I just had the pleasure and privilege of doing the opening keynote at Sustainable Brands Bangkok 2016. The "Sustainable Brands" concept has truly spread around the world. What's brilliant about KoAnn Vikoren Skrzyniarz's creation is the way it attracts a broad business audience: not just the "true believers" in sustainability and CSR, but also the … Continue reading Finding Purpose in Bangkok
Sustainability
The science and philosophy of maintaining human and natural systems
“Start a New Life in the Colonies …”
I woke up early this morning, pre-dawn. Storm, wind and rain. For some reason, I had a strong urge to watch a bit of the classic film "Blade Runner". I was surprised to note that the future it depicts so compellingly is dated November 2019 -- just around the corner. Fortunately, our world does not … Continue reading “Start a New Life in the Colonies …”
Swiss reject pioneering “Green Economy” referendum, but Geneva passes it
Yesterday, Switzerland held a remarkable vote. The question: whether to legally limit the country to living within its share of the ecological limits of our planet, by 2050. Currently, Switzerland uses three times the sustainable level of resources; so passing this law would have required the whole country, legally, to start a march toward physical … Continue reading Swiss reject pioneering “Green Economy” referendum, but Geneva passes it
“Conservation” meets “Green Growth”: The Push-Me-Pull-You problem
Remember Dr. Dolittle? He was a vet who could talk to animals. One of the rarest was the "pushmi-pullyu," a llama with two heads (one head was where the tail ought to be). The pushmi-pullyu was a gentle creature that did not like to be stared at. And yet the other animals in Africa convinced … Continue reading “Conservation” meets “Green Growth”: The Push-Me-Pull-You problem
The Anthropocene: how “frightened” should we be?
Be afraid. Be very afraid ... of the Anthropocene. This is the message from Clive Hamilton writing in Nature, the preeminent science journal, in his recent editorial (see sources below). Humans are unequivocably a planetary force for change, and a group of scientists with the authority to decide such things now agrees that this new … Continue reading The Anthropocene: how “frightened” should we be?
New Book: “Parachuting Cats into Borneo”
"Fascinating" (Paul Polman, CEO Unilever) ... "Highly Recommended" (Maureen Hart, ISSP) ... "Indispensable" (Michael Kobori, Levi Strauss) The Center for Sustainability Transformation and the AtKisson Group are pleased to announce the publication of a new book by our co-founders, Axel Klimek and Alan AtKisson. Parachuting Cats into Borneo - and Other Lessons from the Change … Continue reading New Book: “Parachuting Cats into Borneo”
About Those Parachuting Cats
On September 1, my latest book — written together with my dear friend and business partner Axel Klimek — hits the shelves, both physically and digitally. Parachuting Cats into Borneo distills our many years of working together into very readable little book on how to make change happen, and also how to avoid the common … Continue reading About Those Parachuting Cats
Wake Up: We Have a Long, Long Way to Go
Reprinted from Greenbiz.com, 16 Feb 2016 People like me — professional optimists in the field of sustainability — are fond of pointing out the positive. And lately there have been many positives to point out, such as the global adoption of the Sustainable Development Goals and the Paris Agreement on climate change. However, sometimes even … Continue reading Wake Up: We Have a Long, Long Way to Go
Seven Pieces of Joan – and a Song about Water
My dear friend Joan Davis passed away on Monday, 11 January, 2016. She was a unique and inspirational person, a top scientist who also believed strongly in the spiritual dimension of human life, the "non-quantifiable variables" as she liked to say. Her extraordinary life is being remembered, in English and German, on a special website … Continue reading Seven Pieces of Joan – and a Song about Water
New Single: “We Love the SDGs”
I am happy to announce the release of my new single, “We Love the SDGs (Sustainable Development Goals)”, on iTunes, Spotify, Amazon, and all major streaming services. Video coming soon. Produced in Stockholm with Andreas Bauman, with Torbjörn ”Tobbe” Fall on guitar, Ulric Johansson on bass, and Magnus Fritz on percussion — many thanks, guys! … Continue reading New Single: “We Love the SDGs”
Alan AtKisson 