Hoe een provincie ons kan helpen aan groene energie

Zonne-energie onder de grond

Ieder jaar verbrandt de mensheid naar schatting 100.000 jaar aan fossiele zonne-energie. Want dat is in feite wat fossiele brandstoffen zijn: koolwaterstofverbindingen, ontstaan uit resten van plantaardig leven van tussen de 359 en 0,8 miljoen jaar geleden.
Het gevolg van deze verbranding is gekend. CO2 dat opgeslagen zit in deze brandstoffen komt ‘en masse’ vrij. Dat zorgt ervoor dat de koolzuurgasconcentratie in onze atmosfeer jaarlijks stijgt, en dat leidt tot klimaatsverandering.

Fossiele brandstoffen spelen echter een rol in alle mogelijke geledingen van onze economie. Transport, energie, voedselproductie, consumptiegoederen, kunststoffen, medische toepassingen, … er is geen enkel facet van onze economie denkbaar, of er komt petroleum, of oliegerelateerde producten bij te pas.
Het is ontzettend zonde om dit waardevol materiaal te verbranden.

Zonne-energie boven de grond

Ieder sprietje gras oogst zonne-energie op een veel eco-effectievere, efficientere en meer directe manier dan hoe wij het doen. Bovendien maakt het proces deeluit van het ecosysteem, en zet het zich daar niet buiten.

Door fotosynthese in het bladgroen wordt koostofdioxide omgezet in koolhydraten, en dat leidt tot een metabolisme dat niet destructief is maar constructief. Denk aan plantengroei. Denk aan waterzuivering. Denk aan voedselproductie en uitwisseling met andere soorten.

Als mens zijn we er nog niet in geslaagd dit metabolisme in haar totaliteit te kopiëren en toepassingen te vinden in onze eigen industrie en energieproductie. Maar met onze huidige zonnepanelen zijn we al halfweg, en weten we op een steeds meer rendabele manier zonlicht om te zetten in elektriciteit.

In feite zijn alle energiebronnen rechtstreeks of onrechtstreeks vormen van zonne-energie. Wind, getijden, golven, biodiesel, … De zon bestaat in feite uit kernfusie. Maar zelf kernfusie imiteren en daar energie uit oogsten, da’s een verhaal waar we voorlopig nog niet helemaal aan toe zijn.

Decentralisatie/ Power to the people

Een centrale energieproductie zoals een kerncentrale, en een one-to-many energiedistributie met een paar grote spelers paste perfect in het industriële efficiëntie-denken van de afgelopen eeuw.

Het blinkt uit op vlak van efficientie (volume), maar het is een systeem met weinig veerkracht (weerbaarheid voor wanneer iets mis gaat)

Maar mede dankzij de evolutie op het internet (2.0), de modelfunctie van het internet voor de ontwikkeling van een intelligent electricteitsnetwerk (the smart grid in de V.S), en de toenemende ‘do-it-yourself-mentaliteit’ in consumentenmarkten, wint het idee voor een gedecentraliseerde productie en distributie meer en meer terrein.

(Google transition towns)

Een interessant gevolg daarvan is dat enkel de energie geproduceerd en gedistribueerd wordt die nodig is, op de plaats waar ze nodig is, op de manier zoals ze plaatselijk het meest gebruik maakt van beschikbare bronnen zoals zee, zon of wind, voor-en-door de mensen die ze nodig heeft, enzovoort.

Infeite is de natuur zelf het beste model. De natuur beloont efficiënt gebruik en hergebruik, coöperatie (symbiose), diversiteit, succesvolle aanpassing aan lokale omstandigheden, … Bovendien draait de hele biosfeer (al wat leeft) op zonne-energie.

Marktsucces van het gedecentraliseerd model

In Nederland krijgen energieneutrale woonwijken steeds meer voet aan wal. De zuinigheidscultuur is daarbij een belangrijke succesfactor. Er bestaan uiteenlopende modellen, maar vaak zijn collectieve aankoop of bezit, financieringsproducten of inventieve product-service-combinaties de basis om daken van huizen allemaal te voorzien van zonnepanelen. Maar steeds vaker wordt er een energie-mix ontwikkeld bestaande uit een bonte symbiose van verschillende technologieën: energieproductie uit rioolwater, stadsverwarming uit asfalt, geothermische energie, etc…

Maar de meest opmerkzame groei van zonne-energie vinden we in Duitsland. Dankzij een fiscaal aantrekkelijke maatregel is Duitsland de grootste markt in de wereld voor foto-voltaïsche panelen. Het hele succesverhaal is schitterend in beeld gebracht in “Here comes the Sun”, door documentairemakers van de VPRO voor het duidingprogramma “Tegenlicht”.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mLHBFyfvK8A

Een interessant rekensommetje

Opdat mensen of lokale gemeenschappen naast consumenten ook producenten zouden worden, zijn installaties nodig die geld kosten. Die investering is een drempel. Tenzij die vanaf moment één geld opbrengt in plaats van kost. Dat hebben enkele banken gedurende 2009 zeer goed begrepen, en hebben van zonn-energie een financieel product van gemaakt.

Een ander vooruitzicht is dat vanaf 2012 elektrische wagens onze wegen zullen veroveren. Ons bewustzijn van wat een ‘kilowattuur’ is, zal sowieso groter worden. Dan wordt dat zoiets als de benzineprijs aan de pomp.

Hoe maken we dit soort transitie succesvol?

Een nieuwe technologie of nieuw model is niet het enige wat nodig is. Er is ook een culturele innovatie nodig met een breed maatschappelijke draagvlak.

Ook moeten mensen hun dak gaan zien als een nuttige ruimte. In het verleden zijn slimme marketingstrategieën erin geslaagd om van een badkamer een welness-ruimte te maken, en om van een tuin een volwaardig bijkomende ‘living room’ te maken.

Met een dak moet herbestemming ook mogelijk zijn.

Waarom de Provincie?

De Provincies hebben een historische rol in de samenleving om oa. infrastructuren en diensten mogelijk te maken die de levensstandaard van burgers te verbeteren. Denk aan hun belangrijke bijdrage aan de distributie van drinkbaar water. Je staat er niet meer vaak bij stil, maar vandaag is stromend water een evidentie in de keuken en de badkamer, maar ooit was dat nieuw. Dankzij de provincie.

De provincie zou opnieuw deze maatschappelijke rol kunnen actualiseren en hard maken door deze maatschappelijke tendenzen met beide handen te grijpen. Bovendien wordt de reputatie van instellingen steeds vaker bepaald door wat je doet ipv. wat je zegt. De Provincie heeft er de perfecte rol, én de perfecte schaal voor.

De provincie kan energie-communities mogelijk maken, (voor)finaniering mogelijk maken, product-service-modellen ontwikkelen en aanbieden, publiek-private samenwerkingen aangaan, enz…

A premium brand expressing it's eco-credentials in a glossy magazine

Double page in Monocle Magazine where Bodum advertises its sustainable credentials that points at the trend of making coffee with machines that use little plastic pots.

Studio Brussels hacks the intro of Belgian soap opera

The intro of Belgium's most popular soap opera has been parodied to announce the central theme of this year's edition of Music For Life. Music for Life is the yearly charity media event of Studio Brussels, Flanders most popular and progressive radio station.

This year's issue that will receive its attention and support is: "Mothers on the run for violence and war"

After the intro-movie we see a small documentary that zooms into the lives of four African women. To my believe this is brilliant. The campaign uses the codes of a very familiar cultural item and connects with a world that seems very far away.

It understands where "home and family values are best represented and knows how to transfer it to the charity issue.

Finally we see again a campaign that breaks out of the barriers of the conventional advertising resort. 

Where are other organisations like "banks" for example? Don't they have a larger social challenge today as well that makes them able to break with advertising conventions in a creative way? Make their challenges real? 

A new company is about to be born

Strategic Planning with a triple top-line.
More to be announced soon...

ColaLife: Business and Humanitarian Symbiosis

Brilliant idea:

Let's talk to Coca Cola About Saving Lives
Our idea is that Coca Cola could use their distribution channels (which are amazing in developing countries) to distribute rehydration salts to the people that need them desperately. Maybe by dedicating one compartment in every 10 crates as 'the life saving' compartment?

Visit the website and find the Facebook group here:
http://www.colalife.org/

Find nice pictures, related to this topic here:
http://www.flickr.com/groups/colalife/

Found on Collective Lens:
http://www.collectivelens.com/

Fairtrade enters hard discount at LIDL

After carrefour started offering eco-alternatives in various categories with its own eco-private labels (Carrefour Bio, Carrefour Solidair...), LIDL (hard discounter) started today with filling its shelves a range of Max Havelaar/ Fiartrade products within their own brand "Fairglobe".

A Humanitarian Lion at Cannes

This video has an anoying soundtrack that is so sappy it's difficult to keep watching.

The story behind goes as follows: a video appeared on YouTube that advocates the creation of the Cannes Humanitarian Lion, an award honoring the agency which submitted the best idea and action plan to solve one of several pre-determined worldwide humanitarian issues. Each agency that submitted work to Cannes for any category would be required to also provide one Humanitarian Lion idea. Finalists would then be selected and have until the next year's Festival to execute the work at which time the work would be judged and the winner awarded the Humanitarian Lion.

Right here, a conversation is happening about the sense of this idea

Louis Vuitton angry about Darfur campaign

Straight from osioco.org a website on social advertising and non-profit campaigns from around the globe.

In October last year designer Nadia Plesner started a campaign called Simple Living to raise awareness of the ongoing genocide in Darfur and to raise money for the helping organization Divest for Darfur. The thought was: Since doing nothing but wearing designerbags and small ugly dogs appearantly is enough to get you on a magazine cover, maybe it is worth a try for people who actually deserves and needs attention. That is why Nadia choose to mix the cruel reality with showbiz elements. The result was the poster above, also available on a t-shirt.
In February this year, Nadia received a letter from Louis Vuitton’s (French fashion designer) main office in Paris, asking firmly to end the campaign immediately, as they believe one of their products is being portrayed in the art piece:
“Although we applaud your efforts to raise awareness and funds to help Darfur, a most worthy cause, we cannot help noticing that the design of the Simple Living Products includes the reproduction of a bag infringing on Louis Vuitton’s Intellectual Property Rights, in particular the Louis Vuitton Monogram Multicolore Trademark to which it is confusingly similar. We are surprised of such a promotion of a counterfeit bag.” “As an artist yourself, we hope that you regognize the need to respect other artists’ rights and Louis Vuitton’s Intellectual Property Rights which include the Louis Vuitton Monogram Multicolore trademark.”
This is part of the answer from Nadia Plesner:
“However, I must inform You, that the bag in my drawing is inspired by - and refers to - designers bags in general – not a Louis Vuitton bag. If you take a closer look, you will also notice, that the pattern in my drawing is not the pattern which is used in the design of a Loius Vuitton bag. The name Louis Vuitton is in no way mentioned or referred to, neither in my drawing, nor in the campaign as such.”
Talks between the laywers of Louis Vuitton and Nadia Plesner will take place at the end of May.
Update: Although I think Nadia is sincere, the design of the handbag looks very similar to a Louis Vuitton design. See this image.
I think the design of the poster is great. It shows the ridiculous gap between rich and poor, first world and third world. Is it smart from from Louis Vuitton to make such a hassle? Is there intellectual property harmed by this campaign? I don’t think so. Or what one of the commenters asked at Nadia’s website forum: was Andy Warhol sued for his portrayal of the Campbell’s soup cans?

Sky TV: why fall a tree to see what's on TV?

Nice example again of alligning the business benefit with the eco-benefit

Commercial Finish Railroad Company (VR)

Commercial of the Finish Railroad company (bit weird, and exepensive, but funny). When you go to their website, you can see they make use of the friendly statue characters in all kind of promotions.

eBay: sometimes the best Green Marketing doesn't look Green

The agency I work for (Duval Guillaume) , has just won eBay as a new client.
eBay is seen as a good example of a market(ing) concept with both a commercial, environmental and cultural outcome. (triple bottom line, but consider it as 'top line' in this case)

In its book 'Green Marketing Manifesto', John Grant points out that the success factors of eBay are mainly cultural oriented (but with large environmental benefits):

(1) eBay breaks the uniformity of consumer culture back down into something folksy

(2) eBay gives a second life to products that otherwise probably would get trashed

(3) eBay encourages people to treasure consumer objects. It associates unique objects with unique descriptions of unique people

(4) eBay is one of the most successful startups in the last 20 years as It created a second-hand market place where one (especially in the US) barely existed

(5) Post-advertising brands like eBay, Amazon, Linux etc… did not craft images to build their success. They share an enthusiasm with their participants and just work great.

(6) What eBay has done is introduce advantages over buying from other sources (price, efficiency, reassurance…) but more than that, eBay is a game mechanic. Here is a key lesson for product-service systems: develop something more compelling than shopping.

(7) Beyond making second-hand markets more efficient, eBay created ‘thriving niches of collecting’. Items like ‘classic guitars’ are a booming collection market. People can now buy with confidence, knowing they can sell on

At least he drives a Prius...

A humorous set of fake Toyota Prius ads is making the rounds, putting a dent in the goody-two-shoes image of the hybrid car’s fan base. “Well, at least he drives a Prius,” says the tagline, next to images of guys dumping bodies and picking up hookers. There’s even an execution with a wayward female Prius driver, who has taken up with the lawn boy.

It is a joke, but as it is finding it's way among the internet, it is there.

It's interesting however to see an ad campaign that lifts green up to a moral issue : - )

Directly via Adfreak.

Advertising for Public Transport

Check the above commercial for Madrid Metro.

What if Public Transportation Could Advertise Like Cars?
Maybe commuters would come to believe that riding the train is more exciting and has more sex appeal then sitting in traffic in a Lexus SUV.
As the ad demonstrates in its creative technique: it is a change of perspective.

Check also this one.
Always thought of public transport as a place for pleasant encounters.

Straight from this funny blog Carectomy (removing cars from people)

Africa Works: a view on Benetton's newest cause related campaign

This is a remarkable example of cause related marketing with an integrated mix of

fashion advertising + Music + celebrity endorsement + micro-financing (such as Kiva)

The story is as follows: Youssou N'Dour (famous singer in Africa with his own club in Dakar and pioneer of Afro-pop) has a kind of allergy towards charity (You don't have to give Africans fish, you should give them fishing gear), and that's what makes him a strong believer of Micro-financing.
That's why he founded "Birima", his own micro-financing project. Photographer James Morrison made a series of photography of Africans who do business with the support of Birima.
Benetton sponsored Birima with one million Dollars to use the imagery in its campaigns.

What makes Birima and Benetton a good match?

- First of all, Benetton has a history of using advertising in a completely different way, to
communicate the company's values by tackling controversial political issues.
Today, they need to take the next step to a more engaging and participative kind of marketing
that demonstrates its values instead of portraying them.

- On top of that, Benetton is about united colors, and Africa is close around the corner on that

subject.

- Youssou N'Dour's song Birina is an ad in itselves that attributes attention to both Benetton
and the micro-financing project.

Some advantages of cause-related-marketing

- It allows you to look good/green without claiming it. But even though, you associate yourselve
with a subject/ field of significance.

- It is flexible. You can go and find a cause that is popular at that moment. (you can look for
memes and hits!)
- Marketing is in it's "Why-era" (why should I buy from you?)

Some disadvantages

- Apart of the cause-benefit, there is still the cost of PR and advertising

- Association with a charity can get worn out, at the same speed of image advertising

Zaproot, promoting ecoproducts in news-item format

Online Videos by Veoh.com
I didn't forgot Velentine yesterday in my personal life, but yes, I forgot about it as a blogger. Anyway, this is something funny and remarkable I would like to share with you.
Zaproot did always have a very funny style in promoting ecoproducts and lifestyles. This "Valentine's Day Special" is realy awsome. It is an impressive rollercoaster of various ecoproduct gift idea's through all kind of categories. Nice to see how how they realise to bundle such an amount of products to one context in a creative and humourious way.

All eco-chicque or even iconic, check it out.

GreenPeace invites you to EfficienCity

Portraying Activism versus Future Vision


Greenpeace are activists, and I've always perceived them as a tribe of people who protest what's wrong, build public awareness and so weigth on corporate and govermental agenda's.Rebels as you could say, adventurers (on motorboats...) who dare to resist. Therefore they are so attractive to belong to or identify with.

When I talk to collegues, they often say: GreenPeace should talk about solutions instead of problems. I admit that solutions have their power to convince and attract people to step in, and we need thousands more of organisations delivering solutions. But hey, GreenPeace is GreenPeace. Activism is part of their authenticity and brand genetics, giving adepts a warm feeling that out there, there is an 'Army for the Planet' protecting our future.

In contradiction with the above, they recently launched something very remarkable.
They invite us to EfficienCity: an interactive, educational, game-style city, where sustainability is demonstrated in a very tangible way. Everything is sustainable. You can take a tour of what a real sustainable city would look like, complete with wave power, combined heat and power plants, high speed rail, and (if you look really closely) Smart Cars.

Check it here

The city gives you information on all of these beautiful sustainable aspects of itself. You can zoom into the city and learn about wind power, small-geothermal power, bio-gas, solar, wave, wind, and tidal power. The amount of informating hiding in this little city is staggering.

If you want to give yourself a little tour of what it is to be an EcoGeeky city, this is a great place to start. But don't dive in if you don't have a few minutes to spare. It'll suck you in.

New series of cause related campaigns

Cause related campaigns

I did some additional collection work to update my cause related campaigns Picasa album.
Check it out, there is some nice brand new stuff in there

Pangea organics' plantable packaging

Pangea Organics, ecocentric bodycare (always beneficial, never artificial) exists since some years, and is a great example of how their truly sustainable vision is reflected in all aspects of their business, both company, brand and products.





Company:

- They buy ingredients from women cooperatives
- Support of 40.000 acres of organic agriculture land in 52 countries
- Designed to be a roll model for other sustainable startup companies
- 100% wind powered factory
- Total Product Lifcycle optimalisation
- Ethical HR-management
- 3000 square foot organic garden for employees

Brand:

- Always beneficial, never artificial
- It just doesn't smell nice, it is nice
- Always organic, never ordinary
- Good for everybody and the planet

Product:

- fastest growing organic skin care line, with fastest growing packaging in the world
(you can plant the packaging, and usefull herbs pop-up)
- Complete line of organic cosmetics and bodycare
- Free of petroleum and all kinds of artificial ingredients

Here you see Pangea Organics Founder and CEO Joshua Scott Onysko talking about it at the Greenfestival in 2006:

For a happy 2008 and next (4): Solar power

Electrabrol: a courageous campaign of Greenpeace

Find more background information at:
- www.electrabrol.be (NL)
- www.electrobel.be (FR)

Having Electrabel as energy supplier is a very common choice in Belgium. During a long time, they were the only choice. This public awareness campaign of Greenpeace questions this common behavior, tells the real story, unmasks Electrabels greenwashing attitude and refers to smarter/ greener solutions.

OK, this is not the whoehaha-kind of creative campaign. But it is remarkable and courageous.

Having (1)a public enemy,
(2)a great eye-opening story aiming for justice
(3)a courageous opinion that is attractive to agree with
(4) and a call for action that empowers you to make a difference
are strong elements for a good cause-related campaign.

But isn't it a bit tricky as well? How about the risk of Electrabel striking back?
Feel free to give your opinion below, help spreading this campaign, or switch provider.