You too, Brutus? - Kyoto Protocol, Politics and Environment's biggest threat

These days the Climate Change Conference is taking place in Durban, South Africa, and the biggest threat for the world in these days is poverty.

The Dream;

The Dream, as I like to call it, is named in reality 'Kyoto Protocol'. Kyoto's Protocol was announced and ratified in 1997 as a way of decreasing CO2 emissions by 5% between 2008-2012 with respect to 1990 data.

Now, we're facing the end of Kyoto's Protocol and its renovation is more than questioned. The Protocol' policy means a reduction in CO2 emissions which leads in extra cost for industry and energy prices.
With the international crisis all around, who wants to increase the price of energy and, consequently, the price of goods and services?
Who wants to decrease the purchasing power of their population? ...No one.

Politicians were pushed by the public opinion in their countries to stablish policies in order to push industry and reduce unemployment; and spending more money fighting against the Invisible Threat of Global Warming seems not to be the best way in a short term view.

Probably we'll regret about the decisions taken today at Durban, murdering the future in order to save the present. We can say to ourselves that it's for the common well, or that the decisions were taken by others like US or China, but in reality, we all are guilty of Kyoto's Protocol death; like all the Senators were guilty of Julius Caesar's death. Can you heard the world saying:"You too, Brutus?"

Environmental Innovation - 5 Tips to lead the Green Market

Few minutes ago I was seeing an Earth overview thanks to some images courtesy of the Image Science & Analysis Laboratory, NASA Johnson Space Center. These pictures were taken at about 350 km from Earth during the past summer.

http://vimeo.com/32001208

If you look the video, you'll see the fantasctic work of our NASA fellows, but you're also going to see the human footstep in the world. About half a year ago I presented my Industial Engineering's final project and I decided to start with a picture of the world at night so you can see a world full of light as in the video. Then I put the same picture but taken 200 years ago: you can't see anything.

Are we changing the world too fast? Are we applying our knowledge to implement and develop new products and services under the prisma of green eficiency? How can we take advantage of the new tendences in the world market? 5 easy Tips to succeed in this area!

1.- Demand in your business green energy. It's a little bit more expensive but some energy companies provide this kind of energy that cames from solar fields, windmills, etc.
You can also get a certificate that you're using only green energy.

2.- Start a non environmental policy. Get some Environment certificates such as ISO 14000 or symilars. It takes time and money but in the long term you'll see that it worths the effort.

3.- Decrese your carbon footprint! Use local materials and providers to avoid long transport distances. The nearest is your provider, the green it is!

4.- Ask your provider to do the same: Environmental certifications and green energy. And ask them to do the same ith their providers also!

5.- Finally, Sell your product as a green product. According to McKinseys  publication "The vanishing middle market" (Nov'05):
Executives recognize that premium and no-frills offerings are squeezing middle-of-the-road products and services in many industries. Our study of 25 industries and product categories in Europe, North America, and on the global level shows the extent of this phenomenon, known as market polarization.¹ We found that, from 1999 to 2004, the growth rate of revenues for midtier products and services trailed the market average by nearly 6 percent a year (Exhibit 1).

My advise: Make a Green brand a High End brand