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building a sustainable business and living the dream

sustainability

World Environment Day

sustainability | Tim Norton | 0 Comments

IceCapIt’s World Environment Day tomorrow, and our home base Wellington, New Zealand is this years host country and city. You’d hope this was an everyday thing really in our lives, but for now having a day marked for it is a chance to have a wakeup call and remind ourselves and the people around us that the environment is the base of all we have.

So while you’re thinking about what the environment might mean to you and what you are and could do about where its heading, why not:

  • walk or bike to work
  • buy some fresh food without plastic packaging
  • open the window and turn the AC off

And take some time to enjoy how much less of many things you need.World Environment day Wellington CO2

Citylife, City based decision making

In many modern cities, with airtight, air conditioned buildings many of us spend so much time living in, even fresh air and water is a precious commodity. Almost everyone loves ‘getting away from it all’, and hitting nature, the beach, the forest, parks, mountains… and there’s a very simple reason for this (besides just letting go of fast pace), we’re all natural, and a healthy natural environment makes for healthy happy people. So don’t think doom and gloom, just remember how good the natural environment feels and be inspired to do something about the fact that its taking a bit of a beating from modern day living.

Water World Environment DaySo whatever you’re doing in the city, in the busyness of the day and building your business, remember that its the actions of ourselves, our cities and the people in them making decisions about the wider world everyday that make or break the wider environment around the world. There’s so much beautiful natural world out there, but there’s also a lot of pollution and destruction. There are reasons you can’t just go swimming in the water so close to so many cities, or drink the water from the tap, why greenbelts are shrinking on large land masses, oceans emptying of life, and while in a ‘modern’ world this may just seem like the way it has to be, there is most certainly another way. It will take time to transform from what has been done and continues to happen, but if we keep our heads up, stay switched on, and make the environment part of our small daily lives and big decisions and plans, we will keep coming up with smarter ways to live cool lives that mother nature will smile at us for.

Doing some simple sustainable office things…

sustainability | Tim Norton | 0 Comments

Doing some simple sustainable office things…

All the big guys are 'getting into sustainability' these days, but this is more often than not driven from the marketing department as a PR initiative. I'm not cynical, its possibly better than nothing - sure, but does it actually mean any real change happens in behavior? Maybe sometimes,  but I think in reality it can actually do quite the opposite, as people end up eating...(Read more)

Make a Difference - Start a business

Do it Yourself, You - Direction - Energy, sustainability | Tim Norton | 0 Comments

Make a Difference - Start a business

There's a lot of talk about making a difference nowadays, although I'm not sure too many people feel they know how to do anything significant beyond talking and maybe making a few small changes in their life, which is good, but I think there's a really simple way to start on the path to something bigger. If you go into business to make money, then I...(Read more)

What I’ll do when I’ve ‘made it’ - Bigger things

Big answers, You - Direction - Energy, sustainability | Tim Norton | 4 Comments

What I’ll do when I’ve ‘made it’ - Bigger things

There's so many ways to do something in the world that I feel I've had to touch but largely walk past until further notice... that further notice is having the time, ability and influence to be able to do something. I feel like I'm in stage 1 of life right now, quietly building up ability and influence, give back as part of my ventures and...(Read more)

How to make a new Island… & solve a few of the worlds problems

Big answers, Do it Yourself, Real Value, sustainability | Tim Norton | 6 Comments

How to make a new Island… & solve a few of the worlds problems

The more you look around your environment, the more you see you can make for yourself, and this is often what gets you starting a business, you see something missing or not being done the right way and decide that you'll do it your way and see if that helps. What if you really care about the environment, are looking for a simple yet fully...(Read more)