Sustainable Business Learning Community Conversations, May 2016 - June 2016

Sustainable Business Conversation, May 15, 2016

Sustainability Discussion, May 12, 2016 Topic this week: how does sustainability lead to community strength and relationships? Sometimes working on mundane things like waste management lead to creating community. Recycle Here is one example of people getting to know each other and socialize. We had a experience walking in the neighborhood and talking to someone starting to tear down a building. We wound up being able to re-claim bricks to use at El Moore park. You get to know the story of where things come from. Re-use of materials connects people and projects. Is this charity? Not really. We wound up creating community – in a way we never expected. A local museum, Charles H. Wright, doesn’t seem to fully understand how to make connections in the community. There seems to be a level of distrust and a closed mindset. This happens in many areas of Detroit that have suffered years of neglect and seen things go downhill for a long time. People go into survival mode and have a scarcity mentality. Issues are rooted in collapse of areas of the economy, racism and other deep issues. There’s a tendency to circle the wagons and protect your position. Finding locally sourced ingredients creates community. The stories need to show up on menus so that patrons can become aware of local farms and growers. A circular bar in a distillery encourages conversations between folks who don’t known each other. There’s a friendly spirit in Detroit that wants to come out when there’s a chance. What if each of us had to locally source destinations for our waste instead of just sending it to an incinerator or a landfill? That would make people really think and create connections that fit their values. Folks in the working class tend to distrust those they don’t know. Heads down, work hard and get your paycheck. Detroit is a serious working class town – as is Tokyo. People work hard and get things done. We need to understand the corporate point of view instead of just criticizing it. GM has a policy of only donating waste materials to non-profits. There are probably multiple reasons (tax law, possible corruption) behind the policy. Folks who want to divert waste containers from a landfill to productive use have to figure out how to work within the rules. However, policies can change over time. Innovation doesn’t necessarily come from new technologies. There are simple ways to innovate based on inter-connectedness and small projects. A green entrepreneurial think tank would be a great thing. Business ideas can build together and help create jobs. Food, shelter and transportation are basic needs. Sometimes entrenched entities block innovation. Music is an international form of communication. The electronic music festival attracts over a million people to Detroit every year. Detroit is a very welcoming city and has more room for new people and more opportunities than many other cities in the US or the world. The idea that being in Detroit is very dangerous is not my experience. I have been biking in the city at 2:00 am and had no problems. Someone helped me on my first late night bike ride, gave me some advice about areas to avoid, but let me have my own experience. There is such a thing as white privilege – the risks of walking in a certain neighborhood are different for a white person or an African American person. There are real and perceived levels of personal safety.

Sustainable Business Conversation, May 5, 2016

Sustainability Discussion, May 5, 2016 This was an open discussion and we started with a check-in around the table. A long-term holistic approach is basic to sustainability. Relationship building is fundamental. Some of us face challenges in talking to people who just don’t get it. In our family business we have learned that its so important to build a relationship with a new customer. You must establish trust and find out how a customer pays their bills before extending credit. The first deliveries must be cash on demand (COD). Women tend to have a hard time setting a fair price – saying “this is how much it costs.” – then sticking to a price that is fair to the business. Peter is working on a project looking at reuse options for spent grain from the brewing and distilling industry. The volume of spent grain is one of the largest co-products in that industry and Detroit has a significant number of craft breweries and distilleries. One estimate is that about 50 tons per week of spent grains are produced in Detroit alone. Currently this co-product can be used as cattle feed in some circumstances. The US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has proposed rules to regulate the use of spent grain as cattle feed, although the risks associated with this practice are seen as minimal. There is the potential for the creation of a spent grain clearinghouse to facilitate reuse and identify outlets for the highest economic value. Numerous other entrepreneurial opportunities could arise from this virtually free and valuable raw material. Other possible reuses include: fish food, soil amendments, dog treats, energy production, construction materials, etc. However significant work would be needed to develop food handling protocols to get the FDA to allow re-flouring for human consumption. What motivates you to do what you do? 1. As an artist I want to address social issues – good and bad. 2. When we are aware of all the issues – we have to do something about it. Doom and gloom doesn’t motivate people. I’m persistent for issues I care about. 3. I’m retired but I don’t want to be in a rocking chair – time to stay relevant. It’s fun to help people with their businesses. 4. 100 years ago organic farming was the norm. My grandfather was convinced in the 1950s that food additives could cause cancer. 5. I want to be part of innovation and business. It’s in my nature to find solutions and contribute to something real. 6. I love physics and sub-atomic particles. Consciousness is a cosmic blunder. We need to come up with creative solutions to beautiful, intractable problems. 7. I’m aware of injustices for people with mental health issues. The human spirit is amazing – how we can re-create ourselves in so many ways. We need to clean up our world. 8. I’m just stubborn – I don’t want to let these issues die. 9. People used to be part of healthy communities. We need to go back to basics. It just makes sense. 10. People need someone to share with. Stories need to connect with people. Globalization pulls some people out of poverty but also can create isolation in local areas.