This interview is an excellent window into the thinking behind what is happening in education called Massive Open Online Courses, (MOOC). It’s with the founders of Udacity, David Evans and Sebastian Thrun (pictured here) as interviewed by Dick Gordan on The Story. Click here. It gives one pause as to how the concept applies to conferences. Think about what is said about scalability, format,... [Read more]
Tuesday, May 8th, 2012
Massive Open Online Conferences?
Wednesday, April 11th, 2012
Nine Personal Capacities of Sustainability Leaders
I learn at least one “something new” every day, usually before 9AM as I go through my morning emails. This morning it was about a company, The Sustainability Learning Centre, referenced in a post on the LinkedIn group, Chief Sustainability Officers, and shared by Kathryn Cooper. They have a two part learning series on “Facilitating Transformational Change Toward Sustainability,”... [Read more]
Monday, April 9th, 2012
Helping You Make Smarter Sustainability-related Choices
I regularly read the blog, From Me to We, by Kare Anderson. I thought the title reflected a basic tenet of sustainability and of life in general. As I read her posts I find she delivers on this theme with often very insightful advice as was the case today in her post, Two Ways to Make Smarter Choices Next Time.
1. Don’t Get Anchored Down (and remain open-minded)
“When considering... [Read more]
Thursday, March 29th, 2012
Sustainability and Food Production Challenges
All types of organizations are producing animation, slide shows, documentary style videos, feature films, commercials, and the expert-interview to communicate their perspectives on food – big challenges of agricultural reform and rising food prices; food supply and demand; sourcing; and food safety. The following curated selection reflects the complexity of the sustainability category of food... [Read more]
Monday, March 12th, 2012
What is Sustainability?
The 1.2M citizens per month* searching Google on the term, sustainability, very often ask, as we do here, What is Sustainability? It shows we have some work to do to raise awareness by starting with the basics. The definition I use most frequently comes from the Constitution of the Iroquois Nations: Look and listen for the welfare of the whole people and have always in view not only the present but... [Read more]
Wednesday, February 29th, 2012
Real Estate Transaction as Social Responsibility Action
Investing In Communities (IIC) is a young nonprofit empowering real estate professionals, like the founders and social entrepreneurs Michael Pink and Sharon Porter, to generate unrestricted revenue for non-profits through real estate transactions whether the client is an individual or company. Think of IIC as a client-directed, broker-funded social responsibility program. It puts CSR into the real... [Read more]
Wednesday, February 15th, 2012
What is Sustainability? The Guiding Principle
From The Constitution of the Iroquois Nation In all of your deliberations in the Confederate Council, in your efforts at law making, in all your official acts, self interest shall be cast into oblivion. Cast not over your shoulder behind you the warnings of the nephews and nieces should they chide you for any error or wrong you may do, but return to the way of the Great Law which is just and right.... [Read more]
Saturday, February 11th, 2012
Documentary, the Examined Life by Astra Taylor, has been added to EarthSayers.tv, voices of sustainability in the Culture and Consciousness special collection. Examined Life is a 2008 documentary film directed by Astra Taylor. The film features eight influential contemporary philosophers walking around New York and other metropolises and discussing the practical application of their ideas in modern... [Read more]
Saturday, February 11th, 2012
Ethics in a World of Strangers by Kwame Appiah
Today we added Kwame Anthony Appiah, a Ghanaian-British-American philosopher, to our EarthSayers.tv special collection on culture and consciousness. In this video he explains cosmopolitanism in Astra Taylor’s Examined Life documentary. Drawing on a broad range of disciplines, including history, literature, and philosophy—as well as his own experience of life on three continents—Kwame... [Read more]
Wednesday, February 8th, 2012
To Scientists: It’s Not About The Climate
Sustainability>Planet>Climate Change>deniers I think the debate around climate change (see two previous blog posts, Advancing Science and Serving Society) reflects a lack of confidence in scientists coming in part from the health sciences where false claims and misrepresentations, not to mention theft, spill over and sully the reputation of all scientists. The result is increasing doubt and... [Read more]
