May 18th, 2010
Inspiration from Across the Pond
Ok, so perhaps America hasn’t got the best green credentials and that’s putting it mildly, but under the new Obama administration there are some very positive noises for change coming from across the pond.
If there’s one thing we can say about our American cousins, it’s that when they do something they do it big time! While Obama is doing what all American Presidents dread, going head to head with the oil conglomerates to cease the horrendous oil spills off the coast of Mexico, it seems the American people are also picking up on the grassroots environmental movement.
Working For Green is a video-based web community which showcases innovative ways to save money and find meaningful work, all tied together with a very green bow. It’s a fascinating site. The rapidly expanding online community features everything from green hair salons to eco-dentist, including green hotels, green careers, community projects, knowledge sharing, you can even sign up to be a Green Irene, something which must be seen to be believed.
What all of these sites, services and the YouTube clip below show, is that perhaps here in the UK we’re missing a trick. What is so clever about all of these very green initiatives is that the saving the planet ethos shares centre stage with cold, hardnosed commercialism. If anyone was going to come at green issues from a hard line capitalist stance it would be the Americans and frankly I think it’s genius!
The focus on business, on jobs and on what a green approach can realistically and materialistically offer an individual other than a warm fuzzy feeling inside, makes it compelling to a much wider demographic. Of course this has been going on here for a long time, but because the Americans are so frank and open about blatantly making money, their approach seems particularly effective. If this little spark ignites it could mean big, bold and brash changes are afoot in the USA – bring it on!!