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Articles by David Secan  (scroll down for more titles and lead-ins)

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GreenSHIFT: Designing Renewable Organizations
 
In a previous article, I considered GreenSHIFTing toward renewable lifestyles in terms of understanding who we are and expressing ourselves healthfully in terms of how we live on a daily basis. The focus of the present article is GreenSHIFTing through the next “ripple of influence” – renewable organizations. As with individuals, organizations express who they are as a function of how they present and conduct themselves on a daily basis. And similarly, organizations may express and manifest healthfully or not so healthfully. Renewable organizations are inherently healthful. This article addresses the question, What is a renewable organization?
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GreenSHIFT: Designing Renewable Lifestyles
 
GREEN. Enough said.....Then again perhaps not. I’ve been seeing “green” connected to just about everything these days. Are you green? How about your house? Is your company green? What green investments do you recommend? Does that business have green ethics or are their marketing campaigns merely green-wash (attempt to pass off an unsustainable product as eco-friendly)? “Green” is ubiquitous. And before we all acquire green fatigue (not the outfits surgeons wear), let’s consider the meaning of greening.

Sustainable Organizations: The Hospi Prophecy
 
Sustainable success in organizations is shaped by the dedication of leaders and stakeholders to a shared vision, a clear sense of purpose or mission, guiding principles that set the culture, and an evolutionary strategy that connects beneficial practices and processes to meaningful outcomes in the midst of changing conditions. Thank you and drive safely everybody. Wait! We’re not finished yet. Actually, this fairly concise statement represents a lot of work integrating head and heart, experience and innovation, and stability and movement. Let’s break it down, or perhaps I should say let’s build it up beginning with the essential components noted above.
 
Vision portrays and inspires a beneficial future state. The most successful visioning practices employ a variety of methods that are stimulating both intellectually and emotionally to convey this viable or healthy future. An effective characterization tells a memorable story of a future foretold, in a word, a prophecy.
Home Green H.O.M.E.
 
Picture that cross-stitched heart enveloping the words “Home Sweet Home” hanging on a wall. You know the one. It must hold meaning since it appears in various languages on thousands of items around the world, perhaps your very own doormat. I remember another saying. “Home is where the heart is.” What is the universal appeal of these proverbs? I invite you to consider their relevance to you.

Given the current realities of greening our lifestyles – and the “greenwash” (false impressions of greening) that comes along with them – I’d like to explore with you the seeds of green. This article discusses the connection between Heart and Home beginning with a few interpretations of the sayings above. Once we find the green seeds within us, we are better able to express healthful values in our lifestyle choices every day. For the purpose of framing the experience of home, I’ll employ my own perspective called H.O.M.E., or Healthy Organic Mindful Environments (© 2007).
Renewability:  Raising the Sustainability Bar

Conversations about change are often very brief. Perhaps you have experienced one yourself. Change? No thanks I’m good. And so it goes. Expanding the conversation usually requires an imaginative and engaging sports metaphor. This idea is a
home run and getting the VP to support the project will be a slam-dunk. Wow, sign ME up. Yes, these are sample clichés. The focus of this article embraces a less abused metaphor, raising the bar. It represents the commitment to aspire to more substantial goals. I employ this phrase to illustrate a meaningful shift from the present calls for sustainability to the expanding renewability movement, the true game-changing shift.
 
Let’s first characterize a shift. To me, a shift involves movement toward something related in purpose yet understood to be more effective in some substantial way. Shifting transforms the essential nature of something, usually entailing mindsets, processes, and/or behaviors. In my view a shift may integrate accepted perspectives with yet-to-be accepted ones or lead to new strategies that replace conventional wisdom. In either case, shifting is most successful emerging from an holistic, or systems perspective. 
Footprints to Soulprints: Choosing Your Mark
 
Have you seen that familiar picture of footprints on an otherwise untouched beach? It seems so serene. It doesn’t matter who made them. It is an acknowledgment that someone walked there once, perhaps a moment ago or a thousand years ago. The message for me is that someone’s personal path has been witnessed. Yet we know that in a short time nature will summon the ocean tide. Gradually and gracefully the evidence of a unique being will blend imperceptibly with all experiences throughout time. The canvas will be cleared once again for the next artist.

If only all human markings could be dissolved into nothing overnight by Nature’s etch-a-sketch. Given enough time, nature can and will erase all indications of our collective presence. Considering practical human time scale however, let’s say 1 to 7 generations, we make our choices, the outcomes of which become our daily experiences – and those of our children, grandchildren, etc. – for a long time.
Office Concepts:
Creating Work Spaces that WORK for YOU

At one time the American Institute of Architects (AIA) provided a statement accompanying their sponsorship of National Public Radio (NPR) programs. Clearly and simply, it said “… the AIA, shaping the way Americans live and work…”. I invite you to consider this more personally. How do buildings influence the way YOU live? How about the way YOU work?

These days we see the emergence of agile entrepreneurial ventures setting a new standard of sustainable success – the integrated triple bottom line where benefits occur in the areas of Community, Ecology, and Economy. Former employees are developing new visions and strategies of their own as they build Virtual (ethical) enterprises with many virtual (non-local) partners. Wherever they choose to locate their new base (home, nearby office suite, etc.), they are seeking to employ all of their gifts, talents, and wisdom to serve beneficial purpose. The vision and effort of many contributors and participants in this cultural GreenShift is accelerating all of us toward renewability. The intention of this article is to facilitate YOUR success by helping you create workspaces almost anywhere that are a natural extension of YOUR greatest gifts and talents.
Your Renewable Lifestyle PART 1:
Assessing without Guessing
 
Let’s get personal. You’ve been exposed in greater frequency to terms such as green, sustainable, and environmentally responsible in more places than ever – TV, newspapers, magazines, web sites, advertisements, your children, etc. I’m almost overwhelmed just trying to be inclusive. Some of you may already be green-shifting your lifestyles in beneficial ways. Others may feel guilty thinking that you should be doing more of this and less of that. Perhaps you don’t know where or how to begin. Well I’m here to say that it doesn’t much matter where as long as you begin. You may start simply by changing light bulbs from incandescent to compact fluorescent (CFL) in order to improve energy efficiency. Or you may delve into a lifestyle shift by challenging your identity on a daily basis, say from being one who disposes to one who recycles.

To me the most effective starting point and the focus of this article (Part 1) is assessing YOUR lifestyle as it is now, as well as how your situation is likely to shift during the next several years. You may ask yourself how long you would prefer to live in the same place, for instance. You may consider daily activities that work well and those that do not. I find it helpful to understand that assessing empowers us whereas guessing gives our power away.
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Renewable Residential Communities
Part 1:  A Brief Vision
 
Many empty-nested adults are becoming more interested in residential communities. Beyond sharing the burden of responsibilities at a larger scale, advantages may include a number of amenities depending upon the climate, natural elements, siting (urban or suburban), local activities, available products and services, and transportation. Residing within such communities may also enhance people’s engagement in arts and entertainment, recreation, education, and relationships in accordance with their interests and preferences.

The proliferation of these communities continues as the population matures. Some developers may make assumptions about the needs of a maturing customer base and build communities accordingly. Others, perhaps thinking more holistically, will innovate and respond to the values and life-affirming qualities embraced by a growing “wisdom class.” The intent of this article series is to characterize the greenshifting nature of developments from occupancy and privacy to inhabitation and connection.
Your Renewable Lifestyle PART 2:
Addressing without Stressing
 
The focus of the previous article in this pair, “Assessing without Guessing,” was to help you assess your lifestyle in order to pursue your own personal green-shifting. Remember that the assessment considers your lifestyle as it is now and how your situation is likely to shift during the next several years. The assessment integrates issues pertaining to your purpose (intentions), the people in your household (now and later), and the place(s) you inhabit.

This companion article recommends addressing your goals in ways that are both meaningful and practical, while minimizing the stress induced by fear or an expectation of instant gratification. Once you’ve experienced such a “fear and now” mentality, you know that there must be a better way. Let’s consider several assessment-driven scenarios whereby lifestyle shifts can be designed and addressed. I invite you to focus on a single issue or several, remembering that households – and extended families – share interrelated experiences that may very well share mutually beneficial solutions. As you read this article, be mindful that different considerations will likely emerge as you assess and address your own green lifestyle redesign.
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Renewable Residential Communities
Part 2:  Living La Vita Local
 
Continuing this series on Renewable Residential Communities, the present article focuses on the benefits derived from living a local life. Not to worry, this is not a contradiction to the prior article’s comments on challenges associated with boundaries. It is, however, a recommendation for the community development professionals and potential inhabitants of communities to integrate essential elements of living within a community. Connectedness with other communities of interest is also essential. Let’s consider qualities that embody some of these essential elements.
 

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