| A conference planned in Banff this weekend that seems similar to the countless others that take place in the mountain town every year, but the participants in this one just might change the world.
Those attending the conference would probably shy away from such descriptions – they are simply talking about sustainability, perceptions and change agents – but their overall message calls for a better future. Sustainable Futures 2002 will take a practical look at sustainable industrial and business practices, which means changing the way businesses operate to create healthier environments, communities and lifestyles.
"Most (sustainability conferences) talk about what is sustainable development? What are sustainable practices? What’s the theory?" says Bill Mitchell, chair of the board of Sustainable Futures by Design, the organization behind the conference.
"We’re talking about it more from the behavioural side of things. The change agents. It’s the how. Normally they focus on the what."
The conference is bringing together some of the most successful people involved in the move towards sustainability to talk about their experiences and hash out techniques to better implement sustainable design.
Mitchell says the real thrust of the conference is to give people the tools to better convince the decision-makers in society that sustainability is the future.
"Preceding any change, there is a role for heralds. And heralds go out and talk about the desired change and they talk about it enough, and to anybody who will listen, until society turns around says ‘What? You mean that hasn’t happened yet. Why hasn’t that happened?’" Mitchell says. "That’s what we think needs to happen here."
In his words, sustainability is seeing opportunity where it traditionally didn’t exist. In practical terms, it’s companies like Cochrane’s Spray Lake Sawmills turning their wood waste into usable fertilizer and garden products by working with other companies, Nova Chemicals reusing their waste heat in greenhouses, and Interface Flooring – the world’s largest carpet manufacturer – rethinking its whole business to eliminate waste by recycling old flooring. There are dozens of other examples Mitchell points to, all of which are a result of companies changing the way they think about business, waste and opportunity.
Sustainability shouldn’t be a hard sell to companies – it saves money, creates business opportunities, generates new revenue and eliminates waste. What is tough to sell, however, is a new mindset.
"I think a lot of people haven’t... looked at them as opportunities," Mitchell says.
"People’s creativity goes towards avoidance, you know, how do I get around the rules as opposed to looking for the horizon and looking for opportunities and really harnessing that creativity in a positive way."
Mitchell says Sustainable Futures by Design plans to hold follow-up conferences to further promote sustainability and to bring new people on board. |
