As we being 2010, an auspicious year for Canada where we will have a beautiful opportunity once again to welcome the world's finest winter athletes into our country and showcase the many splendors our nation provides both in natural beauty and as hosts of an international event, I am struck by how perplexing it is that so many of us aren't aware of the AMAZING things that are taking place around creating more sustainable ways to do business and live lightly on this lovely planet.

In the spirit of asking WHY NOT - here are two of my favourite finds from www.ted.com from 2009 - I hope you will be as inspired as I was by all three of these tales of what IS POSSIBLE:

A new way to experience Foie Gras: http://www.ted.com/talks/lang/eng/dan_barber_s_surprising_foie_gras_parable.html

If you haven't heard about Cradle to Cradle - you must - you simply must - it boggles my mind that we as a country aren't taking advantage of this significant new way of thinking about how we deign products.  It's time to focus on Eco-effectiveness, really, it IS time! http://www.ted.com/talks/lang/eng/william_mcdonough_on_cradle_to_cradle_design.html

And, of course, 2009's talk by Ray Anderson, who is courageous and heroic enough to acknowledge his role as a plunderer and step into a new way of leading business: http://www.ted.com/talks/lang/eng/ray_anderson_on_the_business_logic_of_sustainability.html

If we don't start to consider, if even only for selfish reasons, the HUGELY significant contribution nature makes to our global economy (some of the numbers I have seen recently posit around 30 trillion), really... it is pretty easy to see a global tragedy of the commons happening, isn't it?  And, there is no reason for this to continue.  When I spoke at the Community and Corporate Social Responsibility Conference this fall I wasn't kidding when I said I believe human ingenuity is the largest, most underutilized resource on the planet - and I don;t know about you - but I feel this is changing - and it gives me immense hope!  We can ALL be the change we wish to see, really, it IS possible! Happy 2010 everyone! :D

PLEASE NOTE: As many of you know, on November 27 & 28, 2009, Leadership Ottawa hosted it's first annual 3i Summit. It was magical!  To have such enlivening conversations taking place in the heart of the capital (at the Great Canadian Theatre Company) was fantastic!  To be a part of this extraordinary contribution to our community was truly a significant moment.  Stay tuned for video clips from Rogers' for the 3i summit... it really was as great as TED - and right here in our city - yahoo!