The United Nations has chosen the first Monday in October to be World Habitat Day - a day to stand up and let it be known that affordable, adequate housing should be a priority everywhere. The theme for the event on October 5th is “Planning our Urban Future”

What can you do?

ADVOCATE for decent housing for all by submitting a photo of yourself holding a sign that says “It all starts at home” and submit it to Habitat’s photo petition on Flickr.com Habitat’s goal is to collect a minimum of 500 photos to deliver to the White House.  Submit your photo by Friday, September 25, 2009.

Today, 1 billion people live in slums, and that number is growing rapidly. The U.S. can be a leader in the fight to help reduce global poverty and improve the lives of people living in slums. Urge your legislators to support the Shelter, Land and Urban Assistance Act of 2009. Tell Congress to pass the SLUM Assistance Act!

EDUCATE your community with Habitat for Humanity’s World Habitat Day handbook to learn more about the importance of secure tenure and neighborhood revitalization.  Get even more information about the issue of insecure tenure by reading Habitat’s Shelter Report: building a secure future through effective land policies.

Brainstorm ways to get more people involved. Learn from the successes of last year’s campaign, and come up with brand-new ways to celebrate and publicize the important work of Habitat for Humanity.

Take a virtual tour of the Capotillo informal settlement in the Dominican Republic and put yourself in the shoes of those who live in a broken community of violence, poverty and danger.

Link to Habitat for Humanity’s World Habitat Day 2009 resources page on your social media pages, personal web site or blog to spread the word and raise awareness.

DONATE to be a part of making the world a better place and support Habitat’s efforts. Donate online today!

Here’s a clip from a Habitat project in Cambodia

After speaking with various individuals in sustainable marketing and design, and having spent the last 20 months immersed in better understanding the fields, I’ve come to some conclusions that I’d like to share with you.

News can be great for environmental scanning and sometimes better understanding a market, bit by bit. But just reading the news and commentary will take you a lot of time and effort to develop actionable insights. There’s just too much information out there! The explosion of media outlets for news and commentary has been great in so many regards particularly the long tail, but what has inevitably happened is an abundance of choice which places greater burden on the user to filter, scan, and absorb. For some, this process can be fun. However, there’s plenty of nonconsumers of news media who are just too busy with their personal and professional lives to visit multiple websites, newsletters, and read magazines. For them, the mass media (online or off) doesn’t provide them sufficient value that helps make their lives better or enjoyable for the time/money invested.

In speaking with fellow marketer Peter Korchnak, he relayed that many of his clients are small businesses and for he and them, media stories on sustainability primarily focus on big corporations - a segment that represents only a tiny proportion of the business community in any country. Considering this fact, one has to wonder: How can media really make a positive difference in the lives of people?

In my opinion, the value that news and commentary media provides is best handled by a professional whose job it is to observe and analyze it for either curated environmental reporting or actionable intelligence which is then provided to the people who need it most. Otherwise it may just provide a time sink for people.

What we’re left with in terms of real value is the following: education, best practices aligned to specific contexts, case studies, and research - all of which take more time & money to produce than news and commentary media. For people willing to learn, the outlets that provide these services include professional journals (to a degree), seminars, workshops, books, reports, databases, and educational/training organizations.

If we’re increasingly living in a limited-attention span world due to larger numbers of media outlets and personal & professional activities competing for our attention, it only makes sense for folks to participate in what brings them (and perhaps their staff), the biggest bang for their buck or hour-spent.

Everything else is ephemeral brain candy and activism/journalism.

Although I caught the irony in that this post was a commentary, I’ll continue to try and bring you valuable content to here on my blog that will either enlighten, educate, and sometimes delight you

A little break from the usual bout of topics, I bring you today a slideshow of photos I had taken while on a day trip to the Arizona border and back. It includes landscapes, plants, flowers, grasshoppers, and a family of owls!

Taken with an 8mp Canon SLR without a telephoto lens, digitally zooming in & cropping and adjusting contrast and levels where needed, and selecting the best photos for sharing. Enjoyez!

[Desert Photos Slideshow Link for Email/Other Subscribers]

Here is a look at my current reading list over the next few months. Not quite all the books, but most.

One of the best aspects of reading business, design, and communication books is all the advanced material so well explained and enlightening, that one just cannot meaningfully retain from magazines (as opposed to Journals). To learn the subjects even better, take notes and write yourself summaries that add personal relevance, related topics, and other contextual detail. The last thing you can do, is try to teach others what you learned - the passion will flow because at this point, you’ll understand the material so well and the story will be yours.

…

What’s on your Reading List?

After one week since Blogger Social, it’s been great looking back at the whole experience. The only general expectations I had would be that everyone would be really friendly and smart in their own regards. While this held true, there were other things I noticed and felt. In follow-up to being tagged by Ryan Barrett of CheapThrills, it is these feelings that I’d like to share:

• As much as I wanted to try to speak with everyone at least briefly, there just wasn’t enough time. But I damned made sure to do the best I could; only about 10 people got away because of different schedules, seating, timing, etc. There were some dear folks with whom I had wanted to spend more personal time with - our interaction was circumstantially brief - and which left me a little sad. However, this difference of wanted v. actual time used, ended up with me having excellent conversations and dialog with individuals - on an unanticipated intellectual or social plane, and a few times on a personal and extended basis.
   
• The informal blogger profile booklet really helped in quickly getting to know everyone and identifying individuals I had wanted to speak with. It was this complete picture of professional and personal background information, painted by an impartial 3rd party, that made everyone seem so human and approachable - regardless of what industry we came from, what stage of life we’re in, our relative ‘success’ level, etc. Secondly, the informal profiles immensely helped shorten ‘small talk to conversation’ cycle time (Yes, I am a process/productivity geek - time is valuable; let’s make the most of it).
   
• While there was a LOT of enthusiastic conversing going on, there were also a couple times when I felt general content and satisfaction in the air without the need for words during little mini-breaks; maybe a few folks were around us, but there was no awkward rift, no pressure to start conversation again right away - the small talk was truly genuine and had a pace of its own. That feeling was extremely comforting.
   
• Speaking with and listening to so many individuals from a variety of professional backgrounds and experiences, helped really exhibit the relative nature of all reality. In a mixed social setting with no professionally organized agenda (explicit and implied), we’ll all dramatically contribute to the very healthy and important virtue of open-mindedness, while seeing each others’ professions and point-of-views in new ways (or at least be more inclined to).
   
• I came away with a better understanding of what my unique passions are, where my strengths lie, in which direction I want to drive forward, and realistic idea of how to get there. What is my passion and career direction you may ask? It’s heavily leaning toward green marketing, innovation, and sustainable product development. But as I learned from a few folks, opening our minds to diverse and different work opportunities can also help us grow in ways perhaps we’ve never considered before. The path is never quite straight, nor must it be.
   
• Time is now more valuable than ever before - Any and all acquaintances and friends I decide to maintain online, must have some level of genuine ‘interestingness’ or geniality. Novelty is not an option (unless it’s so remarkable and entertaining, while not interfering with my ability to be professionally and socially productive). If I have an opportunity to develop a future relationship with someone I have only very weak ties now, I’ll let it develop on its own accord and timing.

With all that said, it was an amazing experience that I will cherish. For all the folks I met last weekend, previously ‘known’ and unknown, it was marvelous meeting you and I hope that we may remain in good company for a very long time.

Susan Bird, Tim Brunelle, Katie Chatfield, Matt Dickman, Luc Debaisieux, Mark Goren, Gavin Heaton, Sean Howard, CK, Valeria Maltoni, Drew McLellan, Doug Meacham, Marilyn Pratt, Steve Roesler, Greg Verdino, CB Whittemore, Steve Woodruff, Paul McEnany, Ann Handley, David Reich, Tangerine Toad, Kristin Gorski, Mack Collier, David Armano, Ryan Barrett, Lori Magno, Tim McHale, Gene DeWitt, Arun Rajagopal, Rohit Bhargava, Anna Farmery, Thomas Clifford, Lewis Green, Geoff Livingston, Kris Hoet, Connie Reece, Cece Lee, Toby Bloomberg, Seni Thomas, Darryl Ohrt, Joe Kutchera, Paul Dunay, Marshall Sponder, Chris Kieff, Tara Anderson, Jason Falls, Paul Soldera, Roberta Rosenberg, Saul Colt Todd Andrlik, Nathan Snell, Ryan Karpeles, Jennifer Laycock, Neil Vineberg, Cam Beck, Mike Arauz, Matthew Bailey, Heather Gorringe, John Rosen, Cathleen Rittereiser, Tamar Weinberg, Rita Perea, Linda Sherman, Matthew McDonald, Kaitlyn Wilkins, Terry Starbucker, Jennifer Berk, Jane Quigley, John Wall, Scott Monty, Kevin Horne, Virginia Miracle, Amanda Gravel, David Polinchock, Shashi Bellamkonda, David Berkowitz, and Vahe Habeshian

For all the dear individuals I know online, but whom I’ve not yet had the pleasure to meet or speak with, I look forward to an opportunity with you someday soon.

Mille Grazie e Arrivederci!

Just a little over a year ago, on April 4th, I began writing this blog.

Before jumping in, I spent a LOT of time commenting on blog posts (just about everywhere!) and getting to know the various individuals that write exceptionally well AND connect to their readers.

Then I began organizing the big blogroll you see in the right margin. Its prominence is intentional - many of these writers deserve attention for their passion; some of them have helped me come to where I am today - please explore!

I started off slow and didn’t write as often as I wanted to. Perfectionism haunted my spirit as I didn’t want to come off as a person writing blurbs and editorial. The purpose of an excellent blog is to flesh out what stirs excitement within you while providing a conversational atmosphere to share and learn from others.

After one year, it has been a fantastic experience. Thank-you for your kindness and acceptance of me. Special gratitude go to Mario Sundar and CK.

[image credit: hazymat]

In a major economic address at Cooper Union yesterday, Senator Barack Obama called for a modernization of our regulatory framework. He made the case that while markets are the engine of American progress, the government’s role as a steward is critical to the function of the free market.

While I was hearing the senator speak, I could not help but think about the parallels between the financial debacle today and the issues we’re facing with global trade. In his quest to get us out of a recession, Mr. Obama may have given us a framework to alleviate some of our international trade challenges:

Update Regulations

He says that “The evolution of industries often warrants regulatory reform – to foster competition, lower prices, or replace outdated oversight structures. Old institutions cannot adequately oversee new practices. Old rules may not fit the roads where our economy is leading… For the sake of our common prosperity, we needed to adapt to keep markets competitive and fair.” In 2006, Charles Fishman wrote something similar in his excellent book, “The Wal-Mart Effect”, in which he says that “[Wal-Mart’s] business model is built on the shopping cart, but in fact, Wal-Mart is a completely new kind of institution: modern, advanced, potent in ways we’ve never seen before. Yes, Wal-Mart plays by the rules, but…the rules are antiquated; they are from a different era that didn’t anticipate anything like Wal-Mart.” Fishman continues to explain that Wal-Mart is just a symbol of the era of mega corporations (i.e. ExxonMobil, GE, P&G, Toyota), whose operations are so large and dominant that they stand astride of Adam Smith’s market forces we rely on to harness them; suffocating inflation and driving manufacturing jobs overseas while mitigating their risk by developing new markets outside the US.

Risk Assessment

“Financial institutions must do a better job at managing risks. There is something wrong when boards of directors or senior managers don’t understand the implications of the risks assumed by their own institutions. It’s time to realign incentives and compensation packages, so that both high level executives and employees better serve the interests of shareholders. And it’s time to confront the risks that come with excessive complexity.” This reminds me of the various product safety scandals that the American consumer had to wake up to, due to risk assessments that many importers had failed to fully understand. U.S. manufacturers, wholesalers, distributors, or retailers who outsource from outside the U.S. need to ensure that the products they are bringing from overseas are safe. They are liable for distributing the tainted product even if they had no direct knowledge of the risk.

International Collaboration

“As we reform our regulatory system at home, we must work with international arrangements …The goal must be ensuring that financial institutions around the world are subject to similar rules of the road – both to make the system stable, and to keep our financial institutions competitive.” Here is where the U.S. needs to take leadership, and work with its trading partners bilaterally or through the WTO to create a regulatory framework, a chain of oversight covering the whole manufacturing and food-production process as well as labor and environmental laws, to regain consumer confidence and keep a fair playing field.

Greetings readers. My postings have become fewer as of late, and I would like to impart something other than the usual academic discourses, lively musings, topical summaries and other writings I try to carefully craft with your reading enjoyment in mind. This is a bit about little ‘ole me.

As a 1st generation American born to a German mother and Italian father, I was raised in southern California though spent many summers with grandparents and family in Munich, Germany. I attended private Catholic school first at a military academy from 5th-8th grade, then a preparatory high school for the first two years. To my great joy and fondest memories, I spent my junior year as an exchange student in Sweden, then graduated from a public high school in Fountain Valley, CA.

My college major was International Business, though I didn’t know exactly what that entailed beyond a fanciful image of businesspeople shaking hands and making trade agreements. I dutifully studied my courses in community college and hoped of transferring to UC Berkeley. Alas, I was advised it would be near impossible to get in without a minimum 4.75 GPA. So I came to terms with practical reality and continued at Cal State Univ. Fullerton, which had an excellent IB program combined with a minor in German. Soon after I started, I learned of and applied for a U.S. State Dept. scholarship program to study & work in Germany for one year, accompanied by 60 fellow students from across America. I was accepted.

Together we attended language school for two months, then we were sent to our individual cities. I ended up in Bremen (close to Hamburg), studied at the local university, then worked as an intern at OOCL, a large Chinese ocean carrier. I felt at the time that working in international logistics would be the best first step in understanding what really enables world trade, outside sales offices and ‘The Economist’ magazine.

Upon return to my senior year in college, I was filled with a strong sense of direction and purpose: finish the rest of my classes and continue on the logistical path I had begun. Operations management, international marketing, organizational behavior, and cross-cultural communication were my favorite courses. My last semester was quite busy with regular classes, a “Global Logistics Specialist” academic program from another university, and an internship with a freight forwarder. I happily graduated in June 2004, assisted a British logistics trade show co. in LA and Chicago, and completed the logistics program later that summer.

Although the career prospect cards seemed well dealt in my favor, something big changed within me. Suddenly supply chain management and logistics lost their strong appeal. Sales & Marketing seemed much more interesting, but it didn’t seem to have a place in a highly commoditized product environment where pricing was the only important purchasing factor for clients. Everything else in SCM was about materials/inventory management, transportation & warehousing, visible and accurate data, quality control, and accounting. Retrospectively, I’m happy for all that I learned. It helped me communicate better with clients, operational staff, and 3rd parties. It was frustrating though, to give up on some VERY well-paying job opportunities right out of college. I was a bit confused and sad, but my heart told me to press on…

to be continued…

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The event will be joyous and full of merriment! I look forward to meeting many of you.

If you haven’t signed up yet, what are you waiting for?

http://www.blogger-social.com/

Come join the following fine folks:
Susan Bird Tim Brunelle Katie Chatfield Terry Dagrosa Matt Dickman Luc Debaisieux Gianandrea Facchini Mark Goren Gavin Heaton Sean Howard CK Valeria Maltoni Drew McLellan Doug Meacham Marilyn Pratt Steve Roesler Greg Verdino CB Whittemore Steve Woodruff Paul McEnany Ann Handley David Reich Tangerine Toad Kristin Gorski Mack Collier David Armano Ryan Barrett Lori Magno Tim McHale Gene DeWitt Mario Vellandi Arun Rajagopal Darryl Ohrt Joseph Jaffe Rohit Bhargava Anna Farmery Marianne Richmond Thomas Clifford Lewis Green Geoff Livingston Kris Hoet Connie Reece CeCe Lee Jonathan Trenn Toby Bloomberg Seni Thomas