If products could lecture Alan Knight

Our next speaker is…

If your product could talk Would you be embarrassed? Do you know what it would say? Would you be proud? What is a university’s product?

The “lens” of consumer products as a huge contribution to make to SD After 17 years – I believe more firmly than ever…

Environmental Impact Assessment Environmental Impact Assessment

Environmental Impact Assessment Environmental Impact Assessment

My life started in a forest…

My life started in India

Its my use….

Entire footprint

Solutions are possible: All of world’s productive forests = well managed 1990 ?

Solutions are possible: 10% of world’s productive forests FSC’ed - Marks and Spencer - Wyevale Garden Centres

Sustainable or unsustainable? “Imported directly from Zambia”

Three Big Challenges:

1) Reduce Poverty

2) Reduce Climate Change

3) Working within the finite limits of the planet = one planet living!

Getting ready for impact of emerging economies... ‘ If Chinese want to live like Americans, we will need the resources of four Planet Earths’ Liang Congjie, Environmentalist (2004)

This a huge challenge! Some context… The planet is now a University And you are doing your current role for Earth University

Welcome to… “Earth University”

Earth University - Purpose; Provide a university education for all of mankind: (plus shelter and food) …

Earth University opened at same time as modern man evolved… 160,000 years ago Lets say there were 100,000 people then!

Forecast Student growth numbers… Slow growth for next 158,000 years until… 1 AD – 250 million 1000 – 500 million 1776 – 1 billion billion 2006 – 6.5 billion 2050 – 9.1 billion Over whelmed!

1)Modern Human Beings appeared 160,000 years ago 2)Lets say your university is 160 years old – opened in )Lets compress Earth years into those 160 years 4)= 1,000 real years becomes one academic year 5)333 years = one academic term 6)19 years = 1 week Condensing Mankind years into University years

Between 1847 and year end 2005… (the first 158 years)… 250 million students by end of 2004 = 5% growth in student numbers for first 158 yrs but by end of 2005 = 500 Million = 100% growth in one year

2006 By first and second term – grown to 1 billion students = 400% growth in two terms! Third term = 4.6 billion students = 1,800% increase in student numbers since 2004!

2007 goes mad… Terms starts with 4.6 billion By end of week one - 6 billion But by week three – 9.6 billion (population in 2050) Good news,… numbers stabilise Growth since 2004 – 3,800%

Impossible? If your university was built in 1960’s = over 10,000% increase in students in three years

Earth University – In past this was enough…

Earth University – Now they want all this…

You would not run your university that way… But that is how we are running the planet!

Back to reality – SD = Balance between three challenges: Finite Limits Climate Change Poverty

Roundtable on Sustainable Consumption - Joint – SDC and NCC - 18 months - What can UK gov. do on the consumption problem? - Report = 30,000 downloads

Don’t over rely on the green consumer…

Small changes over time drive change… Choice editing = no to G’s to C’s Richmond Parking fees Road tax banding China! £25 congestion charge

Introducing “Product Roadmaps” Label Choice editing

Product Roadmaps help find priority and balance between three challenges for your product!

Choice editing at work

What is a university’s product? Research and degrees Research and degrees

What is a university’s product? Homes and food for 100,000’s

What is a university’s product? Future’s people

If your products could lecture Future’s people Are you proud?