Wednesday Wonders

The Internet is rich with so many blogs and websites offering eco actions and informational how to's to address environmental and social concerns of pollution, climate change, carbon management and so forth. But as a sustainability consultant working with the principals of The Natural Step, it appears that those eco actions could be more impactful if steered toward a collective brighter future for our world.

A central step in business sustainability is using backcasting to create a clear vision of success in the future. As a sustainable living consultant, this principal is easily applied to living a sustainable lifestyle. Basically, backcasting means creating a clear vision of success in the future, and then using that understanding of success to determine the actions that need to be taken from today to get there. Another way of expressing it is “beginning with the end in mind.”

As Einstein said, Imagination is everything. It is the preview of coming attractions. Masterfully use your imagination to power your dreams of living a greener lifestyle. I joke in our eco friendly training classes that it's like trying on clothes before you buy them. By imagining how you want to live greener and the ways in which you can do so, you can try on ideas to see which ones fit and inspire you to action.

The keys to successful exploration? It's all about fun. Think a thought, see how it feels, if it's exciting, stay with it and explore it some more. Before you know it, you will be well on your way to living a more sustainable lifestyle. Wondrous thoughts to get you going:

I wonder how much money I can save with new habits of energy efficiency at home this month?
I wonder how much water I can save this month compared to last month? Or even, last year?
I wonder how many days a week I can take public transportation?
I wonder what it would be like to commute to work by bike in the spring? I wonder which route I will take, which clothes I will wear, what the springtime flowers will look like?
I wonder how many friends I can get in on my eco actions (organics, recycling, waste management) and take it to the next level - whatever that might be.
I wonder how many new friends I might make by volunteering my time in a community project.
I wonder what would happen at work if I decided to act on my thoughts about green. I wonder how many others at work think the same as I do. I wonder what sustainability programs we can lead together?

By imagining with our senses, it creates an image and an associated feeling. Does that feeling inspire you towards that eco action? I wonder how you can use that feeling right now to take steps towards your best future?