William McDonough Building Gaia Capitalism
“I believe we can accomplish great and profitable things within a new conceptual framework—one that values our legacy, honors diversity, and feeds ecosystems and societies . . . It is time for designs that are creative, abundant, prosperous, and intelligent from the start.” William McDonough
Gaia Capitalist
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Climate Change and Bangladesh by Veena Khaleque
“While the west puzzles over ways to curb future climate change, in the developing world the present climate change is being felt already, and there is nothing abstract about it. Every year an estimated 150,000 people die as a result of global warming - mainly through natural disasters, disease and malnutrition - and the toll is rising exponentially. There is much talk, but little is done. The industrialized world has pumped huge amounts of greenhouse gases into the atmosphere, setting us on a course where a global temperature rise of at least two degrees Celsius is inevitable. That may not sound much, but for people here in Bangladesh those two degrees amount to a catastrophe.
Congratulations, Professor Yunus
"If I could be useful to another human being, even for a day, that would be a great thing. It would be greater than all the big thoughts I could have at the university." M.Y.
Muhammad Yunus, Grameen Bank, Banking for the Poor
"The Norwegian Nobel Committee has decided to award the Nobel Peace Prize for 2006, divided into two equal parts, to Muhammad Yunus and Grameen Bank for their efforts to create economic and social development from below. Lasting peace can not be achieved unless large population groups find ways in which to break out of poverty. Micro-credit is one such means. Development from below also serves to advance democracy and human rights.
Gaia Capitalists of Jatropha Oil Fields
"The story of Jatropha Oil Fields is one of bringing people together from two distant cultures and two very different countries. Paul Dalton, founder of Dream Fuels, Ltd. discovered years ago that Costa Rica’s Rain Forest had been decimated by the over development of the cattle industry during the late 70's and early 80's. Starting a few years back, he found that one couple, Steve and Sherry Brunner, were doing something about this problem. The Brunner’s through their purchase of several abandoned cattle ranches were able to change the depleted rain forests of south central Costa Rica from wasteland into once again the beautiful lush green rainforests that had once been there.
Ben and Jerry's Sweet Gaia Capitalism
"Ben and Jerry’s Product Mission is to make, distribute & sell the finest quality all natural ice cream & euphoric concoctions with a continued commitment to incorporating wholesome, natural ingredients and promoting business practices that respect the Earth and the Environment. It's Economic Mission is to operate the Company on a sustainable financial basis of profitable growth, increasing value for stakeholders & expanding opportunities for employees. It's Social Mission is to operate the company in a way that actively recognizes the central role that business plays in society by initiating innovative ways to improve the quality of life locally, nationally & internationally.
Philanthropreneurs Make Money and a Better World
The New York Times profiled Gaia Capitalism in "What's Wrong With Profit" by Stephanie Strom: "THIS year, as never before, the line between philanthropy and business is blurring. A new generation of philanthropists has stepped forward, for the most part young billionaires who have reaped the benefits of capitalism and believe that it can be applied in the service of charity. They are “philanthropreneurs,” driven to do good and have their profit, too.
Gaia Capitalism and the Global Entrepreneur
Michael Odiya has a vision. When he looks at the sun-drenched land of northern Uganda he doesn’t see the remnants of 20 years of civil war or the poverty or the seeming lack of opportunities. What he sees are acres of simsim/sesame, palm oil and sunflowers, cultivated by local growers for processing into biofuels at a local plant. He sees solar panels on the roofs of buildings, powering everything from water pumps, water heating tanks, solar light bulbs, energy saving refrigerators, solar chargers, mobile power stations, street lighting, bus stop lighting, street signs, solar cookers, air cooling and heating
In those fields and buildings, Odiya sees men, women and children leading better lives.
Michael Odiya is an example of a Gaia Capitalist. Coined recently by Sir Richard Branson, Gaia Capitalism is a business philosophy combining the best of ambition and altruism. Profit, gain, growth continue to be hallmarks of the capitalistic enterprise but the goals for success now include factors that have not been considered important in the traditional model.
Gaia is loosely the belief that all life streams from the same single source. If this is so, then all beings in a venture have intrinsic value beyond the bottom line. It is well known that compensation at the management level must have market parity to attract and keep talent, to provide incentives for hard work and dedication and to reward success. Salaries, benefits, stock options and perks for corporate officers has risen exponentially in the last ten years compared to employee pay. In the United States, workers in the bottom half have seen their real income fall. It may be an old saying but the rich have gotten very rich and the poor have done very poorly.
Health care costs, fuel and energy spikes, foreign competition have all been blamed for stagnant wages, cuts in benefits, outsourcing, layoffs and business closures. According to a traditional capitalist, bottom line figures have to be adjusted to keep profits up and costs down. One might conclude that laying off 100 workers on December 24 is a clever way to cut 4th quarter expenses, thereby showing a better performance on paper.
The Gaia capitalist thinks about the children of those 100 workers and what the effects of having a parent lose their job the day before Christmas. The Gaia capitalist believes that a company’s profit streams from the labor of all its workers and, therefore, every employee is entitled to respect and adequate compensation. This respect and consideration extends into the community and the environment, mandating responsible and ethical business decisions. In Gaia capitalism, the very concept of profit and success has been redefined to include the wellbeing of all.
Michael Odiya expresses this concept in his business proposal. In his words, the very basis of his ambition is “our overriding objective is to play a part in fulfilling the goals and aspirations of our employees, customers, management, society and the universe.” His company, Green Energy (U), located in Gulu, Uganda is dedicated to developing bioenergy to benefit the people of Uganda and to help bring them a brighter future.
For more information about Mr. Odiya and his Green Fuels company on VirginFuels.org.