Sanctuary Sunday - Sustainability Economics

I hope all of you are enjoying a relaxing Sunday.

I have been blogging more on the topic of sustainability lately, perhaps because of recent environmental disasters such as our Gulf Oil Spill here in the US and the news that 2010 is going into the record books as the hottest in recorded history.

At the risk of creating some dissonance in your delightfully serene sanctuary, I want to give you some "mind candy" to contemplate.

The concept is not that complex, so please pardon me if I paraphrase a line from a popular song which states, "'we've got the whole world in our hands".

Few understand the economics that have provided the underpinnings for the changes that have occurred over centuries, not just decades, in our environment. This is the more complex part of the discussion, and a full treatment of this topic cannot be given justice in one blog post. When we get together face-to-face at an upcoming WWRG Summit, I will cover this in detail.

I had the honor of being accepted for post-graduate work at the Harvard Business School where I received a certificate in Private Equity and Corporate Governance. This area of study is a subset of economics, and the forms of Capitalism that dominate our world economic system.

At the risk of oversimplification, there are basically two forms of Capitalism currently in practice today in the free world.

The first is Anglo/US capitalism and stems from the USA and focuses on short-term maximization of shareholder value.

The second is less widely publicized. It is based on concepts of social justice and recognizes the interdependence of businesses and their local communities. For a full treatment on this topic may I suggest a book that my friend Therese Necio-Ortega, Executive for the Peninsula Hotel group was a contributing expert on entitled Leadership for Sustainable Futures: Achieving Success in a Competitive World by author Gayle C. Avery.

Regardless of whether you believe in one form of capitalism or another, we are still living on the same planet, one that was created long before either existed, or humans for that matter. Without an understanding of what drives the decisions our leaders make, and the honesty with which they make them, a clear picture of how we have arrived where are today cannot be brought into view.

Please consider joining a global initiative such as the Awakening the Dreamer movement I mentioned in an earlier Sanctuary Sunday post. This group, and others, will help educate you on the severity of the problem and suggest ways that you may help solve these pressing issues, and hold our world leadership accountable for their actions.

Why? Because the sanctuary we call Planet Earth is in danger of quickly becoming a cesspool instead.

SDG - JBHIV

Thursday's Truth - What Fuels We Have Been!

I watched a documentary the other day that reminded me, once again, of the saying "there is nothing new under the sun".

The name of the film is Fuel and it follows one man's journey to discover the truth behind fossil fuel and it's role as both as sustainer of life and world currency. I downloaded mine via NetFlix but you can get a copy by clicking here.

I remember well the long gas lines during the 1970's, when the Middle East Oil Embargo disrupted supply to the US. At the time, I was driving a VW Beetle. Despite it's great fuel economy, I still needed to gas up and standing in line was a real wakeup call.

When I graduated from college, my first new car purchase was a VW Dasher Diesel. I have always been fascinated by this technology. Maybe it is because my childhood included a number of years in Asia where the Mercedes Benz 190D was the taxi of choice, especially in Hong Kong.

As soon as I had the money, the Dasher was quickly replaced by what was the "King of Diesels" - a 1982 Mercedes Benz 240D. This car is still in the family, having been given over by me to my late mother when I made a move to the big city of Manhattan where having a car was a luxury and not a necessity because of mass transit.

Whenever I drive it, I like to look for others of the same model, year, and type (there was a gasoline version produced during the same time period). Many other owners are astounded when they learn that my vehicle has only 97,000 miles on it. If you know anything about diesel cars, many have hundreds of thousands of miles and some over a million!

After viewing this film, I plan to convert my beloved car to biodiesel. I have also purchased my last new car. And not just because of the financial downside of doing so (depreciation immediate, long term investment with no return) but because I do not want to consume additional valuable, and limited, natural resources that are required during the production phase.

Our planet is fragile. Groups like Awakening The Dreamer and others are focused on helping bring about change and raising awareness.

I highly recommend you view this movie. I hope to see you driving a vegetable-powered vehicle in the near future. Our Planet will thank you and so will I.

Lifestyle Lifters - Awakening the Dreamer Initiative

In my last Thursday's Truth post, I sited the Peninsula Group of hotels for their leadership in Sustainability efforts at their properties across the globe. It is good corporate citizenship like this that goes a long way toward curing what ills an increasingly dysfunctional world.

As Women of Wealth, many of you feel strongly - a mandate - to use the financial resources entrusted to you to benefit others.

And while many of you are already working toward making our Planet a sustainable, viable, and beautiful place for generations to come, there are also those who are still searching for their role.

If you are one who dreams of a better world, then please look at the efforts of the Awakening The Dreamer Initiative. In the WWRG VIP Featured Video section of the Sidebar to this blog you will find a brief video featuring some of the participants located in Hong Kong.

From humble beginnings as the Pachamama Alliance, it has grown to a worldwide movement.

And just as the Wealthy Women's Resource Guide Network has grown virally and now reaches five continents, so too will movements like Awakening The Dreamer continue to grow exponentially. But they need support.

Please take time today to think about how you can personally support the efforts of Sustainability. Give of your Time, Treasure and Talent in whatever way you feel best.

As you enjoy your weekend and contemplate the week ahead please keep in mind the following quote from one of history's greatest statesmen:

If the human race wishes to have a prolonged and indefinite period of material prosperity, they have only got to behave in a peaceful and helpful way toward one another. - Sir Winston Churchill