Sunriseguide in the News
05/09/09
Green-colored glasses: The sustainability lens in business, farming and design
As published in the Maine Switch, May, 2009
By Heather Chandler
Something truly amazing shifts have taken place in our country and our communities over the past several years. We are waking up. There is a growing awareness across all sectors of how our consumption and lifestyle choices impact our health, our security and the health of our planet.
The business community is looking for ways to operate more sustainably, driven by both a desire to save money and also to respond to consumer demand. Manufacturers and product designers are creating new products and processes that use less raw material, packaging and energy. And we are all much more tuned in to where our food comes from and how it is grown.
If these issues are of interest to you (and I’m guessing there’s a pretty good chance that they are), there are a few Portland events this month that you might want to check out.
First up is the Maine Businesses for Social Responsibility (MEBSR) annual conference. The event takes place on Thursday, May 7at the USM Abramson Center in Portland. If you are involved in running a business, or interested in starting one, this is a great place to connect with Maine businesses that are equally concerned with business’s impact on people, profits and the planet. A lunch time plenary will explore the possibility of developing a "sustainable business cluster" in Maine. Find out more at www.mebsr.org.
May 7 – 10th brings us the second annual ‘Food & Farm’ series at the Space Gallery in Portland. Highlights include the Maine debut of Food, Inc, a documentary about how America’s food corporations have been compromising profit over health and safety; a talk by Bryant Terry, an eco chef, author, and food justice activist called “ingenious” by the New York Times for his debut book: Grub, Ideas for an Urban Organic Kitchen; and a day-long ‘Food & Farm University’ organized by the Maine Organic Farmers’ and Gardeners Association. These events are likely to sell out, so get your tickets early. Get all the details at www.space538.org.
If you’re interested in learning a little more about how design is being applied globally and locally to address some of the issues mentioned above, check out CompostModern, a day-long conference Saturday, May 9 at One Longfellow Square in Portland. Presented by the Maine chapter of AIGA (the professional association for design), CompostModern was conceived as a venue to bring together designers, manufacturers, business leaders and consumers to explore the many ways in which incorporating sustainability principles into the design process can help create a socially and ecologically responsible society. Find out more at http://maine.aiga.org/.
The business community is looking for ways to operate more sustainably, driven by both a desire to save money and also to respond to consumer demand. Manufacturers and product designers are creating new products and processes that use less raw material, packaging and energy. And we are all much more tuned in to where our food comes from and how it is grown.
If these issues are of interest to you (and I’m guessing there’s a pretty good chance that they are), there are a few Portland events this month that you might want to check out.
First up is the Maine Businesses for Social Responsibility (MEBSR) annual conference. The event takes place on Thursday, May 7at the USM Abramson Center in Portland. If you are involved in running a business, or interested in starting one, this is a great place to connect with Maine businesses that are equally concerned with business’s impact on people, profits and the planet. A lunch time plenary will explore the possibility of developing a "sustainable business cluster" in Maine. Find out more at www.mebsr.org.
May 7 – 10th brings us the second annual ‘Food & Farm’ series at the Space Gallery in Portland. Highlights include the Maine debut of Food, Inc, a documentary about how America’s food corporations have been compromising profit over health and safety; a talk by Bryant Terry, an eco chef, author, and food justice activist called “ingenious” by the New York Times for his debut book: Grub, Ideas for an Urban Organic Kitchen; and a day-long ‘Food & Farm University’ organized by the Maine Organic Farmers’ and Gardeners Association. These events are likely to sell out, so get your tickets early. Get all the details at www.space538.org.
If you’re interested in learning a little more about how design is being applied globally and locally to address some of the issues mentioned above, check out CompostModern, a day-long conference Saturday, May 9 at One Longfellow Square in Portland. Presented by the Maine chapter of AIGA (the professional association for design), CompostModern was conceived as a venue to bring together designers, manufacturers, business leaders and consumers to explore the many ways in which incorporating sustainability principles into the design process can help create a socially and ecologically responsible society. Find out more at http://maine.aiga.org/.