“I wouldn’t of believed it if I didn’t see it for myself”…. Would of been a good way to start this post but to be totally honest I found the situation I stumbled across today hilarious/transparent/ridiculous/ but most of all lacking any sense of credibility. Attention grabbed? Good!
While I was on my merry way to uni today I saw something that made my inner cynics day. On Ghuznee St, near Cuba Mall I saw one of the “Sustainability Trust” vehicles, and this is where I get to the funny part. Their vehicle of choice was a beaten up old Mitsubishi L300 van.
“Sustainability Trust”
Keyword: SUSTAINABLE
Sustainability Trust, your website states “The Sustainability Trust is a Wellington based non-profit charitable trust which supports local communities in addressing sustainability related issues. Our project portfolio is currently focused on energy efficiency, waste minimisation, transport, climate change and community”. Sorry? Did you say “transport”?
How is an old L300 van sustainable (apart from the vehicles apparent longevity)? Now in the interests of presenting a balanced argument and to make it seem like I’m not just spitting invective and bile at a charitable organisation I do want to acknowledge that they are exactly that. A charitable organisation. Also I want to say that as a designer, sustainability is a core component of the current design universe and it’s an issue we all need to consider and pay way more attention to.
Five years ago it was a nice bonus to buy something made from recycled materials.
Two years ago “cradle-to-cradle” products were big.
Currently the general awareness of consumers is so high that not only do consumers want to know that the product they are purchasing is sustainable, they also need to see the benefits both they and the world receive as a result of their diligence.
Believe me when I say I am aware of sustainable living and support it’s moral positioning. But the issue I have is how at present New Zealand is enjoying force-feeding us a notion the world is already aware of. Garry Moore said in 2007 that “the politics of the left and right are dead. Now everything is the politics of the environment”.
Yes there is work to be done.
Yes it is important.
No not everyone is doing his or her part.
But when the so-called “Sustainability Trust” who focus a section of their portfolio on transport drive an old smokey van they aren’t exactly setting the highest of examples. But I did give them some credit… It’s a van right? So that means they could carry their whole team in one vehicle; and as they encourage, use less private vehicles. Great right? Wrong! There were no rear seats. If they truly wanted to raise awareness wouldn’t that start with setting the highest possible standard for us to follow? Drive a hybrid. Better yet, ride a bike. Better still, WALK! Barefoot. Actually naked, then you wouldn’t even have a carbon footprint. I’m being facetious but the point stands.
If you’re trying to set an example, don’t skip over the easy parts or do them poorly. Set a flawless example we can be inspired to follow.
Lets get it right guys.
Alan said,
May 16, 2008 @ 2:21 am
Well what a great idea to get publics awareness, lets drive a old van to expose sustainability whether it be smokey or aged, and sounds like to me it could be even unrecyclable is this what organizations do to get the best impact or message across?
Then again it could be a politicians doing the same and in that case, well anything goes, after all the government is a charitable trust in a kind of way, just look at how many dollars they give away mainly off shore, but what you say is absolutely correct. I love it. Lets get inspired and walk naked.