Foresight Design Initiative | Leaders in Transformation Design

What’s Your Diagnosis?

Feb 222012

…And What Should We Do About It?
I’ve been (self) diagnosed! Thanks to a recent New York Times article I have a better understanding of my “novelty seeking” condition, my “neophilia.” Easily bored and possessing a compulsive curiosity, I’m drawn to the new and innovative. Initially a personality trait associated with trouble (e.g. ADD, alcoholism, drug abuse), researchers have found that ”if you combine this adventurousness and curiosity with persistence and a sense that it’s not all about you, then you get the kind of creativity that benefits society as a whole,” according to psychiatrist C. Robert Cloninger. Sustainability-related work is a perfect Continue reading »

What I’m Loving: Loop Value

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Feb 222012

Selling the Cost We Really Pay
The Loop has a new store! So what, you say? This is no ordinary shop. Our friends at the Chicago Architecture Foundation opened their innovative stop and shop destination last week, but you can’t take anything home (except information). Rather, this outlet is all about illuminating the true cost of the products and services we consume. Add up the environmental, social and economic impacts and suddenly “cheap” is looking anything but.

Alumni of the Week: Ben Flanders

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Feb 222012

Ben Flanders: Making Industry More Resilient
Foresight Immersion 2010 Fellow

Currently: Safety Auditor at CEC Combustion Safety, a division of Eclipse, Inc.

Career Path: Commercial family farm > Northern Illinois University (B.S., Marketing) > Independent Executive Recruiter for ESCOs (Energy Service Companies) > Immersion Travel (Vancouver) > Immersion (Summer) > Lime Energy (Sales, Energy efficient building upgrades) > Eclipse, Inc.

Next Step: Currently, I am helping great industrial, manufacturing, and power generation companies keep their people safe from hazards associated with natural gas usage. Our company’s mission is to provide safe, reliable, efficient and clean heat to industry worldwide. Generally speaking, I want to do all I can to make sure we mean what we say. Continue reading »

Garden Manager, Make Miracles Grow Foundation

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Feb 222012

The Garden Manager will oversee daily operations of the organization’s youth gardens and support a full range of agricultural programming offered by the Gary Comer Youth Center.

The key garden sites include:

The primary garden site, a 1.75-acre organic site with perennial plant production beds, 32 vegetable beds, an unheated year-round hoop house, and fruit orchard.
The Gary Comer Youth Center green campus, which includes an extensive collection of trees, shrubs and perennials, an environmental education garden, culinary garden and outdoor classroom. Continue reading »

Communications Intern, CNT Energy

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Feb 162012

CNT Energy and its partners are seeking an intern with some of the following skills and interests to assist with communications and website content management:

Copywriting
Website content creation
Creating layout mock ups
Social Media
Search Engine Optimization
Media Strategy
Website Testing

We are looking for a detail oriented undergraduate or graduate student who is interested in learning more about energy efficiency issues and further developing their communications and web based media skills. This is an excellent opportunity to gain real world experience with a dynamic, mission driven organization. Continue reading »

What’s It All About?

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Feb 152012

Toward A More Positive Human Evolution
It’s not about saving the planet. So often the course of my work is about facilitating some external impact, whether creating an event, an educational experience, or trying to alter an ingrained system. The “good” is perceived as residing in what is produced, and not necessarily with the impact the production process has had on the producer. The challenge of sustainability is as much, if not more, about realizing the depth and potential of our humanity, as it is about achieving a greater ecological, social, and economic balance. Continue reading »

What I’m Loving: MWRD Green Drinks & Primary Election

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Feb 152012

MWRD Commissioner Candidate Forum @ Green Drinks, 3/6
There are sexier things than primary elections, particularly for what strikes many as perhaps an obscure governmental agency. I have to admit, for many years, I didn’t pay any attention to the Metropolitan Water Reclamation District (MWRD) commissioner election. I’ve learned since then of the importance of this agency to issues I value, like the water quality of the Chicago River, containment of invasive species, and implementation of more green infrastructure. Join me next month for a rare forum of all the candidates for office, an event that shouldn’t be as rare as it is.

Innovation of the Week: Puma Environmental Profit & Loss

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Feb 152012

While many corporations are measuring their environmental footprint in terms of carbon, waste and energy, few are assigning a price to them. A few months ago sportswear manufacturer Puma issued an unprecedented “Environmental Profit & Loss Account” in which they became the first company to monetize their impacts (valued at 145 million euros for 2010). The report highlights “the immense value of nature’s services that are currently being taken for granted but without which companies could not sustain themselves,” according to PUMA Executive Chairman Jochen Zeitz.

Managing Director, Impact Engine

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Feb 132012

POSITION SUMMARY
Impact Engine is seeking a Managing Director who, building on his/her past successes will lead and manage Impact Engine and consequently have a major impact on impact investing and social entrepreneurship in the Midwest. Given the opportunity to transform the local social venture environment, passion for the mission is essential to success.

Based in Chicago, the Managing Director will report to a 5-member management team, provides leadership for and manages 1 full time assistant, 2 part-time interns and oversees the volunteer committees. Initially the Managing Director role will be part time March-June 2012 with full time beginning July 2012 running through December 2012. (Please note these dates are constantly reevaluated; full time may begin at an earlier date) Continue reading »

What If I’m The Problem?

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Feb 082012

Deconstructing Heroes
Passion can be treacherous. When deeply engaged with an issue, it is easy to sacrifice perspective and become tunnel visioned. Self awareness is crucial. Believing I have the answer, I can become the unwitting barrier to progress, instead of the efficacious conduit. It’s too easy to confuse an emotional charge with creating holistic and resilient progress. I want to change the world as much as the next sustainability-focused innovator, but I hope I’ve outgrown the need to own the solution. Rather, I Continue reading »