The stand out piece of information I have learned so far are the lack of platforms and sources available for the population to get easy and straight forward information surrounding sustainability. Brand practices, green washing in advertising and packaging, social movements backed by companies as well as the sustainability of particular brands and products, are all important pieces of information that it takes someone to be knowledgeable about sustainable purchasing. There is yet to be a platform that condenses all of this information, informing the public on the best possible brands to stand behind to better our environment. It still seems that it takes work and the proper education for a consumer to be fully aware of what they are buying into. This is something that is a passion of mine to find, or be a part of building, because I believe it (resource availability) should start at a young age. If I knew the things I did now at a much younger age, about green washing and energy consumption/waste, the decisions I have made and the companies I chose to support would have been drastically different.
After being aware of the environmental issues of our planet that are starting to motivate companies and brands to think more “green,” there should be a source to back up and show exactly what it is that they are doing to make these changes in the environment for the better. Seeing different platforms (Green Washing Index, Good Guides, Global Reporting Initiative) and agencies (Enviromedia) that are taking initiative in educating and working with sustainable thinking corporations is wonderful but frustrating in that it still doesn’t make it easy for the average consumer to really gain the information or knowledge it takes to make smart and sustainable purchasing decisions. In order to make a large positive impact on our environmental trends, societal changes need to happen as well as brand shifts to sustainable thinking, and there should be a platform where this information can make this shift possible and accessible.
A long term focus on improving our environment though the transparency of brands, companies and retailers, has to be built in order to progress. My goal is to be a part of a generation that makes this information easy to access and become the norm of younger generations’ education in order to continue making decisions and support brands and movements that will shift the environmental impacts to a more positive action.
WWF advertising; Making a statement.
HippyShopper- My New Heaven
OK- So I am a girl and I care about fashion. I care about the environment and sustainability too. The internet has been a wonderful source in being able to research what companies and brands are doing to fall into these categories. I was pleased to fall upon one website that featured MULTIPLE lines of fashion and brand in one place, rather then researching them all seperatly.
Where is this magical place you ask?
“Ethical Consumerism. Your guide to the fair trade, organic, wildlife friendly, ethical produce out there.”
This all inclusive website features:
Could you ask for anymore? I know those are all of my favorite things.
Even famous celebs like Emma Watson, and popular brands like H&M (who aren’t always sustainable) are featured on here when they are. Making it easy to pick and purchase anything on the site.
SUSTAINABILITY IS NOW FABULOUS!
HUMANS
Picture Yourself
Not only does SustainablePhotography.com visually capture nature and organic lifestyle with original shots, but promises to leave a small carbon footprint with recycled print paper, digital work flow and efficient transportation to some of the most beautiful places on the earth. I love photography so I will keep this short and simple, let your eyes see the beauty earth we try so hard to preserve: Info
West Sideeee
It is easy for me to care about things that are close to my heart. Growing up in Eugene, OR, the Northwest is very important to me, a place where I would want to raise my kids someday. The weather, the people, the forward thinking communities focusing on organic and recycling. It is a great place to live. Truly.
Sustainable Northwest brings ‘people, ideas, and innovation together so that nature, local economies, and rural communities can thrive.’
Their process reminds me a lot of my creative strategy classes at the University of Oregon. They take issues regarding advancing rural communities, the growth of natural resources, and supporting green economies. How?
Something that takes peoples ideas and outside thinking to come up with ideas and solutions for communities that may not have the resources themselves to grow.
They also do no limit themselves, working on not only a local level, but across communities, and with state and federal policy level.
This very much reminds me of my classmates.
THINK BIG, DO BIG
Bloggin Sky High
“Delta used 1.7 bullion fewer gallons of fuel last year than in 2000.”
This came up on my screen in front of me as I sat down on my flight home from a week long trip in Mexico. Sustainable Delta? Who would have thunk it. Not giving very much information, I decided to look more into what this company was getting involved with that was good for the planet. Here is what I found:
Delta’s Force for Global Good
This initiative focused on serveral different aspects of community work and sustainability globally:
Causes: Build The Dream and Latin America Association
Causes: Unicef, Children’s Miracle Network, Habitat for Humanity, CARE, American Red Cross
In 2010, Delta was the recipient of the Corporation of the Year Award from the Georgia Association of Museums and Galleries.
Aircraft recycling, in-craft recycling, The Nature Conservancy
WAY TO GO DELTA!
Food Justice
COMMUNITY + EQUITY + SUSTAINABILITY
Recently visiting the University of Oregon, Food Justice had a conference to increase awareness and action about food and farm issues, speaking on policies for a successful and thriving local food system. What exactly do they do?
They have guest speakers from all around including:
Dr. Vandana Shiva, Indian food activist and writer
Frederick L. Kirschenmann, U.S. sustainable agriculture leader
WHAT THEY DO:
* advocacy trainings
*policy workshops,
*information-sharing
*campaigns
According to the insights of those at the conference at the University of Oregon, some of the topics covered during the key note speeches as well as the conference advocacy training were:
- Examine the meanings and tensions among the three conference concepts: community, equity and sustainability
- Share research from across disciplines
- Build opportunities for collaboration among scholars, policymakers, practitioners and activists
- Connect Eugene’s food and agriculture community to national and international groups
- Investigate the relationship between regional food movements and social media
- Consider the roles of women, indigenous groups and youth in farming and food culture
Emphasis on sustainability and food is an important topic for both the issue of saving money and eating healthier food. If there was enough advocacy and support for something like Food Justice, the greater community would have the resources and the energy efficient technologies to support themselves, depending less and less on imported goods. Oregon has one of the most rich and viable land and resources to sustain natural sources and food, that everyone should get involved and find out how to support this cause.
Want to get involved? click here.
Communicators on Sustainability
Understanding the needs and views of consumers regarding sustainability, I believe, is an important source to professionals in advertising, PR, journalism and advocacy in this field, in order to address and educate consumers in an effective way. Knowing how consumers feel about particular environmental issues, specific brands and what they represent, and how it is important in getting their message out about helping the environment in the best way is key.
Tom Osdoba, Managing Director for the Center for Sustainable Business Practices at Oregon, had insights about the way sustainable markets worked with particular communities, and whether or not the placement of sustainable companies is important to their success. For example, he spoke about New Seasons Market, which has been building stores in food desert neighborhoods, making healthy foods available to those who didn’t have that option before.
This was a success when most people thought it wouldn’t be. This shows that even the most unpredictable trends supporting sustainable living are possible with the right insight to the consumers minds about what sustainability means to them and how it impacts the way they live.
Kevin Tuerff, one of the founders of Enviromedia, is the consumers sustainability hero. He takes on only clients that are fully committed to focus on public health and environment. He focuses on behavior campaigns, having to know a whole lot about the way people act and think and how that impacts the way they chose a brand or company. These intimate insights of a consumer thought process when approaching sustainability is what makes his behavior changing campaigns as successful as they are. “Don’t Mess With Texas,” one of the most well known campaigns keeping Texas clean. This wouldn’t be possible without the knowledge of what would make people come aboard this movement.
Taking on the side of the companies and corporations, Peter Lawrence enhances company innovation, collaboration and organizational culture by the design of buildings. An architect taking his skills into the world of business, he has the power to influence business leaders and expose them to the education of design. With his skills, companies are able to take on sustainability leadership roles, passing that down to employees and consumers. With the knowledge of how people think and work together to better collaborate important ideas surrounding sustainability, the possibilities for improving the environment are endless.
Inspiration for Innovation- Edward Boches reflection
I was lucky enough to be apart of a week at the University of Oregon hosting Edward Boches, Chief Innovation Officer at Mullen in Boston. He spoke on digital and innovation, calling out to students, including myself to think of a way to spark innovation for our generation in America. Going through this process of thinking about such a grand scale project, I’ve learned the in’s and out’s of what it takes to collaborate and listen to instill ideas surrounding innovation and where the world of advertising is leading into.
Something great that came out of the week was the new UO hashtag: #Buildshit. The week of key note speeches, lectures and lunches inspired me and my journalism colleagues to make things instead of talk about them. The control of platforms at our disposal (the internet) has cause the power of communication to shift from controlled to liberation. Leaving it up to us what we want to develop, share and innovate.
Edward mentioned some differences of today’s advertising model and goals.
Audience——> Community
Messages———>Experience
Target———> Invitation
Media Plan———> Interest Plan
Penetrate———-> Collaborate
“ART AND COPY IS NOW EXPERIENCE AND ENGAGEMENT“
It is up to our class, our generation, to find new ideas that have yet to be discovered and take them on to #buildshit. I feel lucky to be apart of a program that provides great motivation and inspiration such as Edward Boches and all the professors pushing us to make our footprint in the industry as we graduate and join great agencies and companies, inspiring those after us to build and find more after us.
Jessica Jean Things 