This “Monday” blog is written to honor what we believe are enlightened organizations and communities, and is normally posted on Monday, but our Monday posting has been delayed in hopes of results on a great story coming out of Vancouver, British Columbia.
Unfortunately, the City Council will not vote until tonight on a resolution that will determine what you, if you live in Vancouver, can have clucking in your back yard. So I felt I could be late no longer. Lets talk about it and on Wednesday, I will give you the results of their vote.
IN A NATION OF FOOD BANKS – WE ARE JUST BEGINNING TO GET IT…
IS THE WORD -VALUES-AN OXYMORON IN THE BANKING INDUSTRY?
VANCITY IS PROOF POSITIVE -IT IS NOT
VanCity, based in Vancouver, British Columbia, is in its sixth decade of operation, offering a form of social and spiritual capitalism that proves doing business in alignment with high values and integrity can also be profitable.
This unique blend of more than-a-credit-union and more than-a-bank, is a breath of fresh air in the midst of the tornadeo of devastation wrecked by banking institutions whose operating philosophies are more of a testament to the capitalistic prophecies born out of the ancient Greek myth of Erisychthon.
That seemingly constant, gusting wind I cursed when I lived in Grande Prairie, Alberta, had a different look and feel for Drennen and Jamie Hallett. It was the whiff of opportunity.
The Hallett’s, owners of Golden Sheep Power, officially opened their doors for business in Grande Prairie on February 1, 2009. They will be the first company in Alberta to offer home-owners a chance to get off the grid by using home-based wind turbines and solar panels.
A NEW WIND IS BLOWING
Their timing could not be better. The provincial government just passed regulations to allow for micro-generation in Alberta. And the City of Grande Prairie, a city that has seen explosive growth in the past 5 years due to oil and gas exploration, has shown its openness to explore other sources of energy by allowing the Halletts to set up a pilot project to demonstrate and test the home-based units.
Baby boomers are quaking over the 30 – 50% erosion of their retirements funds, while the biggest threat facing the status of their long-term financial well-being may be closer to home, and within their control.
The winning secret of hockey’s all-time great, Wayne Gretsky, has been much quoted and has relevance in being on top of your financial-future game. Gretsky said the key to his success was simply, “I don’t go to where the puck is…I go to where the puck will be.”
Today we have a lot of pre-retirees, baby boomers born between 1946 and 1964, now ranging in age from 45-63, anxiously looking over the shoulders of their financial planners, wondering how to recover the retirement loses they have seen in the past year.
In the debt-free province of Alberta, where the black gold that first gushed from the ground in the 1950’s, has resulted in a Heritage Trust fund worth of billions of dollars being set aside for a “rainy day” – getting anyone to think about alternative energy sources is not an easy sell. But two framers from the tiny farming community of Vegreville have risen to the challenge.
Their innovation to create Biogas from cattle manure seems a perfect fit for a province that has ranching as it second largest industry. It is also timely for a province aware of the implications of the depleting sources of non-renewable oil and gas, and the challenges of a reliance on an industry with a Boom/Bust economic cycle.
“Inventing a new technology is a pure Alberta story… a great example that building a knowledge economy can happen on the farm, not just in ivory towers” – Evan Chapko, CEO, Highmark Renewables (Edmonton Journal, 02/08/09)
Introducing Kiva.org, a Web 2.0 company focused on connecting generous contribution with the creative potential of those living in poverty. Kiva’s mission is simple: “to connect people through lending for the sake of alleviating poverty.” I had the pleasure of listening to Co-Founder Jessica Flannery speak this past weekend at Jubilee in Pittsburgh. Her speech offered two valuable insights:
1) A glimpse of hope -the poor of the world have the talent and creativity to become self sustaining…all they need is a boost in the form of capital
2) Advice – on how to realize the dream of any company, Kiva’s Story has something to offer to all of us.
INSPIRATIONAL CHRISTIAN CONFERENCE WITH A UNIVERSAL HUMAN MESSAGE
click to visit Jubilee’s homepage
I never thought attending a Christian conference would present me with such an abundance of culture and progressive thinking. This weekend started out with a talk by Gabe Lyons, co-author of the book “unChristian,” describing perception research into how the world views Christians. This research was conducted the same way a company conducts market research to understand brand perceptions, awareness, etc .
His research suggests, among other things, that people perceive Christians as having lost touch with culture and creativity – they are sheltered…out of touch with reality. These opening remarks began a weekend of inspiration, insight, and an exposure to some remarkable individuals who prove such an argument couldn’t be more wrong.
THE ULTIMATE FOCUS…THE HUMAN MESSAGE
How will you use your God-given talents, abilities and opportunities to cultivate learning, creating, building, and serving? And…how can you accomplish these goals in such a turbulent world?
A 15+% return on
investment – for real!
click for details
enlightened orgs: inspiration
ECONOMIC SOLUTIONS WILL BE FOUND AT THE LOCAL LEVEL
Michael Kalmanovich, owner of a unique, organic food supermarket in Edmonton, Alberta, does not lack for inspired, innovative ideas to fulfill his passion to sell locally grown organic food, socially conscious products, and a free dose of education in the process. He took his first step of faith in 1991 by opening a store with $20,000 invested, $167.00 in his bank account and a huge abundance of dreams.
Earth’s General Store was opened in a small location on the fringe of the university in the capital city of the province. It is also smack dab in the heart of a ranching and oil-based economy. It was in this province that KD Lang, a home-town celebrity, riled local extremist ranchers who defaced community signs outside her home town of Consort, Alberta, after her public service announcement in which she spoke out in favor of vegetarianism.
If opening an organic food store in a business culture like that sounds like it takes guts and a leap of faith, that pales by comparison when you hear Michael’s latest dream!
Will we sleep better knowing we have made a few million dollars on a “paper” or “security” that is not tied to something tangible and could collapse at any minute? … or will we leave this world pleased we have restored the planet to the beauty and abundance it once held for all?
We had the Slow Food industry, as a backlash to unhealthy eating, now Woody Tasch has initiated his Slow Money movement to offset the lust for speedy profits, at any cost. Tasch is our honored CEO of Enlightened Orgs for the work he is doing to bring sensibility to a world made giddy by financial greed.
THE MOST POWERFUL SOLUTIONS ARE OFTEN THE SIMPLEST…
There is nothing that delights me more than coincidences. I think they are a little “cosmic goose” telling us there is much more to this “life and universe business” than we ever dare to imagine.
It is a higher power having a bit of fun with us, as one would gently and lovingly tease a child. I think they hold metaphorical messages, if we will only take the time and energy to attempt to decode them. I hope the coincidences I have detected this week are a sign that there is…
The meeting is over. You just delivered the news of the changes that will need to occur in your business in the near future. All heads are bobbing in agreement. The staff have left the room, but you have a strange feeling in your gut. Somehow, you know things are not going to work out quite as well as everyone in the room seems to be telling you it will.
Over the next few years, this scenario will be played out over and over, as business takes the hard decisions to reinvent themselves, in an effort to remain competitive in the current economic environment.
enlightened organizations: global trends: inspiration: best practices
Ode Magazine
click for website
THINGS AT ODE-TRULY POETIC
Ode (from the Ancient Greek) is a form of stately and elaborate lyrical verse[Wikipedia]. Ode magazine is included in our list of Enlightened Organizations for its commitment and success in lyrically focusing on what there is to celebrate in the world!
This month Ode magazine honors the heroes whom they call Intelligent Optimists:
“Intelligent Optimists, individuals who aren’t famous yet but should be because of the work they’re doing to bring positive change to their communities, their countries and the world. That’s how we got 25 reasons to be optimistic in these challenging times.”
Have you ever wondered about the real environmental commitment of hotels with those little cards telling you they are concerned about the environment,“so please don’t ask us to change your towels or sheets daily”… and then, they fill up the bathroom with little tiny packages of toiletries that get partially used -and then, become landfill?
Well, Greg Salloum, property owner, Best Western Inn, in Kelowna, British Columbia is an exception. This man is sincere and dedicated to his commitment to the environment and has spent the money to prove it.
Music & Arts: If you want the art, you have to stroke the ego…
PROFESSIONALS AND NOT-SO-PROFESSIONALS
The music industry is a crazy place. Its so dynamic that it contains some of the richest and some of the poorest people in the world. However, regardless of what level a musician stands on or climbs to, there is always one underlying nuance poised to raise its ugly head when the time is right – THE EGO…
enlightened organizations: global trends: inspiration
“The Aura of the Lake”
click to enlarge
CONSCIOUSNESS TIPPING POINT
Since the US Presidential election, I have been contemplating that moment in history when your country exercised their Free Will and made a statement for change by choosing Barak Obama as President-elect.
Many people have since focused on the shattering of the ethnic glass ceiling as the most significant outcome of this election. But, I think, there is something else, more profound, and of greater global significance, that happened. To use Malcolm Gladwells term, I think the historic implication of this event is that we hit the “tipping point” on Consciousness.
enlightened organizations: global trends: inspiration
Tammy Love brings joy
click for business
TOTAL TRUST IN THE CUSTOMER
Can you imagine a shopping experience where the owner tells you to touch everything, ask lots of questions, take your time, have a tea or coffee, and ring up your own purchases! Well, on one of my most unique shopping experiences, I heard all of that.
Hand Works is an eclectic array of mostly local artisan items displayed in a beautiful century home in the tiny village of Bloomfield, Prince Edward County, Ontario. The trip to Bloomfield is, of itself, well worth the experience-just to meet Tammy.
A big shift in all our institutions, businesses and governments is underway. The old power regime is struggling to retain control but, as in any evolutionary process, it must adapt or be replaced by a more adaptable system. In this discussion of Slide 2 of our TAO of Conscious Business(tm) trio of slides, we point out a few of the symptoms that confirm for us the decline is underway. Click to review Slide 1
Steps Count www.stepscount.com is a small Ontario company with huge inspiration. I have chosen them as the first company I want to profile as an exemplary Enlightened Organization. Located in an office building basement, off the main street in Deep River, Ontario, a little town 2 hours north of Ottawa, it is nothing like any basement office you have been in!
Speed of change today is exponential. In just a few hundred years, civilization moved through an Agrarian Society, an Industrial Society; and within that Industrial Society, a Manufacturing Age and an Information Age.
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“Inventing a new technology is a pure Alberta story… a great example that building a knowledge economy can happen on the farm, not just in ivory towers” – Evan Chapko, CEO, Highmark Renewables (Edmonton Journal, 02/08/09) 
When will we learn to love?
