Category: Social Change

Singapore and climate change.

21 youths from ECO Singapore had the chance to engage in important dialogue with Singapore Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong at COP15.

What is a small country’s place in the world during these times? With no natural resources, how might we find alternative energy sources? Is imposing higher carbon taxes really a viable option? What kind of impact will our eco efforts have on the economy and Singapore’s ability to remain competitive?

Learn more about Singapore’s stand on the environment and our climate change policies through their two-part video.

[Youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Kxfbnyd8NLQ]

[Youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=K5D3Z0ltGLE]

Read more about ECO Singapore’s experience at COP15 here.

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Grow gardens with your mouse.

If you’re like me, you grew up enjoying a slew of simulation games that transported you into another world. You ran lives with The Sims, you ran your own theme park with Roller Coaster Tycoon, and you ran your own transportation company with Transport Tycoon.

Well, what if all that you were building up in your fantasy world on your computer screen was actually taking place in a remote location in real life? The folks at agricultural firm Azienda Agricola Giacomo Ferraris have made it possible with their website – Le Verdure Del Mio Orto (‘The Vegetables from my Garden’). It lets you grow your own organic vegetable garden right from the comfort of your home. You’ll get to remain in your boxers, sipping on your cup of coffee and still have fresh pesticide-free produce to nourish you.

That’s because once you’ve paid for your plot of land and designed your virtual farm online, they’ll build an actual farm in northern Italy with the exact crops you chose. Once the produce grows, it’s picked and delivered to your doorstep within 24 hours. Brilliant.

Still not sure how it works? Check out this review on Springwise.com. You can also visit the actual (Italian) site here.

I’d love to see an expansion into other countries too. Their site is colorful and fun! Now if only I could read Italian.

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Product Design for Social Good

Picture by Wonderlane

I came across this article on the Ashoka Tech page highlighting the 6 common pitfalls in product design for social good. Yep, good intentions don’t always lead to a successful outcome. The one that stuck out to me most?

“Pitfall #3: Failing to understand the user context. According to a study conducted by Duke University, up to 98% of donated medical equipment in developing countries is broken within five years. One major culprit? Power surges. Most donated equipment is designed for developed countries, where constant, reliable electricity supply is the norm. But in developing countries (particularly in rural areas), hospitals frequently face blackouts or brownouts, which end up frying their medical devices. While touring Pathan Hospital in Nepal, Tim’s design team discovered a cheap and simple solution; adding surge protectors to medical devices could prevent breakdowns and allow rural hospitals to save money on equipment. From this experience, Tim learned that context is king. Understanding situational nuances (especially in base-of-pyramid markets) allows entrepreneurs to better tailor their products and solve specific problems.”

Click here for the full list.

No one understands a challenge better than the locals. Seeing ourselves as the all-knowing being coming to “save” the poor and implementing blanket solutions to a situations we have not lived with or fully understood may lead to more harm than good.

Imagine this. You send a team of experts to a developing country to build wells for the locals. The completed wells is successfully bringing them fresh, clean water. Your work is done and you move on. 5 years later, a part of the mechanism in the well breaks. None of the locals have the knowledge or the needed materials to repair it, leaving them no choice but to abandon it. Not quite the solution you imagined, is it?

What might have worked better? Collaborating with the local craftsmen and engineers to fuse your knowledge with theirs, and construct the well with materials available locally. Train the locals on how each well works, so they’ll have the knowledge to keep the wells running long after you’re gone.

They brought up a great example of technology that’s been designed and implemented successfully… the Kinkajou Projector. Though it’ll take me a little more research to understand how they worked with the locals to develop the product, this video gives a great overview of a low-cost, low-powered device that is changing lives.

[Youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5B_RK61NI1Q]



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Top 10 Eco-Docs of the Decade

Stumbled across an awesome list on Ecorazzi. The top 10 eco-documentaries of the decade. Here’re my 3 highlights from the list.

Fuel (2008)

In the film, Tickell examines America’s addiction to oil and offers viable, sustainable solutions for the future.

Designated a Critic’s Pick by the film reviewers of the New York Times and hailed by numerous other organizations, this Sundance-winning film will change the way you look at biofuels forever.

I had the chance to catch the educational version of Fuel at the SVN Conference earlier and loved how it opened my eyes to the world of Bio-Diesel. Witness how it’s possible for us to run our vehicles on used cooking oil as we watch the Veggie Van make a cross country trip, stopping only at fast-food restaurants to re-fuel. Especially with the tremendous reduction in harmful emissions, it’s one of those things that just makes no sense to not do, really.

I personally have a dream of working with the taxi and bus companies in Singapore to switch over to Bio-Diesel. It’ll take some research and years of work,but the impact is going to be great! :)

[Youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=upTCSSkxlxE%5D

Who Killed The Electric Car (2006)

Director Chris Paine incited anger towards Big Auto with the release of his electric car documentary in 2006. In particular, General Motors was blamed for killing off their beloved EV1 and stymieing a potential “electric car revolution” in California.

The film currently enjoys am 88% approval rating on Rotten Tomatoes.

A sequel, Revenge of the Electric Car, is planned for release late next year.

I haven’t watched this one, but it looks interesting! Especially with the huge hype over Hybrid cars today. This movie’s exploration of why the quiet, fast and eco-friendly cars that required no gasoline 10 years ago are gone today will set us thinking about who the big bad boys are and why the love of money is destroying our planet.

[Youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nsJAlrYjGz8%5D

Who Killed the Electric Car?is available on DVD.

Food Inc. (2009)

the film is divided into three segments examining the production of meat, grains and vegetables, and the economic and legal power of the businesses behind the scenes.

Said one reviewer, “You’re probably not going to like what you see here, but you’d better hold your nose and choke it down anyway. Food, Inc. is for your own good.” The doc currently has an astounding 96% fresh rating on Rotten Tomatoes — with near consensus on it being one of the top must-see documentaries of the year.

I have heard nothing but praise for this movie. Learn the truth about what you’re eating and start demanding good, wholesome food.

[Youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5eKYyD14d_0]

Food, Inc.is available on DVD.

Check out Ecorazzi’s full list here.


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