ReGeneration Roundup - 2008-05-29
According to a new survey by Deloitte, business travelers are increasingly considering green practices like recycling, energy-efficient lighting and safer cleaning products when selecting hotels on their trips. Of the 1,155 business travelers responding to the survey, 34 percent said they looked for environmental-friendly hotels, and 28 percent said they would be willing to pay more for lodging that employs these practices. Good news for those of uswho believe strong businesses and responsible enviro
nmental stewardship don’t have to be mutually exclusive.
The Newshour with Jim Lehrer recently broadcast an excellent story exploring the ‘green’ industry’s potential to reinvigorate ailing economies. Using two hard-hit Pennsylvania “Rust Belt” cities as case studies, the report tells an inspiring story about the regrowth and renewal possible through a little imagination and the creation of ‘green’ jobs. The report runs about 10 minutes, a little long by internet standards, but it is well worth a watch. Those of you interested in this topic should check out GTECH’s (Growth Through Energy and Community Health) site. They have begun using empty and abandoned lots in Pittsburgh to produce oil seeds for fuel.
Farmers on the overworked land of Sub-Saharan Africa are beginning to explore the merits of organic and sustainable farming. Old habits die hard, and the traditional slash-and-burn method of farming has been practiced in this region for thousands of years. However, this method taxes the land, and recent population growth has not allowed the land the time it needs to replenish, contributing to the expansion of the Saharan desert and hunger throughout the area. To remedy this, a few bold farmers have begun trying some practices that are new to the region. Companion plants are introduced into the crops. Instead of burning their fields, they are letting their old crops compost in the fields. When the mice come, they bring in cats. At first these pioneers got strange looks from their neighbors, but as the sustainable experiments proved to be a resounding success, attitudes have begun to change and new traditions are bearing fruit.
