After an incredibly hectic November and early December – I interacted with some 750 individuals over this time – things are finally winding down here at Terra Infirma Towers. This is the last full day of operation until the New Year.
So, here’s a little reflection of the fifteen most important things I’ve learnt/had reaffirmed over the last 12 months:

• Despite “the current economic climate”, the big players are doing more on sustainability, not less;

• Partially as a result, sustainability is becoming an issue of life and death for small/medium size businesses;

• Expecting a direct return on investment on your environmental programmes is like driving on a motorway in second gear;

• You should be ‘farming’ rather than ‘hunting’ sustainability;

• There is a big shift from worrying about outputs (emissions, pollutants) to inputs (materials energy);

• Learn from the Feed In Tariff hoohah – beware subsidies;

• The main barrier to sustainability is only 6 inches wide – the space between your ears;

• Culture change is more important than shiny new technology

• Chip & Dan Heath’s “Switch” model of culture change works well for sustainability;

• Participation is an effective method of engagement;

• To ensure sustainable change you must hunt down and eliminate perverse incentives with extreme prejudice;

• If you’re going to appoint sustainability champions, make sure they have a well defined role, not just vague words like “ambassador”;

• Questions are the most powerful weapon in the sustainability practitioner’s armoury;

• Responsibility must be aligned with authority and vice versa;

• Sustainability must be integrated into everything, by everybody, everytime.