The battle of the two extremes: Business Vs. Environmental
Today, on Earth Day, I want to tell you a little story about why URKAi is here. We believe that a new conversation about sustainability needs to start with Canadian businesses. I will start by highlighting the two extremes, and then offer a solution to improve the sustainability of Canadian businesses.
Extreme #1 – A business operating with total disregard for the environment will kill itself (eventually)
A business operating (in Canada) with total disregard for the environment will eventually hit a brick wall, and we have environmentalists, community advocates, special interest groups and democracy to thank for that. The unfortunate part is the delay in action leaves damage, destruction, and sometimes, death, which we cannot reverse. This is absolutely despicable, and we should all take ownership to ensure that this never happens.
Extreme #2 – A business operating with total disregard for profit will kill itself
I have a tremendous amount of respect for environmentalists and their noble pursuit, and quite frankly, we need them to keep some rogue businesses in check and to constantly remind us all not to forget about the impact your business is having on the earth – the earth that you are leaving behind to your children and grandchildren. Without awareness, the world is doomed and many argue that is currently the case. The challenge we face, is that the traditional environmentalist approach, often associated with total disregard to profit, scares the &%#@ (poop) out of most business, especially small and medium-sized businesses, because many are fighting for their survival. Look around your communities, how many empty factories, and industrial spaces and former business do you see sitting empty? Canadian businesses are fighting for their survival and when a business is fighting for survival, it is the equivalent of you, as a human being, gasping for oxygen – you can’t think of anything else but getting more oxygen. Shoving environmental concerns down their throat, without concern for their business, will make them resist even more, resulting lost opportunities for improvement in the sustainability of their operations.
The Solution - Make sustainability profitable for business and businesses will listen
What if we started a new conversation with Canadian businesses? A conversation that starts with… here is some oxygen, and let me show you how to get more. That is what we are about at URKAi – starting a new conversation to save Your Business AND Your Earth.
Andrew
Tags: business, Canada, Canadian Business, earth, earth day, environment, lifestyle, opinion, profit, sustainability
