Viewing Posts by Dave Shirley
Is There A Problem with the Bugs?
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According to a recent article in our local paper, southern New England lobsters have been experiencing a shell disease that making lobsters look unappealing. Because of their looks, the lobsters are not saleable in the valuable retail market. The meat can still be processes and used in the lesser valued lobster meat market. The “epizootic shell disease”, caused by bacteria, eats away at the lobster’s shell, leaving ugly lesions. No one likes an ugly bug. The disease may be spreading northward into the Gulf of Maine, where 123 million pounds were harvested in 2012, and is valued at about $400 million per year. It is a huge industry in Maine. The interesting thing is that the disease is primarily a warmer water disease. Biologist began sampling lobsters in Rhode Island in 1996 and found about 1% of the lobsters affected. By 1998 that number had jumped to 20% and continues every year after between 18 and 34% peaking in 2011 at 38%. The disease is less prevalent in the Gulf of Maine’s cooler waters, but there is concern. It is something to watch, perhaps as another bell weather of the health of our oceans. Low oxygen levels and rising ocean temperatures are probably contributors to the spread of the disease. According to the article, discussions with fisherman in Massachusetts indicate that they are seeing more of the diseased lobsters further north. “Given the sudden increase in shell disease over a short period in southern New England, scientists and regulators have a good reason to be worried”, said Jeffery Shields, a marine science professor at the Virginia Institute of Marine Science. Professor Shields has been hired to head a project to access some of the diseased lobsters caught off Maine. Carl Wilson, State of Maine Department of Maine Resource’s lobster biologist says “I think when you have such a high dependence on (a) single fishery, how could you not have concern? There can be threats to the lobster population that are completely out of the influence of the fisherman, so any change is going to be a concern.” So it is not only about projects that could arise from identifying issues, like rising ocean temperatures, but also about being aware, and looking for, the risks that are occurring and connecting the dots. After all, that, as a project manager, is one of our strong point. - (Adapted from Disease May Hit Lobster Population, Warmer ocean temperatures cited, by Clarke Canfield, Portsmouth Herald, August 2013.)
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Around here, lobsters are sometimes called bugs. In effect, a lobster is an arthropod, a classification that also includes insects. But they are really crustaceans, rather than true insects. Maybe they are called “bugs” because they aren’t pretty, although they may be to some, like their mothers. Maybe it is because they crawl around the bottom of the ocean, like some mayflies crawl around the bottom of a stream or lake. Maybe it is those antennae. Call them bugs or call them lobsters. Whatever you call them, they may be in trouble.
Rainbow of Green - Pot o' Gold
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We have always asserted that there is a green spectrum that runs the gamut; green by definition -> green by project impact -> green by product impact -> green-general. From our book, this green spectrum is based on the assertion that “All projects have some element of ‘green’.” This is one of the more controversial concepts in our book and receives a lot of pushback. We have expanded our thinking and instead of “green” we now refer to sustainability. Since we began researching our book in 2007 and publishing it in 2010, the concept of all projects having some element of sustainability has certainly become more important. More and more organizations are emphasizing sustainability including it in organizational mission/visions. This can only enforce our original assertion. How you may ask? Let’s look at the “rainbow” in some detail. Sustainability projects by definition are those whose primary function is to directly provide sustainability benefits. A wind farm is a good example of that type of project. It involves extensive construction, but its direct benefit is renewable energy. It is quite easy to see the connection between sustainability and project management. Whether or not you are managing the project sustainably (I’ll explain that in a minute), you are managing a project whose end product has sustainability benefits. Projects that impact sustainability of their surroundings are the next category along the rainbow. “It can be argued that every project has an immediate impact on their environment, and that statement would not be wrong. However, what we are referring to here, are those projects that have an immediate and significant impact on their environment.” Any major road, tunnel, or airport construction, for example, has significant and immediate impact on its surroundings. Again, there is significant sustainability impact, both positive and negative that needs to be managed with this type of project. The spectrum message begins to get a little esoteric at the next stage, where the product impacts sustainability. The main focus is not on sustainability or the project itself, but rather focuses on the “steady-state operation of the end product.” The example we use in our book is a rather negative one and we always use the caveat that we were not in the room when these decisions were made, so we don’t know what the rationale for the decision was. However, we can say that as a result of the decision that issues occurred . Our example is of the single service disposable coffee cup used in some popular brands of coffee makers. The product (the coffee maker) is excellent, meeting price point, quality and timeline, but the resulting tens of billions of empty single service that are not recyclable or biodegradable and wind up using space in our landfills. Finally, and this is probably the most obtuse concept, is the end of the rainbow, and really the pot of gold, a project that does not appear to have any sustainability elements, but we assert does. One example with several elements is a software release. At the “coding” level, there are ways to make the software more efficient, thereby using less processor power, lending to less overall power usage. In Harnessing Green IT, Wiley @2012, edited by San Murugesan and G.R. Gangadharan’s the text I use for my Green IT Course, it is stated that “the behaviours of the software has a significant influence on whether the energy-saving features built into a platform (CPU) are effective. For instance, you could implement a read-ahead buffer methodology and allow optical devices to take breaks rather than continuously spinning the disk.”[i] One quick note about managing a project sustainably and I will cover this subject in depth in a later post. There are two elements of a project, the product of the project and the processes used to manage a project. We all know about time, cost and quality, but there are other ways to make a project sustainably successful, like electronic rather than paper communications. Again, there is much more to this and I will cover it in a later post, but just wanted to give you an idea of sustainably managing a project as promised above. Hopefully, I have explained “our” rainbow to you in a little more detail so you can you can then put it in context with other definitions. Let me know what you think. Remember, even though it may appear that your project has no element of sustainability, our assertion is it does. And, whereever you are on the "rainbow," attention to sustainability will lead you to that "pot of gold." |
Every once in a while we feel the need to revisit a subject. It could be because there is new and better information, there is confusing information disseminated that we feel should be clarified, or it is a subject that is very near and dear to our hearts and we want to talk about it. This post is a little of all of that and it deals with our “rainbow of green” or green spectrum if you will.Poser or not?
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Anyway, one of the questions asked of Mr. Gaudreau was “Has environmentalism become a marketing gimmick?” His answer was; “Yes, but there is a positive side to that, because it advances awareness of these green and social issues. Corporations are starting to realize it is better for the bottom line if their perceived as caring.” For the most part, I take exception to the use of “marketing gimmick”, although I understand the implication. The implication is that ‘the end justifies the means.’ In other words, even if it is a marketing gimmick, it’s okay because it furthers the cause. I guess that is where I differ some. I don’t believe that, in this case of environmentalism (or the overarching term ‘sustainability’), the end justifies the means and that perceiving sustainability efforts as marketing gimmicks turns people off. “It’s just a marketing gimmick therefore; the organization is not really being sustainable. They just want our money.” If that is truly the sentiment then “green and social issues’ will not garner much attention. The more telling of his statement, in my mind, is; “corporations are starting to realize it is better for the bottom line if their perceived as caring.” I would change that a little to say that most organizations are sincerely trying to improve their sustainability. Their justification may be the improvement to the bottom line, and one of the drivers, that we at EarthPM have always advocated, is that a major driver of sustainability for an organization is the stakeholder’s increasing awareness of sustainability, whether it be the environment, corporate social responsibility to employees, the community and the world, as well as the sustainability or profits of the organization. That driver is very real and stakeholders are very smart. So I would say that environmentalism has become a marketing necessity, rather than a gimmick. Organizations must use their sustainability efforts to further their cause in a truthful and sincere way. Or, don’t do it at all because stakeholders are smart and will see it for what it is. |
Is it okay to be a sustainability poser? Interesting question if I do say so myself. I was reading a short interview in our local newspaper recently. The interviewer was questioning Tim Gaudreau, an “eco-artist”. You may ask, as I did; what is an eco-artist? According to his website, “Tim Gaudreau, works in collaboration with like minded colleagues, communities and schools to create public art work meant to challenge conventional thinking and catalyze action around environmental issues.” That’s about as good as any definition of an eco-artist. Challenging thinking and catalyzing action around environmental issue as they relate to business and project management is what EarthPM is all about, too. Sustainability Integration for Effective Project Management - A Brand New Book!
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This book contains 24 chapters of current and important information on sustainable project management. It also provides an overview of literature on sustainability in projects and project management and a compilation of references. It a wealth of information. The unique thing about the book is that Dr. Silvius and Ms. Tharp are joined by some of the most influential thought leaders in the sustainability project management world like; Roland Gareis, Ron Schipper, Tom Mochal and Andrea Krasnoff, to name a few,. Those people with other thought leaders in the field contribute chapters to the book. Rich and I were privileged to be asked to contribute a chapter, which we did entitled Project Manager as a Pivot Point for Implementing Sustainability in an Enterprise. Our contribution highlights the “special importance of the project manager with respect to implementing sustainability at their enterprise.” No doubt, it is a weighty tome, physical as well as content. It is 454 pages (large, textbook type format) including the appendices, index and CV of the chapter authors. Again, the chapter author’s list reads like a virtual who’s who of sustainable project management authority. Since we began researching our book in 2007, and ultimately published it in 2010, there have been many books written about sustainable project management, some very good, like Kevin Wilhelm’s Return on Sustainability, How business can increase profits & address climate change in a uncertain economy (Dog Ear Publishing 2009) and as lead author, Dr. Silvius’ Sustainability in Project Management (Gower 2012), and some not so good. The ones that are not so good do not forward the topic, but rather rehashed know concepts. As Sgt. Phil Esterhaus of the old TV series Hill Street Blues was fond of saying “Let’s be careful out there.” There are imitators “out there” with very close titles, so make sure you are getting the real deal! Sustainability Integration for Effective Project Management is the real deal. This book ranks in the highly contributory category, with chapters on stakeholder perspective, significant case studies, practical applications of sustainability to projects, and much, much more. It is well worth the price to add to your personal library or at the least, recommend it for your organization or school’s library. The front cover says “Premier Reference Source” and that it is. If you want to connect with the thought leaders in sustainable project management, all you have to do is review the section “About the Contributors.” I am not saying that all of the thought leaders in the field are represented there, and I am saying that it is a good place to start. Most contributors have websites and/or blog sites that are store-houses of information on sustainability in project management. Anyone of them would be glad to direct you to webinars, seminars and classes for legitimate sustainability in project management training. As with any subject, it is good to have a guide to help you with your decisions for pursuing additional information. Again, any one of the experts listed can help, including me and my partner Rich Maltzman. It is all about forwarding the practice of sustainable project management, or as we say, being “at the intersection of green (or even better, sustainability) and project management.” |
Once in a while a book comes along that warrants specific mention. One book that surely meets that criterion is a recently released book edited by Gilbert Silvius and Jennifer Tharp, Sing of Songdo and Sustainability (Part 2)
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I promised to do another blog posting on New Song Christine Whitman, former governor of New Jersey and Member, International Advisory Board for Songdo City wrote the foreword to the “Green Book.” She says “The rapid growth of suburban sprawl that I observed during my seven years as the Garden State’s governor awakened many in my state to the environmental damage caused by unchecked and uncoordinated development. It is a trend witnessed across the country, around the globe, with the Republic of Korea a prime example. Over the past four decades, Korea has been transformed from a predominantly rural society to one overwhelming urban, and the nation’s ecological footprint has grown so large that it is now among the top 10 in carbon-dioxide emissions in the world.” She further asks “Is the solution to climate change to build cleaner-burning cars? Is it more nuclear energy and other emission-free sources? Does it require more recycling and less energy waste?” She answers that question stating what we, at EarthPM have always believed, that it takes all of those projects and a holistic view, from the design, to the materials, to efficiency of usage, to looking at the end product, cradle-to-cradle, to have a sustainable project. The Green Book also includes the quote from the Bruntland Commission, 1987, a quote we also use in our book to define sustainability; “Sustainable development is the development that meets the needs of the present without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their needs.” I also know that, as project managers, we are interested in statistics. Using actual versus potential is a good way to build a business case, in this case for sustainability. Here are a few used in the Green Book Annual green house gas (GHG) emissions of a typical low-density development – 780,000 tons o Potential GHG emissions of high-density New Songdo City – 260,000 tons Annual CO2 emissions from building energy demands 350 buildings, conventional) – 674,000 tons o LEED certified – 250,000 tons Annual CO2 emissions from building transportation demands, typical low-density – 109,200 tons o Non-car dependent - using diesel buses (70% residents )– 17,290 tons o New Songdo City potential using hydrogen buses (70% residents) – 7,740 tons
One thing to remember is that as project managers (and citizens of the world for that matter), we manage the scarce resources of our projects. By extension, and an assertion of ours, the environmental influences of the project is another of those scarce resources. So I’d like to close this installment with another quote from the Green Book. “Our cities, our industries, and our lives today consume far more resources than nature can sustain, causing an extreme imbalance in our planet’s ecosystems. Sustainable design in urban planning and architecture can help to balance the ebbs and flows of these ecosystems with economic and social mechanisms, so that what a city consumes in resources is balanced by the resource recovery efforts leaving ample reserves for the needs of future generations.” This is some food for thought when considering your next “building” project, or for that matter, the philosophy in that statement can be universally applied whenever scarce resources are used. That’s just about anything, right? There is so much more information on sustainability provided in the Green Book that you may be seeing more related posts in the future. Pictured right is the canal walk. (All pictures used with permission.)
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do (Green) City
