Submitted by Scott Perret on April 25, 2013 - 7:08am.
Here is a snapshot update of some of the work that's been going on in The Natural Step New Zealand office lately. It was originally posted as part of the Spring 2013 Stepping Stones Newsletter.
With its diverse network of Natural Step associates, TNS New Zealand engages in a rich array of initiatives that span Kiwi society. Whether it’s examining how a western-born framework for strategic sustainable development translates to an indigenous Māori context, offering sustainability training to businesses, community development, translating the living building challenge to local conditions, or delving into what sustainable health sector policies would look like, our New Zealand associates are working to bring a systems perspective and strategic sustainability to every arena in their beautiful country.
Submitted by Simon Harvey on April 3, 2012 - 9:46pm.
Imagine projecting the mega trends of un-sustainability onto a building project. We would see all the symptoms of unsustainability; climate change impacts, ecological degradation; escalating energy, water and travel costs; inefficient HVAC (air) creating uncomfortable houses and offices that make you ill; risk aversion at every stage, creating silo solutions and a race to the bottom of the cost & quality barrel.
What would a building look like that addressed all these issues and responded strategically to these constraints? Imagine that it went even further and used bio-mimicry design to generate solutions that positively improve our society, environment and economy? Well these buildings exist already. They are called Living Buildings.
If you’re one of those people who sees sustainability as a huge opportunity to drive innovation and find better ways of doing things, then this is for you. If you’re looking for some sound principles that can underpin your efforts to reduce environmental impacts, whilst also improving the way you meet your customers’ needs; this course will provide the answers you’ve been looking for.
One size does not fit all when it comes to business improvement and sustainability strategy. We believe that businesses can achieve better sustainability performance improvements when they really understand the full range of issues involved, and have a simple, smart framework that develops a tailored response to their particular business situation. When people are competent to take action, change happens and it sticks. So we go beyond a focus on waste and energy to help businesses examine and understand all the opportunities.
Submitted by Kelly Hawke Baxter on February 23, 2012 - 5:42pm.
Dr. Karl-Henrik Robèrt, Founder of The Natural Step, joined a group of the world’s leading scientists and experts in sustainable development today in calling for urgent changes to policies and institutions to enable humanity to tackle environmental crises and improve human wellbeing.
The group – all past winners of the Blue Planet Prize – have gathered in London to finalise a paper that will be launched at the UN Environment Programme’s Governing Council meeting in Nairobi on 20-22 February.
The paper will emphasise transformational solutions to key environment and development challenges. It highlights the policies, technologies and behaviour changes required to protect the local, regional and global environment, stimulate the economy and enhance the livelihoods of the poor.
Submitted by Neil McCallum on November 10, 2011 - 11:15am.
By Karl-Henrik Robèrt, Founder, The Natural Step
NOW AVAILABLE IN AUDIOBOOK FORMAT! See details below...
It may be unlikely that a Swedish karate champion, family man, and cancer scientist could be at the center of developing a systems approach to life on Earth that could revolutionize the way humans operate in the world, but this is the story of just that: the idea and the man behind it.
As a cancer specialist, Karl-Henrik Robèrt faced a stream of parents who would sacrifice anything to save their children. Yet that same selflessness did not seem to extend to saving the environment, as debate on how to achieve sustainability was divided, with no agreement on universal principles. But Robèrt's experience convinced him that consensus on how to meet the most basic requirements of life should be possible.
Submitted by Simon Harvey on July 26, 2011 - 5:52am.
TNSNZ is hosting a powerful 2 day training event in Wellington on 24th and 25th August 2011. Using the award winning and internationally recognised Framework for Strategic Sustainable Development, this valuable training event will:
Submitted by Simon Harvey on July 12, 2011 - 5:37am.
Ian Challenger provides a quick update on his work at Cawthron Institute in New Zealand to develop new indicator sets that can measure sustainable behaviour in the community, and support the role of soft urban infrastructure in advancing the transformation towards a sustainable society of the future.
Submitted by Anouk Bertner on July 5, 2011 - 9:32am.
On behalf of the entire Natural Step community, it is my pleasure to congratulate Dr. Karl-Henrik Robèrt for being inducted into the International Society of Sustainability Professionals’ (ISSP) Sustainability Hall of Fame. I am personally thrilled that the ISSP recognized Dr.
Submitted by Neil McCallum on April 19, 2011 - 3:57pm.
Back in 2008, The Natural Step Canada worked with Ziptrek Ecotours in stunning Whistler, British Columbia, Canada, to help embed sustainability into their high-flying operations. Tour guides are educated in The Natural Step Framework for Strategic Sustainable Development and use the organization's science-based understanding of sustainability to educate guests. Please read our case study to learn more about Ziptrek's sustainability achievements in Whistler.
We are excited to see that Ziptrek has expanded their sustainability commitment to their global operations, including in New Zealand. Please see the following article from e-Global Travel Media announcing Ziptrek's sustainability award in New Zealand.
Here is a snapshot update of some of the work that's been going on in The Natural Step New Zealand office lately. It was originally posted as part of the 
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