September 22, 2009

• Smock off! Why can’t ethical fashion be cool?

A year ago I decided to try to buy only ethical fashion. I set myself fairly strict rules: organic cotton or some other sustainable fibre, ethically made (preferably Fair Trade) using ecologically sound processes. I spent hours and hours surfing the internet trying to find clothes that didn’t completely compromise my personal style. Cast-offs were acceptable (thank goodness for my very fashionable younger sister who turns over her wardrobe very regularly) and so was second-hand (tried it but no thanks).

September 21, 2009

• Business models for visionaries, game changers and challengers

I’m really looking forward to the brown cardboard box containing my copy of Business Model Generation by Alexander Ostwerwalder. The process by which he developed and self-published this impressive book is interesting in itself. However the breakthrough here is not just in his simple, clear compilation and analysis of innovation business models but in the highly visual way with which he has represented them. This book showcases the power of design as an effective learning and communications tool. Anyone who has read Made to Stick (a book I enjoyed last year and would highly recommend) will know that visually expressing a concept is far more “sticky” than describing it in words alone. It’s worth downloading the 72-page free summary for a taster of his approach to explaining business models but also to see how design is used to communicate complex ideas.

September 04, 2009

• 1010 launched with a bang in Tate Modern

Why oh why can’t we do things like this over here? 1010 is a brand new national climate change campaign in the UK. Within 48 hours of its launch (a free public launch in the Tate Modern) all 3 political leaders had signed up. It’s friendly, with a simple call to action and a great community vibe. Now check out Ireland’s version - change.ie Nuff said…

September 04, 2009

• Very Smart Cities

Remember 10 years ago when Eircom announced it’s Information Age Town competition with what seemed like a vast sum of money at the time - 10 million euro? I was involved in that project (we were runner-up by the way to Ennis!) and back then we spent a lot of time imagining what an information age town might look like. Well the future is here. Take a look at this article by Forbes on Songdo in South Korea where every apartment will have a flatscreen monitor that is hooked up to city services, where hotels will recognise residents and automatically reconfigure room settings, where people will zip around on water-taxis and buses powered by fuel cells and where rubbish will be moved around underground eliminating the need for garbage trucks.