I’m on a fast train to Glasgow, streaking up the Northumberland coastal plain. We’ve just passed Holy Island, its castle and monastic remains beautifully lit across the bay by early morning sun and as I type we’re rolling up to the spectacular viaduct at Berwick (whose claim to fame is being the answer to a hundred pub quiz questions). I’m off to interview Martin Blake of Royal Mail for the Green Executive – I’m now coming close to the number of interviews I need, so I’m having to choose carefully to cover all the main sectors and sizes of business.

The book is really coming together and I’m aiming to get a proposal to the publishers by the end of the month. The rationale behind it is that ‘green’ has now risen from an operational/managerial issue to a core corporate strategy. This angle requires a whole new skill set for corporate leaders and business owners. For example, the current section I’m working on is about complementing innovative new green products by killing off old non-green products – even if they are popular. Decisions like that have to made at the top and may go against traditional thinking. But if you are going to do ‘green’ you’ve got to do it properly.

Well I’ve crossed the border and the train has swung away from the sea, so I’d better get back to my edits.