Amory Lovins provides a powerful presentation about the future we need to create. To me this seems like what will happen, and is something we should be working to make happen, because not only is it better for all, it is also more profitable. Looking at the future realistically instead of through the eyes of those that are afraid of changing the status quo, i.e. the oil and gas industry, they suffer from what Prospect Theory calls the the Endowment Effect. We should be optimistic about a better tomorrow.

Watch Amory’s powerful presentation to be more optimistic and enjoy what Gerald Wilde called Expectationism and how it is  better than education, engineering and enforcement(Linked) 

Guerrilla Marketing Goes Green: Winning Strategies to Improve Your Profits and Your Planet is a MUST READ. Even if you are not a marketer, there is beneficial information that will help you do whatever you do better. Also, although it specifically explains how to make more money and be successful, it explains how to do this in a way where everyone and everything benefits.

For those of you who have followed me, you know my main tenet is Selfish, Selfless, Synergy or the idea of paneugenesis which means creating all good (-pan = all, -eu = good, -genesis = creating). In more formal terms the way to practice paneugenesis is to generate comprehensive improvements by creating interactions so everyone and everything benefits, which is selfish, selfless, synergy. If you are interested, the video below explains the concept of Paneugenesis or Selfish, Selfless, Synergy as well as this, this, this, this, this, this, and many more posts.

Gorilla Marketing Goes Green was a great book because I learned specifically how others already have and how can going forward create interactions so everyone and everything benefits. The book also outlines how and why those interactions led to their success. The video below promotes the ideas in their book.

From my perspective their book also uses the steps I have suggest to practice paneugenesis in several posts (here, here, here):

1. Operationalize an Idealized Outcome

2. Discover Precursors

3. Optimize the Process

4. Plot Progress

Although they did not use these terms, here is how I saw them using those 4 steps.

1. Operationalize an Idealized Outcome. Instead of doing it first, they describe the idealized outcomes created using many examples in their chapter 19 and in many stories throughout the book. In Chapter 19, the successful stories of the amazing environmentalists Amory Lovins and John Todd are described. Earlier I highlighted the presentations by Amory Lovins from the UNC Sustainability Conference I attended here and the related conference presentations here.
2. Discover Precursors. Throughout the book they outline and discuss the necessary precursors to create idealized outcomes. The most consistent precursors they repeatedly discuss are the advantages of doing right thing by using the Magic Triangle of Quality, Integrity and Honesty and the need to provide value to others.
3. Optimize the Process. They  outline how to optimize the process by describing ways to help others that are not adversarial. They also discuss how it is necessary to enlarge the pie using an abundance paradigm rather than fight for a share of the pie by working from a scarcity paradigm. They also outline how to build alliances and partnerships from which both parties benefit.
4. Plot Progress. The way they talk about progress is increased sales and satisfaction from doing the right thing and helping others and the planet succeed. An important way they emphasize to plot progress is being able to look in the mirror and know you are doing good for others and the world.

Overall, it is a great book and an important and valuable read for anybody who wants to make a positive impact. The book provides ideas about Selfish, Selfless, Synergy and how to generate comprehensive improvements by creating interactions so everyone and everything benefits. I look forward to hearing about your successes!

**Special Note: In my purchase of the book I had the opportunity to personally interact with Shel Horowitz. This interaction confirmed to me he doesn’t just write about how to conduct business in a good way, it is how he conducts business. Thank you Shel!

Food anxiety is trending. We are rightly concerned about what we eat and why what we are eating may or may not be good for us and the environment. We are worried because food companies seem to be more interested in selling food than supporting personal and planetary health.

Michael Pollan, in the PBS Special, “In Defense of Food”, (trailer below) takes a very straightforward approach . I have not read his book but have watched the PBS special twice. I encourage you to watch  it – it is linked here – Michael Pollan explores a cure for today’s industrially driven Western diet.

In straightforward terms this special helps us be less anxious about food as it directs us to eat things that everyone, especially our grandparents, would agree should be called food. To lessen our anxiety and with great scientific support he recommends we eat real food while staying away from technology created processed foods – for the most part. He acknowledges we cannot be perfect and helps us see a way to do better for ourselves and the planet.

The “In Defense of Food” special also supports and describes the overload of sugar in our food today as Katie Couric discusses in FedUp.  (see trailer below) FedUp is an excellent documentary about food that you can see on many venues including on NetFlix. One of the most enlightening aspect of FedUp is how it demonstrates how Big Food has become like Tobacco to mislead the consumers, described in this post. The charge that big corporations are misleading consumers to generate more sales is also now being leveled at the NFL in the revealing movie “Concussion” with Will Smith.

Overall, Michael Pollan recommends we go as close to a plant strong diet as possible for the benefits and if we can’t always do it, relax, eat better next time. As I have posted here, here, here, here, and more, making plant strong food choices will benefit personal and planetary health. This is another way to have both as described earlier and is a way to practice paneugenesis by making food choices that generate comprehensive benefits by creating interactions with food that benefit everyone and everything.

I like and intend to follow his clear message, “Eat Food, Not To Much, Mostly Plants” to Make 2016 a Great Year. I know that if I follow his recommendation I will be Creating Interactions so Everyone and Everything Benefits. I look forward to hearing about how you are making 2016 great!

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