The Silver Lining to Sustainability

It is instructive and encouraging reading other positive perspectives on the economic crisis outside of the specific issue I have addressed in my blog. Bill Kramer, principal of The Global Challenge Network, LLC, has a post in NextBillion.net, “Silver Lining to the Financial Meltdown?” While Bill covers the inevitable toll the downturn will take on vulnerable populations, he also highlights the potential refocus of Asian corporations to regional and domestic markets and the benefits this can have for sustainability initiatives at the bottom of the pyramid.

In a similar vein but at a different scale and on a different continent, Joel Kotkin had an article in the Washington Post, “Turns Out There's Good News on Main St”. Joel writes, “Forced into belt-tightening, Americans are likely to strengthen our family and community ties and to center our lives more closely on the places where we live.” He goes on to illustrate the benefits of what he calls "the new localism” and examines the benefits of such localization.

Having lived here for twelve years, I have learned that it is an innate attribute of Americans to look for the silver lining even in difficult times. Even the Chronicle of Philanthropy had an opinion piece this week titled “Nonprofit World could emerge Stronger from Economic Crisis”. The challenge for companies remains to continue to find the intersections between economic growth and enhanced sustainability.