Sustainable Sabatical

We take a sustainable sabbatical to think about consumerism consumer behaviour and the on-line revolution of social networking..

It is difficult now to find a sensible person who doesn't agree that the environmental degradation that came with the industrial revolution needs to be corrected if our social progress is to improve equitably and sustainably. Which is what we all want right? The Natural Step uses a funnel analogy to describe how we as a society can move towards sustainability. If supply and demand are to reach a stable and sustainable equilibrium then there needs to be something at the other end to suck the poor performers out before they hit the walls of the funnel: consumer choice and producer innovative advantage the sustainable path is.

Part 1, consumer choice.

If you take a look at this video you can see how the earth's population exploded with the industrial age. Population growth is a significant issue when discussing economics. As the sages predicted it has become the harbinger of the end of the industrial age, and although the information age may only be in its early stages already the tools that social change has brought with it allow an empowered consumer experience. No longer do we go looking for products, products come looking for us.

Part 2, innovation

Already the innovative edge of organisations such as those that came from the open source technology (e.g. Google) and networking models (e.g. Twitter and Facebook) are leading e-commerce to a complete conglomerate takeover of the world's economy.

Ok, so that was a little dramatic, but consider how consumer choice has changed. Price is now transparent, and consumers are now basing their spending habits and shopping activity in custom built malls. Rachel Carson's Silent Spring and Naomi Klein's No Logo highlighted the evils of business at a time when business was just getting started. Now, perhaps the age of Green Wash, a new breed of business will rise up from the ashes and challenge sustainable consumers to put their money where their mouth is!

Internet infrastructure is developing to empower users to manage their information in secure and private ways so that they can make informed decisions. The amount of information being built up about consumption on the Internet is enormous, and that is why some of these big behemoths of business are starting to turn the boat around certainly not full steam ahead, but they know that if they don't at least be seen to be moving they will "hit the wall".

On-line sustainable experience

Having a public identity on the Internet is a significant choice to make. Not only are their risks and rewards of interacting with the Internet you are also privy to terms and conditions, laws and protocols that happen behind the scenes. But our extension into social networking with friends and followers where we can elect to receive updates, feeds and newsletters from sites of interest means that potentially your profile is working for you on-line even when you're sleeping! You can even opt in/opt of different add categories so that if you have to put up with billboards, at least you can see things you like.

Green to Sustainable

Whilst one must steer clear of green wash, these new networks create a special democracy of their own. Whether it be a concern about Japanese whaling, war mongering for natural resources or climate change few organisations can afford not to be aware of how quickly damage can be done to an organisation's reputation. In the 1990s a sweat shop movie shown in film festivals was all that it took to wipe millions of dollars off a brand's value. Now with social networking, YouTube channels, viral marketing even traditional media are increasingly investing and merging the two worlds.

The information age could become the panacea to the sustainability issue

Old school hegemony means that many organisations will continue to fight sustainability at every turn, this is where the demand side kicks in. If the number of consumers who tune in to the feedback culture of the Internet continues to grow new loyalties and perceptions based on principles of sustainable development will form and the information age can empower sustainable development.

So does that mean I just have to read the spam that I get, or google a few words before I make an on-line purchase - well yes it does, but it has to be sustainable behaviour. A sustainable sabbatical is required. But before you can go on sabbatical you first need to become innovative and informed.