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Friday, 23 April 2010

I'll be back!

Just a quick note to say that this blog will be changing its underpinning software from Blogger to Wordpress early next week. This is because Blogger is withdrawing its service that allows blogs to be hosted by users on 1 May.

The good news is that Wordpress is a much superior system - so while you may not see a huge difference in the look and feel, there will be some cunning stuff going along side, include the ability to announce key blog posts on my Twitter feed.

The transfer is scheduled for Monday. The techies assure me that there shouldn't be any problems, but I've never seen a change in IT systems that doesn't incur the odd hiccup - you've been warned!

Labels: blog, terra infirma

# posted by Gareth Kane : 05:28  0 Comments

Thursday, 15 April 2010

Sustainability in the Service Sector - video

Here's an extended clip from the Service Network event I did back in February. This will soon be on permanent display on this site.

Labels: gareth kane, service sector, sustainability, terra infirma

# posted by Gareth Kane : 07:00  0 Comments

Tuesday, 30 March 2010

We're coming over all web 2.0...

As part of the upgrades to the site, we're going deeper into the world of web 2.0. I now have a Twitter account and a 'professional' Facebook account (as distinct from the one where me and my mates banter over nonsense) as well as my existing LinkedIn account. Over the next couple of weeks these should be integrated to maximise the amount of free services we provide.

Labels: gareth kane, terra infirma

# posted by Gareth Kane : 19:53  0 Comments

Monday, 15 March 2010

London bound!

Shooting down the east coast of England once again before the Base 2010 show tomorrow. First class seat with plenty of space, so I've just been finishing this month's Low Carbon Agenda and sorting out a presentation for a client board presentation in York on my way back up on Thursday.

On Thursday night I'm a guest of lawyers Muckle LLP at the Tyneside & Northumberland Business Awards 2010 where Muckle are hoping to pick up the CSR gong. It's a black tie do, and I've only got an hour or two at home to get into the penguin suit and remember how to tie a bowtie (hint: there are some YouTube videos that are much more useful than the infernal line drawings you get with the things).

I will be rooting for Muckle on the night, not just because they've invited me, but because they're really good at making "green" in a smallish service sector business - I've certainly pinched a couple of ideas off them. Service director Julie Parr features amongst the interviewees in The Green Executive and I've used them as a case study elsewhere too.

Speaking of The Green Executive, the book proposal and two sample chapters went to the publishers last week and I've now got to get on with polishing up Chapters 3-18. I'm really pleased with how it is looking and the initial feedback is very positive.

Finally, the techies will be transferring this blog from Blogger to Wordpress as the former is stopping the particular service we use. So if it all goes a bit off kilter in the next couple of weeks, fear not, all will be fixed in due course.

Labels: green executive, terra infirma

# posted by Gareth Kane : 15:33  0 Comments

Sunday, 3 January 2010

Happy New Year!

Looking back, 2009 was a brilliant year for Terra Infirma. We worked with some great new clients like the NHS, Aker Solutions Ltd, Middlesbrough Council and Innovation Scout, while continuing working with long term clients like the EU and the National Industrial Symbiosis Programme. We had our rebranding exercise to polish up our image and installed a new phone system. And our turnover kept growing, despite the ongoing recession (we also spent more on the business than ever before).

Personally, my big story was the birth of Jimmy, my second son. Coming a close second was the publication of book #1, The Three Secrets of Green Business and getting about half of #2, The Green Executive, written as well. I also launched the Green Gurus website and added profiles of 10 environmental pioneers. Hint: this could just possibly become book #3 - you read it here first.

Looking forward to 2010, we're starting with the book launch at Newcastle Business School on 28 Jan (e-mail us for details or to book a seat), and, to be confirmed, one in London soon after. As mentioned, I hope to have The Green Executive finished by June. Or July. Hopefully. Which means a publication date of Spring 2011. We are also planning to have some quality new content on the website in the Spring of this year. And of course, the Low Carbon Agenda will continue to provide unique insights, news and tips for free throughout the year - this month we'll be looking at peak oil before going on to low carbon strategy development and leadership.

The wider sustainability picture will almost certainly move on rapidly through 2010. OK, Copenhagen was a flop - or a 'Klimafarce' as the Danish press dubbed it - but it did show that the world was serious about taking on this issue - and at a Premier level, not just lip service from environmental ministries. Proactive businesses will continue to move ahead of the pack, green spending will continue to rise (as it has through the recession) and laggards will fall further behind as they lose business to greener rivals. The big questions that remain are whether the economy will be rebuilt as green as everyone claims it will be, whether green technologies will go mainstream (solar PV, electric vehicles, smart grids et al) and, here in the UK, whether the result of the general election will have any effect on this.

So what are your green goals for 2010? You could sign your organisation up to the 10:10 campaign, you could set up a staff committee, you could appoint a director level staff member to lead on green. You could set an ambitious target, develop your strategy or develop a new green product. Whatever it is, if you need some assistance, you know where to find us!

Labels: green executive, green gurus, news, terra infirma, three secrets of green business

# posted by Gareth Kane : 21:05  0 Comments

Friday, 20 November 2009

Interface interface?

I’m back on the train again, this time to Halifax to interview Nigel Stansfield of Interface for The Green Executive. Interface is definitely one of the greenest companies on the planet – and it is the biggest producer of modular carpet in the world. The company's Chairman Ray Anderson is truly a green business pioneer and has written several books on the subject. I saw him speak a few years ago and he was inspirational. He's on my list as a future entry on Green Gurus.

It's been a busy week. I signed off the final proofs of The Three Secrets of Green Business (gulp!) and had to do four press interviews yesterday as Newcastle upon Tyne was declared to be the most sustainable city in the UK by Forum for the Future - when I've got my political hat on, I'm second in command of all things sustainable for the Council. A good day with some excellent press coverage. On top of that I'm scoping out new business opportunities for one client, developing another project around rural sustainability and working on The Green Executive. The new baby is invading my favoured 6am slot for this - normally the house is silent, but now I have to, sometimes literally, muck in with the little'un.

It's all great fun!

Labels: green executive, interface, terra infirma

# posted by Gareth Kane : 10:52  0 Comments

Monday, 16 November 2009

Advanced notice - 20% off The Three Secrets of Green Business

So, I seem to have survived two of the three big events of this autumn - the birth of young Jimmy and the rebranding of the company. The third is of course the launch of my first book, The Three Secrets of Green Business on 18 December. If you want a discount on the purchase price then sign up to the Low Carbon Agenda (using the form on the right) as the December edition will have details of a discount, expected to be 20%. I am also in negotiations for a formal launch in January in Newcastle upon Tyne, but the details have not yet been finalised.

I am also doing a session on "Sustainability in the Service Sector" for the Service Network on 11 February - location and details to be confirmed closer to the time.

Labels: terra infirma, three secrets of green business

# posted by Gareth Kane : 09:43  0 Comments

Monday, 9 November 2009

Free waste consultancy for North East SMEs

If you're a small to medium sized business (<250 employees, not more than 25% owned by a bigger company) based in the North East of England and you'd like a couple of days free waste consultancy, then drop me a line in the next couple of weeks. There's a couple of forms to fill in, but that's all.

Labels: environmental consultancy, terra infirma, waste

# posted by Gareth Kane : 09:27  0 Comments

Sunday, 1 November 2009

Mr James William Kane...

...aka Jimmy was born on Thursday at 8:30pm weighing in at 8lb 10oz. He's great, his Mum's recovering well and his brother keeps wanting to buy him presents, so I'm a very lucky man.

I'm taking a couple of weeks of semi-paternity leave so posts to this blog may be somewhat erratic until mid-November. I'm really enjoying it so far. Me & Harry (first son) are spending a huge amount of time together and once again a strange cooking instinct has kicked in - must be some hunter gatherer thing. Ask me again in 10 weeks when the sleep deprivation really starts taking its toll...

Labels: gareth kane, terra infirma

# posted by Gareth Kane : 20:20  0 Comments

Thursday, 29 October 2009

We're almost there...

...apologies if your access to this blog has been disrupted. We were trying to sort out a couple of techie things which had knock on effects and so on - but we should be about there now. This has also delayed this month's edition of The Low Carbon Agenda which should be out later today or early tomorrow.

I'm also on semi-paternity leave as we thought new child was on his way yesterday, but it looks as if he's taking his time. It's given me a good chance to catch up on some admin, answer the final proofreading queries on The 3 Secrets of Green Business and keep our projects tapping along. My plan to spring clean the office hasn't really materialised - I could ask imminent mum-to-be to help, but she's upstairs, hanging precariously off a step ladder with a power drill in her hand. I know better than to interfere!

Labels: low carbon agenda, terra infirma

# posted by Gareth Kane : 13:31  0 Comments

Wednesday, 21 October 2009

Welcome to the new Terra Infirma website!

I'm very pleased with the new site - it should make finding information much easier than the old one. Please let me know if you find any problems so we can add them to the de-snagging list.

A quick plug for the Komodo Design guys.

Labels: terra infirma

# posted by Gareth Kane : 19:02  0 Comments

Tuesday, 20 October 2009

Tweak to Sustainability Maturity Model

Thanks for everyone who fed back on the Terra Infirma Sustainability Maturity Model. All of it was positive and one view I've taken on board was that the 'No Activity' level was a bit pointless, so I've changed this to 'Compliance' which effectively means "no proactive activity". This was tested during a CSR workshop last week and worked well. Good stuff.

Labels: sustainability maturity model, terra infirma

# posted by Gareth Kane : 07:00  0 Comments

Friday, 16 October 2009

BTW...

I've let the techies loose on the workings behind this blog to link it to the new website so if it suddenly sto


;-)

Labels: terra infirma

# posted by Gareth Kane : 08:17  0 Comments

Monday, 12 October 2009

Forthcoming new arrivals...

I'm taking break from doing the final proof edits on The Three Secrets of Green Business. This is extraordinarily tedious, but I have found one big clanger so it is necessary. Despite the tedium, I'm getting really excited. I'm organising a launch event in January - more details when I have them. In the meantime, the Green Executive is really starting to shape up and I hope to get the first draft to the publisher early in the new year.

Also coming soon is the new branding, website and Low Carbon Agenda. Just the final tweaks to go, but looking very good indeed.

Part of me worries that all this excitement is displacement activity to distract me from yet another impending new arrival. My second child is due on 1 November, although his mother's maternal vibe is that this one could be early. So if this blog suddenly goes quiet, it probably means I'm up to my elbows in nappies again and/or taking no 1 son to the park. I intend to take two weeks semi-paternity leave - keeping things tapping along but not running any workshops or intensive pieces of work.

It's all so exciting!

Labels: holiday, low carbon agenda, terra infirma, three secrets of green business

# posted by Gareth Kane : 09:50  0 Comments

Monday, 5 October 2009

On the road rails again...

On another train down to London this morning, this time to interview another high profile Green Executive for my eponymous next book and, tomorrow, attend a CPD session (anybody who claims they know it all in this game is a fool and a liar). As I type, we're trundling across the Tyne, with a lovely view of its splendid bridges as the sun breaks through the cloud above the iconic, but doomed, 'Get Carter' carpark. Inspiring!

Talking of inspiration, one of the downsides of writing a blog like this, is even though I know from the stats that it is well read, I don't know who you, the readers, are. So here's a few ways we can interact:

1. Please post comments! The only comments I refuse to publish are those which are offensive in a racist, sexist or homophobic way, are excessively sweary (f & c words unwelcome unless essential to the meaning) or are blatant spam. I want to hear from you, even particularly if you disagree with what I say.

2. Join my network on LinkedIn. Just mention you've read the blog as I try to avoid the spammers.

3. E-mail or ring me on 0191 265 7899. But, please, if you are thinking of trying to sell me something, I have never bought from a cold caller and don't intend to start!

As I finish writing this, the stunning cathedral at Durham is hoving into view standing on its rock high over a loop in the Wear. The landscape gets a bit dull from now on in to the big smoke, so it is head down and work!

But, seriously, get in touch.

Labels: gareth kane, terra infirma

# posted by Gareth Kane : 07:59  0 Comments

Wednesday, 23 September 2009

Press Release: The Three Secrets of Green Business

PRESS RELEASE

Embargo: Immediate
Contact: Gareth Kane, Terra Infirma Ltd, 0191 265 7899, gareth@terrainfirma.co.uk

Publication Date Confirmed for The Three Secrets of Green Business

A new book, The Three Secrets of Green Business, by leading Green Business expert Gareth Kane will be published by Earthscan on 18th December. The book presents a framework for companies to proactively prepare themselves for the low carbon economy, ready to exploit the new opportunities and avoid the pitfalls.

“It is clear that a new industrial revolution is starting” said Gareth “the question for every business leader is whether they want to surf the green wave or be left floundering out of their depth.”

The Three Secrets of Green Business contains guidance on everything from simple waste minimisation measures to advanced product design techniques. It is packed with hundreds of hints and tips to make green business a reality.

The book is available for pre-order from Amazon or the Earthscan website.

Labels: press release, terra infirma, three secrets of green business

# posted by Gareth Kane : 07:00  0 Comments

Wednesday, 16 September 2009

New! Executive Coaching Service (with Free Trial)

Are you responsible for delivering sustainability in your organisation? Are you finding it difficult to get momentum started? Do you feel lonely, frustrated and unappreciated?

Our coaching programme will give you the support you lack by providing a sounding board, helping you set personal targets to improve your performance and providing you with a smorgasbord of hints, tips and techniques to overcome your particular problems.

For a one-off annual fee, you will receive a personal one-to-one coaching session by telephone every month, but you can contact your coach at anytime by phone or e-mail should the occasion arise, subject only to availability. This is an extremely cost-effective way of benefiting from our skills and experience without having to fashion a project to justify it. The constant reinforcement of learning and reflection on past performance is much more effective than attending a simple training course.

Even better, we're offering a free trial session:

1. E-mail your details to coaching@terrainfirma.co.uk with three times during UK office hours on different days when you will be available for 45 minutes.

2. We will contact you to confirm one of those times or suggest another.

Please note this service is aimed at those with a genuine business need and we retain the right to discretion over who can participate in the trial.

Labels: coaching, sustainability, terra infirma

# posted by Gareth Kane : 07:00  0 Comments

Wednesday, 2 September 2009

The summer's gone...

Well it's September, it's wet and we are extraordinarily busy. As well as our existing projects and clients, we've been employed to do some very exciting new work for the Design Council and Innovation Scout. The latter is a new venture by entrepreneurs Nick Devitt and David Townson to identify unmet business opportunities to stimulate innovation and we're contributing opportunities in the Low Carbon Economy.

On top of this, I've got edits to do for The Three Secrets of Green Business and I've got some exciting new interviewees for its sequel, The Green Executive. And then of course I'm still working on new entries for Green Gurus - deep ecologist Arne Naess is likely to be the next profile. The rebranding process continues and the new website is looking really good - it will makes much easier to find what you are looking for than at present.

If you've been on holiday and haven't read the last edition of The Low Carbon Agenda, then I advise you do - it's called Low Carbon Jujitsu and is about how to deal with difficult people. These are probably the most powerful techniques I've revealed on TLCA - and you get them for free!

Labels: green executive, low carbon agenda, terra infirma, three secrets of green business

# posted by Gareth Kane : 10:28  0 Comments

Saturday, 1 August 2009

We are Three!

Terra Infirma is celebrating its third birthday today! In those three years, we've worked with hundreds of businesses and public sector organisations ranging from the third biggest organisation in the world (the UK's National Health Service) to micro-businesses and solo entrepreneurs. While I'd be lying if I said the recession hadn't made things frustrating sometimes, we're finding there are plenty of people out there who realise that sustainability is the future.

And there's an exciting and challenging year ahead. We're bringing new clients and partners on board as we speak, the Three Secrets of Green Business is out in December and I'm planning to have the manuscript of book#2 (working title "The Green Executive") finished by this time next year. We also have plenty of other exciting ideas working their way towards fruition.

I'm off on holiday to the (hopefully) sunny Yorkshire Dales for a couple of weeks, so things will go a bit quiet on the blogging front. If you want more to read in the meantime, check out Green Gurus which now features the godmother of the modern environmental movement, Rachel Carson. I'm taking books by EF Schumacher, Arne Naess and David Pearce away with me, so they're in the pipeline along with economist Herman Daly and climatologist James Hansen. And don't forget, there's always the back issues of "The Low Carbon Agenda"...

Wishing you a great holiday period, back soon,

Gareth

Labels: green gurus, holiday, terra infirma, three secrets of green business

# posted by Gareth Kane : 09:23  0 Comments

Monday, 6 July 2009

New! Green Gurus site

If you were wondering why I asked for your favourite Green thinkers a while ago, here's the answer: I've started a new website called Green Gurus (www.greengurus.com).

As the name suggests, it will assess the contribution made to the environmental/sustainability cause by some of the leading thinkers in the field. It will be infrequently updated as these entries require quite a bit of research and are usually the results of me catching up on some of the unread classics on my bookcase. I would really appreciate feedback in the comments - feel free to disagree!

The first two entries are for James Lovelock of Gaia fame and William McDonough and Michael Braungart who developed the Cradle to Cradle concept.

Labels: green gurus, lovelock, mcdonough, terra infirma

# posted by Gareth Kane : 07:46  0 Comments

Monday, 29 June 2009

I'm on the road...

...well, rails actually. By the time you read this I'll be getting on board Eurostar for a speedy trip to Belgium where I'll be interviewing the MD of a revolutionary paint company for my next book (more details on this to follow) and attending a consultants' workshop. My ability to blog may be compromised as I don't know what the internet facilities will be like and I'm taking the family for a city break to Bruges at the same time.

As well as book #2, there are a number of other exciting developments in the pipeline. Stay tuned.

Labels: terra infirma

# posted by Gareth Kane : 09:06  0 Comments

Tuesday, 16 June 2009

Free: 101 Carbon-busting Tips

Now available from the resources page.

You can't say I don't spoil you...

Labels: carbon emissions, energy efficiency, terra infirma, transport

# posted by Gareth Kane : 12:49  0 Comments

More free resources

I've just added two new free resources on the Resources page:

1. Climate Change FAQs for Executives - a quick guide to the science of climate change.

2. Terra Infirma Brainstorming tool - useful for developing green solutions.

There's more in the pipeline.

Labels: brainstorming, climate change, resources, terra infirma

# posted by Gareth Kane : 07:00  0 Comments

Tuesday, 26 May 2009

More example projects...

We've just updated the projects page on this site to better reflect the kind of work we have been doing in the last 12 months or so. 

Labels: environmental strategy, sustainability strategy, terra infirma

# posted by Gareth Kane : 08:09  0 Comments

Wednesday, 13 May 2009

Would I join a club which would have me?

I've just received an invitation to become a Fellow of the prestigious Royal Society for the encouragement of Arts, Manufactures and Commerce (RSA) on account of my "influential work in the field of environmental performance and sustainable development."

My first reaction was "they must be desperate", my second was that one of my colleagues had nominated me (one of our associates, Karen Johnson is already a Fellow), but it seems that, no, it is a genuine honour. I'm both proud and humbled!

Labels: gareth kane, terra infirma

# posted by Gareth Kane : 07:54  0 Comments

Wednesday, 29 April 2009

New Phone Number for Terra Infirma

We're always working to improve our services to our customers and, as part of this drive, we've just upgraded our phone system. The new number for Terra Infirma Ltd is:

[44] (0)191 265 7899

The old number will still work, but you may not get an immediate reply, so we'd be very grateful if you update your records.

Labels: terra infirma

# posted by Gareth Kane : 08:41  0 Comments

Wednesday, 15 April 2009

Press Release on FY08/09

Embargo: Immediate
Contact: Gareth Kane, Terra Infirma Ltd, 0191 265 9850

Tyneside Environmental Consultancy Bucks Recession Trend

Tyneside environmental consultancy Terra Infirma Ltd has increased its turnover by 15% in the last financial year, despite the recession. The company, which specialises in helping organisations develop and implement environmental strategies, has recently signed new contracts with the National Health Service and the European Union.

Company director Gareth Kane said “We are very pleased with these results, and even more pleased with the amount of work coming through the doors. While some companies are battening down the hatches, others realise that going green is a survival strategy in itself. An effective environmental strategy will cut costs, avoid regulatory problems and provide product differentiation in the market place.”

Terra Infirma’s successes come against a background where over 100 major UK environmental consultancies are thought to be in serious financial trouble [1]. Gareth Kane believes that a mixture of innovative marketing, a flexible ‘virtual’ structure and a strong track record of delivery is putting Terra Infirma ahead of bigger rivals. This is reflected in the international nature of the company’s operations. “We’ve sold green business guides across the globe from Canada to New Zealand and we’re currently in negotiation with clients in Saudi Arabia and Singapore” added Gareth “While the immediate future holds many challenges, we’re confident of going from success to success.”

Notes for editors:

1. Source: ENDS Report, Feb 2009

2. Terra Infirma was established by environmental expert Gareth Kane in August 2006 and incorporated as a Limited Company in Nov 2007.

Labels: terra infirma

# posted by Gareth Kane : 10:56  1 Comments

Thursday, 19 March 2009

Can you think of a better title than "The Green Business Bible"?

I've now signed a contract to publish The Green Business Bible as a book, but the publisher wants a new title as the religious reference may not play well in certain parts of the world. So I need a new title, preferably one with more zing than "The Green Business Guide". So I thought I'd ask for some advice.

For those of you who haven't read the book, the short blurb is that it "contains everything you need to know about making your business green while increasing profits".

Whoever suggests the best idea by 31 March (note I've posted this elsewhere) will get a free copy of the eBook and, if we use it and hadn't thought of it before, I'll send you a free copy of the book when it emerges at the end of the year. Put your entries in the comments.

Labels: green business bible, terra infirma

# posted by Gareth Kane : 09:23  3 Comments

Friday, 13 March 2009

Phew, what a week!

It is weeks like this that I sometimes wish Terra Infirma was being hit by "the current economic situation" - we are flat out delivering projects, responding to queries from potential clients (2 in different time zones), getting The Green Business Bible into the right format for 'proper' publication, and doing all the dull business stuff to keep the taxman happy.

Highlight of the week was the Middlesbrough Climate Change conference where I was organising the workshops to make sure they did what the organisers wanted them to. During the workshops I was hopping from room to room, but I was able to sit in on the plenary sessions. Jeff Ridley from the Hadley Centre gave us the latest data on climate predictions, George Marshall of COIN gave a fantastic talk on communicating climate change, Joan Ruddock MP gave one of the better environmental speeches I have heard from a Government minister and there was an interesting session by video from Australia on what local Government can do. The whole thing was very well (and firmly) compered by Sara Parkin of Forum for the Future. There will be a report on the whole event, and, when I've finished compiling it, I'll post the link.

What I love about this job is there's always more to learn - I've been to hundreds of events like this and there is always a couple of gems you can take away with you. This time it was definitely George Marshall who castigated the standard 'pronouncement from above' approach to climate change communications and proposed three effective strategies:

1. Respect and reflect: make it directly relevant to core values of the audience (polar bears live far away so are useless as a symbol)
2. Peer to peer: use social norms and networks to engage people directly
3. Make action worthwhile: reward desired behaviour with money, status and/or fun

All food for thought!

Next week's schedule is looking a bit clearer, thank goodness, as there's quite a lot to get finished by the end of the month.

Labels: facilitation, green business bible, seminars, terra infirma, workshops

# posted by Gareth Kane : 09:36  0 Comments

Friday, 6 February 2009

BTW...

Just a quick note about comments on this blog - they are moderated and if you add something relevant and business-like it will be approved whether I agree with your point of view or not. The whole point of these posts is to stimulate debate, so the more the merrier!

On the other hand, posting blatant adverts/spam, however relevant to the topic, will not be approved, so it's a waste of time. I don't do link exchanges either...

As for the person who Googled "Green Business Bible free download", nice try pal, but you'll have to pay for it like everyone else!

Have a good weekend!

Labels: terra infirma

# posted by Gareth Kane : 12:36  0 Comments

Wednesday, 28 January 2009

Two free seminars

I'm giving two free seminars at Business Link's North East Business Fair 25/26th Feb at Gosforth Racecourse in Newcastle.

Both my sessions are on the 26th - they are:

1030 - 1100: Low carbon business strategy

1145 - 1230: 10 reasons why you must improve the environmental performance of your business

Labels: low carbon business programme, seminars, terra infirma

# posted by Gareth Kane : 13:46  1 Comments

Friday, 19 December 2008

Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year!

I'm unlikely to be posting much if at all over the next two weeks, so I'd like to take this opportunity to wish all my readers a very Merry Christmas and all the best for 2009.

Labels: terra infirma

# posted by Gareth Kane : 08:00  1 Comments

Sunday, 30 November 2008

BBC Countryfile - blink and you'll miss me!

You can see me squinting into the sun and talking about energy security on BBC Countryfile for the next seven days - about 12mins in.

This was an interesting debate spoilt slightly by the production team thinking that environmental consultants only run consultations for major projects. I realised this while we were filming, stopped and explained and they seemed to understand, but unfortunately they've kept that line in which I think confuses the argument.

I don't see Prof Fells' point where he suggests that if the economy goes down the pan then we won't be able to do anything about climate change - a collapsed economy will have little in the way of carbon emissions. The trick is to do low carbon energy security.

Labels: bbc, terra infirma

# posted by Gareth Kane : 19:05  0 Comments

Wednesday, 19 November 2008

As seen on TV...

I spent yesterday lunchtime shivering my extremities off and squinting into the sun on Blyth Quayside while being interviewed for BBC TV's Countryfile programme. The gist of the programme was the trade off between impacts of energy projects in local habitats vs the need to tackle global climate change. My argument was that it wasn't that simple - if climate change goes unchecked, the local habitats will suffer anyway.

The previous interviewee was Prof Ian Fells, a well known media figure, who had recently written a policy paper on UK energy supply, which he had been discussing. The most controversial statement in this document is its first statement "Security of energy supply must now be seen as taking priority over everything else, even climate change." Interestingly the rest of report demonstrates a low carbon energy scenario based on nuclear which could go a long way to tackle climate change - in other words security vs climate is a false choice. I suspect this sentence is designed to grab the headlines. 

Labels: energy, nuclear, terra infirma, wind turbines

# posted by Gareth Kane : 08:23  0 Comments

Wednesday, 10 September 2008

10 Reasons Why You MUST Improve the Environmental Performance of Your Business

(even in a recession especially in a recession)

As promised, the second of our white papers is on line for free download. 10 Reasons Why You MUST Improve the Environmental Performance of Your Business does what it says on the tin - it explains why there is no better time to take action on waste, energy and water in your company.

Labels: energy, environmental management, terra infirma, waste, water

# posted by Gareth Kane : 08:00  0 Comments

Friday, 5 September 2008

Back in the Saddle!

Back at work this afternoon after series of trips to Fort Augustus in Scotland (damp but fun), Belfast (some sun, some rain) and Rydal in the Lake District (practically subaquatic). The backlog of correspondence has almost been dealt with and normal posting here will commence on Monday.

I hope you all had a good summer!

Labels: terra infirma

# posted by Gareth Kane : 13:51  0 Comments

Monday, 18 August 2008

A little downtime

I'm off for a couple of week's break, so unless the weather is really bad, the blog entries will stop until September.

The next edition of The Low Carbon Agenda will be out on 24 August, so if you haven't subscribed already you can do so here - it's a great one about cutting the carbon footprint of your supply chain.

Labels: terra infirma

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Friday, 15 August 2008

Terra Infirma saves companies £175k each

Until March, Terra Infirma carried out environmental healthchecks on behalf of Envirowise, looking at waste, water and energy. We've just been reviewing the files of the two dozen or so visits we carried out under this scheme - in sectors as diverse as steel stockholding, pharmaceuticals and catering - and the average savings were a whopping £175 000pa.

Imagine what that means to a medium sized manufacturing company in these tight financial times - they could keep 4 members of staff on for that money, making them even more competitive as things start to pick up. Makes you think, doesn't it?

Labels: energy efficiency, terra infirma, waste minimisation, water conservation

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Friday, 1 August 2008

We are two!

Happy Birthday, Terra Infirma, two years old today!

This is a key milestone as most businesses do not get this far, so I'm sure you'll excuse the self indulgence.

And it's been quite a year - many new clients, some of them very big (the EU...), many exciting projects, becoming an incorporated company and launching The Low Carbon Agenda.

And it's going to be an interesting year - we have a number of clients lined up to start on the Lean, Mean & Green Programme, have been booked to deliver some more workshops at the Low Carbon Innovation Exchange and the Green Business Bible is definitely on its way!

But, with the economic situation, it is going to be a challenge. I believe that spending on environmental issues is not discretionary but essential to cut costs. Many of the problems we solve are hardnosed issues like "why are you throwing away £00000s worth of product?" rather than hugging trees. It has to be said that it is much easier to get this message across these days.

Lastly, I'd like to thank all of you - the readers of this blog (especially those who comment). We'll be raising a glass tonight and I hope you'll raise a metaphorical one with us.

Labels: lean mean and green, low carbon agenda, terra infirma

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Wednesday, 23 July 2008

Do you want to be Lean, Mean & Green?

We've had so much interest in our new Lean, Mean & Green programme, we've produced a one page A4 flyer to give you an opportunity to judge whether it is for you.

The Lean, Mean & Green Flyer can be seen here.

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Labels: lean mean and green, terra infirma

# posted by Gareth Kane : 08:32  0 Comments

Friday, 18 July 2008

Bits & Pieces

There's all sorts of news at Terra Infirma...

1. We've set up the 'Green Business Club' on the business networking site Ecademy for those who see environmental performance as a competitive advantage.

2. The long trailed e-book "The Green Business Bible" is in the very last stages of completeness (cover design, final proofing) and will be launched by the end of the month. Low Carbon Agenda subscribers will be eligible for a substantial discount, so make sure you are signed up - it's free and officially "awesome".

3. We're in negotiation with a number of very prestigious organisations for new 'Lean, Mean & Green' programmes - the effective way of improving your environmental performance.

4. We're getting a make-over in the design and branding front - although it'll be a couple of months before you see the results.

And, it's the start of the holiday period, so if you're off somewhere nice, have a good'un!

Labels: green business bible, lean mean and green, news, terra infirma

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Monday, 9 June 2008

Happy Birthday to The Terra Infirma Blog!

The first substantive post on this blog (on Apple and its environmental performance) was posted 9 June 07, which means we are one year old today!

Thank you to all our many readers over that time, and in particular to those who have posted comments. I hope you have gained value from the tips, news and articles. If there any topics that you find particularly perplexing, let me know and I'll try my best to post something erudite and thought provoking.

To the next year!

Gareth

Labels: blog, terra infirma

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Thursday, 5 June 2008

New Environmental Award Launched

My friends at the Environmental Academy have just launched their new "Enviro Excellence" award to provide businesses with a framework for improving their environmental management.

Participants must provide evidence that they have complied with a set of compulsory and optional criteria to progress through the Bronze, Silver and Gold awards - a bit like the Duke of Edinburgh award if you did that at school. A Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) version is in the pipeline.

I write this with a small amount of pride as Terra Infirma Ltd acted as a 'critical friend' in the development of the award to look at it from an outsider's point of view and help fine tune the criteria.

Labels: corporate social responsibility, csr, enviro excellence, environmental management, terra infirma

# posted by Gareth Kane : 11:29  0 Comments

Wednesday, 30 April 2008

Congratulations to Stone Homes!

Congratulations to one of our first clients, Stone Homes, who have won the Best Small Builder category of the 21st Century Living Awards.

Terra Infirma carried out an environmental scoping study of Stone Homes' Adderstone Mains development which resulted in Ground Source Heat Pumps being installed in the buildings, plus better waste management and procurement during the building phase.

Labels: construction, gshp, stone homes, terra infirma

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Saturday, 26 January 2008

Free slot in London, Wed 30 Jan

Once again I have a free hour in London between meetings. If anyone wants a free*, no-strings consultation at about 3:30pm somewhere between Euston and the Strand, please drop me a line asap.

* I'll even buy the coffee!

Labels: terra infirma

# posted by Gareth Kane : 16:31  0 Comments

Friday, 18 January 2008

Terra Infirma on Tour!

I'll be appearing all round the country in 2008, leading training sessions for the Low Carbon Innovation Network at their Exchange Events.

There is a huge amount going on in each event - a range of training sessions in the morning and discussion groups in the afternoon. My particular session will be on the business opportunities arising from the low carbon economy and how best to exploit them.

If you interested in this agenda, the events are certainly worth a look.

Labels: low carbon innovation network, marketing, terra infirma

# posted by Gareth Kane : 09:39  0 Comments

Friday, 11 January 2008

London Calling, Monday 14 Jan

I'm down in London on Monday 14 Jan to see a potential client in the morning. The lunchtime/afternoon meeting I was going to move on to has now been cancelled, so I've got some free time.

Labels: terra infirma

# posted by Gareth Kane : 06:36  0 Comments

Wednesday, 9 January 2008

What do we do?

I spent this morning at a Chamber of Commerce networking meeting. Each of the hundred or so attendees had a minute to give a Dragons' Den style pitch at the others. I love DD and wanted to give the whole elevator pitch thing a go, but it is a nightmare trying to sum up Terra Infirma's activities in a few sentences. For example, this week I've been:

• Indentifying opportunities to use 'waste' heat from a proposed coal fired power station;
  
• Developing a plan for a facilitated session for Local Authority waste officers to brainstorm new ideas for waste awareness;
  
• Looking for eco-design opportunities in the packaging of eco-friendly shampoos and shower gels.
  

How do you sum that up in a minute? OK, I said:

Business is coming under massive pressure to improve their environmental performance driven by legislation, increasing energy and waste costs, customer expectations and public pressure.

We've worked with everyone: multinational chemical companies, commercial businesses, construction companies, even an independent hairdressers, to integrate sustainability into their operations, products and services. We take a proactive approach which goes beyond compliance to reduce costs, exploit green market opportunities and improve public relations.

Not bad?

As with all these events, there were too many sellers, not enough buyers, and there wasn't enough time after the pitching to do some proper networking (ie talking to people), but I did make a couple of good contacts which could be useful. After all, networking is a long game.

Labels: dragons' den, terra infirma

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Monday, 5 November 2007

Terra Infirma goes corporate

Last month we decided to put Terra Infirma on a more established footing and created the corporate entity Terra Infirma Ltd. You may notice small changes to our website and stationery over the next week or so to reflect this.

We believe that this is a great step forward for the company and will be following it up with more new training products and services. We look forward to working with you to deliver a more sustainable future.

Labels: terra infirma

# posted by Gareth Kane : 08:57  0 Comments

Monday, 1 October 2007

Free Eco-design Sessions

Over the last year Terra Infirma has provided technical input and training sessions to the Dott07 programme, or Design of the Time 2007 to give it its full title. Dott 07 is "a year of community projects, events and exhibitions based in North East England that explore what life in a sustainable region could be like – and how design can help us get there". This month Dott is cumulating in a large design festival on the Gateshead Quayside by the famous Baltic 'art factory' and the Millennium Bridge. The festival runs from 16-28 October and highlights the various projects undertaken from the School's Eco-design Challenge to the Community Food project.

On 25th and 26th October, I'll be running some free eco-design workshops for novices, children (13+) and families. There will be two workshops on each day, starting at 10:30am and 1:30pm. The sessions will be fun and light hearted, but informative. If you are interested, simply drop in and take part.

More details of this and other Dott07 Festival highlights can be seen here. The location of the festival can be seen here.

Labels: dott07, eco-design, terra infirma, training

# posted by Gareth Kane : 20:23  0 Comments

Wednesday, 1 August 2007

Happy Birthday To Us!

Terra Infirma was established exactly a year ago today with the mission to bring sustainability to industry, communities and other organisations. In 12 months we have been directly employed by 10 clients ranging from Government Departments to micro businesses, worked with over 100 organisations face to face through those contracts, and communicated with many thousands of people through articles, blogs and on-line forums. The next year looks highly promising too with some fantastic projects in the pipeline.

Laying the self-congratulation aside for a moment, this success is probably not surprising given the UK's environmental consultancy market has risen to £1.5bn a year, pretty much doubling from 10 years ago (source: ENDS). The biggest contributor to the sector is land remediation, followed by waste management - suggesting that most money is still to be made cleaning up existing pollution rather than redesigning systems to avoid environmental problems in the first place, the service we provide to our clients.

This blog is one of the features that we will be maintaining into the next year - we hope you will keep reading and please do not hesitate to get in touch via info@terrainfirma.co.uk if you would like to discuss any sustainability issue with us. Now where's that champagne...

Labels: sustainability consultancy, terra infirma

# posted by Gareth Kane : 07:17  0 Comments

Thursday, 28 June 2007

Terra Infirma sponsors CSR Forum

We are delighted to announce that we are now sponsoring the Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) Forum on SustainabilityForum.com.

The sponsorship forms part of our own CSR commitment: to get sustainability issues discussed and disseminated as much as possible. Despite having only been established recently, the Sustainability Forum is proving an excellent resource for exchanging information on this wide ranging topic. We are very proud to be able to play our part in its future.

Labels: csr, sustainability, terra infirma

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