Lilian Pesi and her friends need our help.This PSA was shot in Kenya during the recent drought
Together we can build a sustainable future for girls like Lilian Pesi. Clean stove projects at schools and orphanages are a good start. They can be funded with carbon offsets. Once installed they have positive effects throughout the whole system. Clean stove projects keep girls in school rather than out on dangerous roads looking for wood and water. Clean stoves also reduce carbon emissions by 70% because they do not cut and burn wood fuel. Not cutting trees preserves habitat that continues to store carbon. Not burning wood reduces the amount of smoky air, the cause of serious health risks to children's developing lungs. This integrated approach can provide targeted development that improves the entire system and provides solutions that are wide spread and long term. At the Irbaan school for example, we have installed a well so girls are not taken from school to look for water and it has also kept 500 people alive during Kenya's deep drought. Additionally they do not have to sterilize the water over wood fires so the trees are left standing.
As a designer of legacy products that have been providing sustainable cradle to cradle solutions since 1991 I've learned that problems ask for solutions, solutions often provide new business for local economies. Working together and taking the design challenge to end hunger in our lifetime while reducing emissions by 80% seems as much an opportunity as a problem. The environmental movement is about MORE not less. 80% of a products footprint is established at the point of design. We not only need to design sustainable products we need to design sustainable systems that provide positive effects throughout the web of life.
According to Carlson, "We are entering into a Restorative Economy, a re-design that will provide the lions share of future profits to those who find systemic solutions to the worlds environmental issues. Products and profits will come from systemic solutions that redirect existing capital to clean energy solutions for a doubling population and eliminate deep poverty. We are creating a movement where we can all be part of the solution through transparent, seamless redirection of existing capital. Natures systems are abundant, productive and adaptive and so is our community. We can come together and redesign a system that works for everyone. A restorative economy builds wealth and environmental stability with a bio-diverse bottom line that includes MORE (Money, Organisms, Resources, and Ecology ) in every decision. As you consider design and solutions ask yourself what footprint you are leave. What seed are you planting. Include MORE in your design and the system will improve overall and set a precedent for what is expected of designers. It has to improve the system not rob the system and have a holistic approach. This often increases product longevity. What does accounting for MORE mean? MORE puts Money, Organisms, Resources, and Ecology on the "bio-diverse "bottom line and provides MORE value throughout the system that includes solutions for those in need.
I had wanted Cool HIVE to be a global HIVE where we could all work on systemic design and trade in solutions ideas and farm stuff. I wanted us to be able to Cool your credit card by having purchases offset by affinity programs. Connect, build and advise projects in the HIVE. Our slogan was "Come Buzz around with us and team up with friends to produce long-term legacy solutions that save lives with everyday activity." I was not big enough to do this. Nor do I have the personality to make something big like that, but it doesn't mean its not a good idea to team up with friends and brain storm on solutions that can protect our habitat and reduce carbon emissions and famine. Acting as a team. I live on a mountain and deer and native plants our my team. Partially I chose this after being in East Africa and spending time with the Maasai, who are literally outside all day. They have a calm, regal quality and I knew that rushing around trying to save the day was not exactly the right solution. If we could find a way The corporate challenge of paying the environmental date as they go while staying competitive me mean a redesign of a productive business system. Our lives need to connecting to life giving systems that integrates with your daily life. Millions of girls like Lilian Pesi will thank you for Making the Planet Cooler by reducing your carbon emissions by 5% and offsetting with a solar stove purchase.