See Change Happen

Fortune Brainstorm: Green

Just got back from this conference today and will write after consuming more coffee.

Drinking Your Drugs. An H2O Update.

In an earlier post, I wrote about the chemicals that are found in urban drinking water as a result of the increase in the amount of pharmaceuticals taken, processed and for lack of a more appropriate descriptor, are peed back into our water sources.

Good Magazine just did a story about the same thing. It doesn't give any statistical data about the trace amounts nor divides the study by region but it is interesting to think about how the growing pharmacuetical/neuropharmaceutical  industries reach beyond the individual.

Happiness and your frontal lobe

"Stumbling On Happiness" principles explained in a TedTalk by Harvard Professor and author Dan Gilbert. The research on cognitive processes and synthetic happiness should be at the top of the recommended reading list for ex-Wall Streeters (and just about everyone else). 

To live and die green

This British company, Green Endings, has figured out the green funeral: http://www.greenendings.co.uk. I suppose this makes sense considering the overcorwding of cemetaries in the UK and W.Europe. Reuters writes about a French town that has reached capacity, http://www.reuters.com/article/oddlyEnoughNews/idUSL0552076620080305

Tap, Bottled, Carbon Footprints and Pharmacuticals. I'm thirsty.

Water. It's become an amazingly huge topic in the news of late. And a topic that seems to grow more confusing the more I investigate. Yesterday, apparently, was World Water Day aimed at increasing awareness about the lack of clean drinking water around the globe. Clean water, both internationally and domestically, is a problem

The arguments over bottled water in the US began when it was revealed that most bottled water is simply purified tap water in a fancy package, and at a much higher price. The US water industry is a $12b business, so someone was making a ton of money convincing the US consumer they could no longer drink from the tap.

And it worked. There were a few years from 2000 - 2003 where I didn't drink tap water at all. I would wake up in a hotel and feel justified breaking into the $9 bottle of water because I felt I simply had no alternative.

For awhile, the big issue surrounding water was the carbon footprint created by shipping it all over the place. Attached is a great photo a friend posted on his blog that visualizes just how much oil it takes to get water to the US.

But, now, concerns about shipping something we could drink from the kitchen tap are being overshadowed by news about the trace pharmaceuticals found in our tap water. http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/23563705/. As the Herald Tribune recently said, "Bottled water industry faces the same federal standards for pharmaceuticals as tap water- none." So, it seems the best solution still appears to be to drink local, purified water.

This whole issues of drugs getting into our drinking water is fascinating (and somewhat scary). If anyone has a regional breakdown of chemicals by city, send it my way. Judging from the number of people who regularly take medication in NYC, I may be able to fight depression or high blood pressure just by getting my 8 glasses of tap water per day

Starbucks vs McDonalds Rd 2

There are certainly people who don't think Starbucks and McDonalds are competing, but I do. And I found it very interesting that Starbucks closed yesterday to train 135,000 baristas on how to make better, more premium coffee. Now, Starbucks has a new sign posted in its stores: "Your drink should be perfect, every time. If not, let us know and we'll make it right."

They intend to achieve this goal by implementing three new tactics: (from valleywag, http://valleywag.com/361607/
whats-new-at-starbucks-3-changes )

• 1. Richer espresso mix. Starbucks espresso machines have been recalibrated to mix a stronger dose. It's not as powerful as Peet's, but it's more in that direction. My daily triple-shot tastes a lot thicker.
• 2. Shot glasses. Instead of pouring directly into your cup, all shots are now dispensed into clear glass shot glasses. The barista must visually approve the shot before pouring it into a cup. This not only checks the mix, it prevents stale, crema-free shots from being served after lying around too long.
• 3. Smaller steamer pitchers.  No more giant tub-o-foam, but rather smaller batches of steamed milk and foam more tailored and fresh to each order.

What I wonder is how many people are dissatisfied with the quality of Starbucks' coffee? I thought there were many more complaints around the service not the product. (Of course, I am writing this just after calling to cancel the credit card that apparently wasn't handed back to me yesterday at New Haven Starbucks - so I may be a little biased.)

Starbucks is differentiating itself by becoming more premium and catering to the "refined" coffee palette while McDonald's, as usual, remains more mainstream. This is going to be interesting.

Green Overload

Interesting Wired story for the jaded green.

http://www.wired.com/techbiz/startups/news/2007/12/green_websites

Microtrending

Russell Davies' contest to see who could come up with new Microtrends:

http://russelldavies.typepad.com/planning/2007/10/hats-off-to-pen.html

Check out Pangea Day

Pangea Day is an amazing project born from Jehane Noujaim's TED Prize Wish. And, Avenue A | Razorfish, where I'm currently working, has been involved in building the site and bringing Jehane's vision (and soon, other TED projects) to life.

This trailer was just released on YouTube. (Click on the image to play.)