[Video Link for Email/Other Subscribers - 5min]

Replenish is a fantastically innovative household cleaning product, not based on some new magical formula, but rather the bottle’s design. Founder Jason Foster explains in an interview with me about the story behind the bottle, and how its continuous reuse through easy-to-use pod at the bottom, saves people money, waste, and the planet from associated carbon emissions by shipping water. An elegant and intuitive solution indeed! Learn more at http://www.myreplenish.com

Fun presentation and collection of thoughts from Frog Design’s David Sherwin and Justin Maguire on the required attitude and traits for innovative leaders. I agree with much of it. I’ll stress a desire to see the big picture from a balanced perspective, the willingness to step forward and say “We can do better!”, the desire and aptitude to foster ideation with a diverse team, active listening skills, and doggedness to pursue and actualize a vision.

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[Video Link for Email/Other Subscribers - 26min]

In a world where more and more people are coming to understand the interconnectedness between their choices and the health and sustainability of the future, the business/brand community has a unique opportunity to move beyond selling “whiter whites” to create brand promises around solutions to the very real challenges facing individuals and our global society. We approach this opportunity, however, in the face of increasingly tight operating constraints. Andrew Winston provides a 360 degree look at some of the new building blocks and creative business solutions being crafted in response to some of today’s real world problems. The business opportunities lie in both saving money through lean and efficiency programs to improve bottom lines during hard economic times, and building a path for current and future growth (operations and profits) through product/service innovation.

[Video Link for Email/Other Subscribers - 3min]

Interview with Nathan Schock of POET at the Fortune Brainstorm Green conference. He describes his organization’s purpose, how POET is an innovator in ethanol biofuel, and how he’s inspired and acting to change the world.

[Video Link for Email/Other Subscribers - 22.5min]

Business Week Innovation Columnist and Materials Scientist Andrew Dent of Material Connexion, discusses why intelligent and cost-effective sustainability has become increasingly important, particularly as consumers grow weary of being bombarded with “green” solutions of questionable validity. He’ll provide some guiding examples of how to approach a new ‘good design’ ethos, as well as a look at innovative new materials, the present state of recycled materials and polymers, BPA, PFOA, formaldehyde, and ways to ensure compliance with current and future bans on certain chemicals. He also feature case studies from a wide range of industries, including packaging, sneaker design, medical and consumer products, and electronics and housewares.

[Video Link for Email/Other Subscribers - 10min]

Ben Bixby of EarthAid shares his company’s vision and value proposition to the public for utility savings through a consolidated monitoring system, and to brands. Winner of the Sustainable Brands 09 New Venture Exchange Contest.

[Video Link for Email/Other Subscribers - 6.5min]

Listen to the story of the FedEx electric truck from Chief Engineer Keshav Sondhi, and watch as he gives me (Us!) an inside look from the driver’s seat at the dashboard, controls, and explains how the vehicle charges up.

[Video Link for Email/Other Subscribers - 2.5min]

My interview with Shivani Siroya of InVenture.org, at the Ideation 10 Conference. Shivani’s organization provides micro-venture capital so entrepreneurs have an opportunity for real financial and social growth, and they’ll lift not just themselves, but also their communities out of poverty.

InVenture raises capital largely through its online platform, where InVestors can choose from several different funds and network with other like-minded individuals to increase their impact. As soon as the business begins turning a profit, a portion of that profit is reinvested in the community. Business reinvestment in social initiatives, such as clean water and education, improves the livelihood of the community as a whole. And the stronger the community, the greater the chance that other businesses can succeed.

Learn more at inventurefund.org

Yup, I’m producing a fabulous 8 week training series on sustainable business and design. Here’s a quick lineup of all the speakers and topics:

1. Understanding Ecological Overshoot, with Susan Burns of Global Footprint Network
2. Sustainable Packaging Design Strategies, with JoAnn Hines
3. Three Strategies for Managing Extended Producer Responsibility, with Seetha Coleman-Kammula of SimplySustain
4. Getting Started and Keeping Going on the Path to Better Brands, with Asheen Phansey of Babson College
5. Green Chemistry’s Potential Impact, with Leonard Robinson of the California Department of Toxic Substances Control
6. Design Tools for Sustainability, with Terry Swack of SustainableMinds
7. Sustainability Reporting: Methods & Measures, with Elaine Cohen of BeyondBusiness
8. Effective Communications for Social Entrepreneurs, with Cheryl Heller

Available live and 0n-demand for $245, but apply value code: spksbbcs2 and get 15% off.

We just started last Friday, and will be going until May 21st. For the full program guide, schedule, and speaker bios, please visit:
http://www.sustainablelifemedia.com/events/online/sbbootcamp

Hope you can make it!

[Video Link for Email/Other Subscribers - 6.5min]

Full 85min Video Available On Demand - “Sustainability” isn’t just a nice thing to do. It’s a powerful source of business value, an organizing principle for strategy, and a remarkable driver of innovation at every level of the enterprise. And it’s all about design — of products and services, value propositions and contracts, buildings and production lines, marketing campaigns and incentive systems, and the daily conversations that are the life of your business.

Join Gil Friend, CEO of Natural Logic and author of the acclaimed The Truth About Green Business (FT Press), as he explores how your company can harness 3.85 billion years of R&D — and a commitment to a world that works — to drive innovation, profit and meaning.

Sustainable Brands Boot Camp –13 week online training series designed to teach professionals strategies for building business and brand value through sustainable innovation. Taught by leading experts, topics include market drivers, business model and product innovation, supply chain partnerships, brand strategy and marketing, metrics, and more. Available live and on-demand. Find out more: http://bit.ly/sbbootcamp