the #collcons list, it is happening and to be honest most of these collcons businesses are startups, thus the traction isn't really there yet. But that's where it's about supporting small businesses that are forwarding thinking. You got to start somewhere right? And isn't it grand to be a part of the change that transform hyper consumption into collaborative consumption? Damn straight it is.

Hello belated 2012

Berlin Street Artist @Chxxx - created on the back of a cereal box


I'm back! Well I've been back for a while, it's just that 2012 has been a rather fruitfulness start of the year.

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I've been consulting on the implementation of an Environmental Management System for Sentia Media, for their Australian and New Zealand offices, with interest now being expressed from the company's Southeast Asian offices. Majorly awesome but everything in due course. What's amazing is that it all started from one office in Melbourne, to now being taken off globally! However, much is still to do. Greatest achievement has been the formation of the Green Team (official name not yet determined as the naming competition is still running). Working in conjuction with Sustainability Victoria has also been a blessing.

What I've found is you can only do what you can within your means but that shouldn't hinder you from any opportunity to create change.

"Senita Media Green Team is a program for staff, lead by staff"
Monetary investment is little but non-montary support in great.

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I've also started working as a "Story Teller" for a vintage clothing brand, creating original content for their blog through travel tales and the people who crosses pathes with them. What I love about this project is bringing pieces from a past life back to life again. A fine way of reducing consumption, while celebrating the individual that you are. In time, more will be divulge as we're still only in planning stage. So watch this space.