We've put our Dental Marketing ideas blog on hold for April with the celebrations of Earth week underway. It's good to see how far Sustainability has moved to the fore these days, even better time for a bit of reflection on just how far we've come.
We had the opportunity to join a dynamic group of like-minded Green practitioners that are in the process of bringing their wide range of talents providing a Conceptual solutions Framework for relevant issues of today and for the future for that matter. Meet Green Energy Living Systems, Inc (gels)
Wow factor: How about some of these Frameworks!
- Green Energy (alternatives, renewables)
- Living Systems (sunecology, biofuels)
- Biomimicry (natural science technology)
- Resource Ecology (conservation)
- Green/Clean Economy (services, jobs)
- Sustainabilitism (applied sustainability)
- Interdisciplinary (cross-disciplinary)
What was so unique about this meeting at Studio@620, was not only the depth of knowledge (Ph.D's abounded) but the amount of ingenuity and creativity, some of the concepts were already underway in real world scenarios with benefits already being seen. Some of the topics were nothing short of riveting and had the creative juices fired up from our perspective applying some of our own specialties and integrated solutions (Social Marketing, Eco Programs, Philanthropic Marketing and Eco Promotional Products). Amazing what a bit collaboration can do!
I’d wished I had more time to talk with Bunker Hill Vineyard & Winery who have already applied numerous Sustainable measures. They’re a Green and Environmentally conscious participant and practicing some of their own very unique solutions. Now there is a collaborative effort with gels underway working on other projects — hmmmm I think a run out their Vineyard is in order~ I never needed much excuse to visit a vineyard!
Another program under way, which I found particularly intriguing, was the ability to use Chlorophyll from Invasive (Yes, I said INVASIVE, bonus for Florida!) Plant species extracting the Chlorophyll for use in Energy Generation with PV energy capture which is apparently at a fairly high efficiency ratio considering its in the early stages. Really, Philips where are you for sponsorship?
Maybe there's a potential mesh with a facility like the Aquaculture project underway with Mote Marine in Sarasota, which interestingly has a system that helps grow native plants with the waste water which in turn helps to clean the waste water even further.
I believe it's a closed-loop system but don't hold me to it. Another benefit of this system it is a cost-effective system for growing marine and freshwater fish. Now if we good put the Invasive's plant materials to good use to benefit the native species and Environment we’d be on a winner as long as it was cost effective, but you have to start somewhere, “don’t try, don’t get” - crowd sourcing invariably finds a solution that no-one had thought of, more so when it’s an Interdisciplinary solution, isn't that the future? Exciting stuff!!
I was introduced to the Sarasota Aquaculture project whilst working with Aquatic Plants of Florida on Cause Sponsorship opportunities to provide Non-Profits and Corporations a seamless (fully integrated, without the headaches - I think I can hear cheering) sponsorship opportunities which would benefit all those involved, the Environment would benefit the most though. I’ll go into a bit more depth on our involvement and opportunites for Business, Non-Profits etc during my next Scene-on-Green blog
Allard PPC "Smarketing Solutions for Business, Community and Planet"
Taking a break from our Trade Show series, today is a perfect time to revisit a program or programme for our Brit fraternity, that we've been working on for at least the past two years.... Talk about tenacity, but isn't that what being an Entrepreneur is all about?
In this case is been "dogged tenacity" by all those involved and who are passionate about the outcome (s). Yes, that's plural!
We've just reached a point when it seems "all the Stars align" and the timing is just right. Originally Scene-on-Green the program has morphed into GeoGreenScenes
One of our biggest issues was the ability to supply a domestic product, which for our initial trial programs really had to be Made in America. Although with that said we'll be aiming at taking the program into the international arena and would hope that local Product, Communities, Business and Charities could all potentially be involved. It would also be a job creator and would involve all age groups.
Wheels keep turning: At a recent industry Trade Show educational event I had the opportunity to test the acceptability of the program to other business owners when I found I was chosen by our group to present the idea...
The premise... A PR query: We are looking for a business woman with an inspiring business story of creation to success. The success can be through innovation (check), sweat equity (well, that's a definite check), endurance (check, if this had been a marathon, we'd run it AND run back! The title more fittingly should of been “There and back again” via a Hobbit), visibility (check that one big time, let alone the graphics and Social Media) or whatever has set you apart (you can't get much more creative than this project). It can be any industry or business, our AllardPPC tag line covers that...
"Smarketing Solutions for Business, Communities and Planet"
The Pitch...
How the heck do I do an Elevator Pitch on a program that has so many moving parts?
After some quick thought, the solution was fairly easy. My colleague has the rare ability to bring ALL the moving parts together cohesively. With a background of working in Disney, Art, Ecology and Education I addressed the question mindfully after these two plus years of hard slog.
The audience response: It was a "Like"... the program even received an applause :)
Next steps: By the time this blog goes to post my meeting with my co-conspirators this evening (Thursday) will have taken place. More new Technology to consider on-boarding, potential sponsors in consideration and the finalization of many of the elements. The program will never by stagnate either, there's a great deal of collaboration and in many ways crowd-sourcing intelligence.
On Friday morning we have another very interesting get together which will include Dr Reese Halter a distinguished conservationist biologist who received a fair bit of coverage on the BP Gulf Oil Spill with MSNBC
Reese is appearing in St Petersburg talking on Lessons from Climate Change: Past and Present. Although I haven't met Reese before it seems we already have a fair bit in common. My passions are the preservation of my Playground and the quality of it, which means primarily the Ocean and the climate that it supports, more-so again after a really bad bout of Red Tide AGAIN in this area, that of course is a whole other story.
Neat day... after battling the traffic on the Tamiami Trail (I thought everyone was meant to head North?) I ended up at my destination planted in front of Sarasota School of Arts and Sciences ready to meet up with most of the participants, particularly the students who have put in a great deal of time and effort for a very worthy cause — to benefit almost the entire community in the initial run of the Scene-on-Green program.
We've been also offically inducted by Ecotigers club for the participation award... thanks guys!
It’s been a long slog — starting several years ago in its conception and now coming to fruition with help from the Eco Tiger students and some of the faculty. Not withstanding the Naturalists that have pitched in and our core group of Entrepreneurs each with our own specialities; then the gizillian collaborative brain-storming sessions all on our own time... still Fun though!! And we’ve only just begun.
are we having fun yet?
The Ecotiger students signed their individual art on the first official Back-Pack bag, before its goes on tour to Cause Sponsorship pending/potential sponsors with the early adopters/believers and our local Green Business Partnership members benefitting the most as we continue to roll-out built in options of QR bar codes, Social Media integration, a Mobile Marketing platform with Geo targeting, Gamification, Analytics for some deep drill down of data etc which will always be improved on. It’s also going to help generate jobs in any community its started in, as we will being offering a tool-kit and expertise to back it up. Really it could be started in any almost any Geo around the world.
Expressions Session: even one of "Twilight" members dropped in. Looking a bit pale and not her normal self.
Numerous events in the works with one particular one of note Bentleys Hotel in Osprey opposite Oscar Scherer State Park. They’ve just been awarded Green Business of the Year in Sarasota County and I cant get over the extensive changes they’ve made... and Yes it is most certainly “Green and Sustainable”, you should check it out. They have also been an advisor with several elements of the program including Eco Tourism and have been a great addition to our collaborative team. I’m not just saying that either!
More to follow as the Roll-out gets underway and soon the website goes live.
With Earth Day up-and-coming I dont think there is a better time than to let the students involved with the Scene-on-Green program have their own say.
The #Ecotigers participation in this eco-tourism project is invaluable, of course as well as everyone else participating in it! We all have the same goal protecting something that is important to all of us, more-so those of us that have extensively enjoyed natures playgrounds such as the Ocean and intend to ensure future generations can do the same.
Christel Tellbuescher – “Nature is a beautiful thing, protect it <3”
Morgan Bendle – “Cleaning the world because you only live once (YOLO)”
Raven Peters – “At 14 you don’t think you could be part of something so influential, or make change, but being part of this project makes me realized age is truly a number.”
Jessica Shiffner – “I realized that we won’t experience the efforts we put into the world, but our children will”
Sofia Hernandez-Tome – We only have one Earth so let’s protect it.
Alyssa Sloan – “We are only here for a short amount of time, so rather than destroying our world, make it glow.
Justin Richard – Play hard, work hard, try harder !!”
Hannah Shiffner – “One person is enough to change the world! <3”
Isabelle Ball – “Making the grass greener, the water clearer and the earth cleaner is a recipe for a better future.
Erin Walsh – They always say that the grass is greener on the other side, but we can make a change and make it greener on our side.”
Lara Hernandez-Tome – “We need to save our generation and Ecotigers is helping us do that.”
Lucas Winstead – “We left our foot paw print on the ecosystem.”
Sydney Payne – “When you are young you don’t realize that you can do so many things.”
Lesly Hernandez—“Earth like our mother, without we wouldn’t be here. Protect her.”
Marilyn Márquez –“It is an inspiration to be part of this project, working with Middle Schoolers, teaching them to be kinder to our planet. We are planting the seeds for a more greener planet, teaching our future generations that is only one Earth, and is our duty to take care of her.
After last weeks field trip at Lido Key with E.G Bennington the Naturalist and the Eco-Tigers students the " Scene on Green " program is on a roll and gaining momentum
It's taken several years of planning to craft this program which gone through several iterations " Be Natures Guest " being one of them; a major difference now is the use of Social Media, Mobile and Cloud based technology and concepts have been employed to create and develop a system that could be easily emulated once our collaboration group provides a well thought out "Tool Kit" with the expertise to back it up; at all levels —including the students!
The most intriguing part of this concept is that we found a way that it benefits EVERYONE involved from the Corporations that provide sponsorship and get unlimited ongoing Brand Lift (which is just small fraction of their benefits) and gives them even more reasons to sponsor more programs all the way through to the community businesses and even more-so the students involved helping potentially to build their own career paths in something they are passionate about.
The timing is right, there's a tremendous "feel good" factor which we have already seen with all those involved. Everyone wants "in", which is even better.
The program benefits a diverse range of stakeholders generating economic results through environmental stewardship.
So who would want to become involved and why?
Who: Partners include: travel organizations, hotels and rental properties, environmentally focused non-profits, educational institutions, public sector and area businesses.
Target audiences include: regional visitors, local citizens, community organizations and sporting events
Why: To demonstrate superior strategic alignment of multiple community sectors achieving economic resilience, distinctive visitor experiences, and measurable positive environmental impact.
And that's just the start!
More information to follow; in the interim contact us a greensolutions@allardppc.com or on our Eco Programs Page on this site