The+Necessary+Revolution

=The Necessary Revolution:=

How Individuals and Organizations Are Working Together to Create a Sustainable World
By: Peter Senge, Bryan Smith, Nina Krushwitz, Joe Laur, & Sara Schley //2010//



__Summary__
There is a revolution happening around the world, a transformation of global proportions that will have long lasting a far reaching effects. Companies, Non Governmental Organizations, and individuals are changing the way they do everything, they have left behind thinking that their success can only be measured in how fast and big they can grow and are beginning to embrace sustainability as a way of operating. This book is a guide to thinking systematically about our every day lives and how with the correct mind set and dedication anyone at any level of business can impact their companies policies on environmental sustainability. By using a collection of stories about successful sustainability strategies put into place by companies like GE, Alcoa, Coca-Cola, and Seventh Generation as well as a study of Sweden's "Green Zone" we are given a first look at how major players across the world are learning that revolutionary steps in policy, instead of incremental change can have incredible results. This book also gives us some incredible tools that can be used to implement sustainable practices, and for teaching co-workers to think in new and exciting ways about how we can create a new and amazing world for ourselves and future generations.

__Part 1__
The Book begins by discussing sustainability revolutions that are taking place in the present and the need for them. The book touches on occurrences, such as heat waves and E. coli spreads, which call for more pro-sustainability measures in society. The authors describe the type of leadership it will take to lead these revolutions. The authors then describe the human practices that have depleted world resources, such as industrial waste dumping and various sorts of overproduction. The book then poses in chapter three that one way to begin to address the issue of sustainability would be to ask, “What would a way of thinking, a way of living and ultimately an economic system look like that worked based on the principles of the larger natural world?” (p41). Part one finishes by claiming that while sustainable is an issue, it is also necessary to understand the parameters of modern day society. It is paramount to understand how systems work so that sustainability initiatives may be incorporated.

__Part 2__
In part 2 of the book we see a series of "case studies," to show how ordinary people can do extraordinary things to change the fabric of our society. In chapter 5 we read about how Sweden has taken a lead globally in reducing its dependence on fossil fuels. The authors tell the story of a gentleman named Per Carstedt, the owner of a large Ford dealership in northern Sweden. Per attended the Rio Conference in 1992 and came away a changed man. He began to create a network of individuals in Sweden and globally to introduce cars that could run on ethanol to his country. The task was enormous, there was no infrastructure to support ethanol fueled vehicles, no vehicles being manufactured in Sweden that used ethanol as fuel, and a population that had no interest in purchasing these kinds of cars. from 1995 to 2007 he worked relentlessly on these problems and in August of 2007 Ethanol fueling stations made up 25% of the national network with thousands of cars made or shipped over to use the network. Additionally while he was working on creating a market for ethanol fueled vehicles he began work on creating Sweden's now famous "Green Zone", a block of businesses that were designed to be as energy efficient as possible, utilizing one another's resources and waste byproducts to become a sustainable development unlike anything the world had ever seen. He has inspired millions of people around the world and helped them begin to think sustainably and systematically. In Chapter 6 we follow the creation of the USGBC and the LEED rating system. This chapter focuses on how a group of experts from various field's can collaborate all of their experience and knowledge to effect future developments world wide. The USGBC story also shows how "organizational learning concepts could be used beyond company boundaries to help shift an entire industry." 1 Chapter 7 describes one of the most amazing collaborations studied in the book, that of Coca-Cola corporation and the World Wildlife Foundation (WWF). What makes this case study so unique is how two separate organizations from such disparate backgrounds were able to shift their sustainability programs internally then create an alliance that avoided numerous pitfalls and the kind if distrust that can easily derail such a partnership.This kind of collaboration also shows us how important it will be in the future to partner across sectors. No single government, corporation or NGO will be able to address the sustainability issues we face in our future.

__Part 3__
After reading the case studies in part 2, the authors decide to embark in an effort to teach organizations and their partners how to get started. When a company chooses to take on the challenge of creating a sustainability plan, the first thing they have to consider is cost. After all companies are designed to make money, if they don't create a positive cash flow, the company will collapse. Unfortunately many of the beginning strategies for sustainability, while cost effective in the short term, require a huge investment for any kind of long term sustainability efforts. Chapters 8 & 9 ways to change the thinking of people and teach them how to look, move, and strategize beyond the one dimensional views that limits most organizations. Chapter 9 supplies a case study of DuPont and the process they have undergone to change from a company who was viewed as one of the most environmentally un-sustainable companies in the world to one committed to creating a sustainable world. Several other case studies of similar companies are also given. Chapters 10 & 11 describe how to actually begin creating effective programs, engaging people and creating cases for companies to adopt change. Several very explicit instructions are given in chapter, everything from assembling the team you'll need to how to begin creating your program. Chapter 11 focuses on how to "build your case for change", or how you're new sustainability team can accomplish the task of changing your companies sustainability futures.

__Part 4__
The section of the book goes into further detail the importance of understanding the systems of society, capitalism and general human behavior and how they both help and hinder incorporating sustainability measures into organizational practices. One barrier to sustainability discussed in this section is “The Tragedy of the Commons,” which is a phenomenon in capitalism that leads to overproduction and diminishing natural resources. The authors describe a simulation game that shows the event in a microcosm. Each time the game is played by groups it ends in overproduction or resources. The game was eventually won when teams shared how much resources they were using with the other teams. Finally, in this section, the book discusses barriers to collaborative systemic innovation and how the issues seem to between “symptomatic and fundamental solutions” (p219).

__Part 5__
Where part 4 ends by touching on collaboration methods, part five is devoted to the subject. This section does a decent job of dividing the elements of collaboration by discussing the general need for collaboration, methods of initiating collaboration, how to relate with collaborators and continuing to build relationships of collaboration. One relevant point made about collaboration by authors is that “Collaborating is ultimately about relationships, and relationships do not thrive based on a rational calculus of costs and benefits but rather because of genuine caring and mutual vulnerability” (p233).

__Part 6__
Section 6 shows how problem solving methods and innovation work concurrently. While the whole book uses real world examples to allow readers to see how their sustainability methods can be applied, this is the section that relies on this the heaviest. For instance, the authors discuss a Xerox company that utilizes zero waste methods. All the machines in use are 93% re-manufacturable and 97% recyclable. They saved 1.9 billion lbs of waste from landfills, which saved the company $400 million per year. The company also utilized employee “wilderness solos.” Employees spend 2 days in the wilderness observing the Earth and nature. On the way back, on group goes past landfill, the other does not – measure reactions. This section also discusses “Positive Vision vs Negative Vision.” Another concept is the “Seventh Generation.” This notion promotes developing a business where the more products we sold, the more positive an impact we would have on the planet. The authors touch on the importance seeing opportunities for innovation rather than utilizing practices that are just “less bad”. For instance, doing less harm differs from working to create what we truly seek. No matter how “less bad” an organization is it will not make the organization defined by sustainability. One final subject of problem solving by innovation is “Structure for Freedom.” The steps for this are: 1) Start with the backbone. 2) Focus on innovation next. 3) Focus on staff specialists.

__Part 7__
The last section of the book comments on the future of a sustainable word and what steps it will take to optimize the sustainability of our planet. Chapter to chapter the the authors discuss future of corporations and capitalism, the need for pro-sustainability leadership, pro-sustainability partnerships and how individuals to need to have life styles that are pro-sustainability. Various methods discussed revolve around r educing aggregate consumption, investing in the regeneration of living, social, and natural capital, the foundation of all real wealth. The authors call for a need to accelerate social innovations, adaptation, and learning by nurturing cultural diversity. One of the largest issues in a democratic society is the varying levels of freedom and equality. With this in mind, the authors claim that there is a need to redistribute financial power from rich to poor to achieve equitable distribution of the earth’s life-sustaining wealth.Increasing economic efficiency by reallocating material resources from harmful to beneficial uses will lead us to a sustainable future. Towards the end of their discussion the authors claim that, "We are a young species who, uncertain of our niche, has recently expanded to fill the world. In a sense we are like teenagers, full of enthusiasm and energy, and more than a bit confused. And, lieve every teenager must, we are about to discover that we are not the center of the universe - not even the center of life on this planet. We are but one of millions, and our merit depends not on our ego, but on our contribution" (p380).

__Important Points__
Systems thinking and collaboration are the keys to the success of this book. Our current environmental crisis cannot be solved by one person, or one company but a continuous dialogue between governments, NGO's, companies, academia and communities can take us a step closer to creating a sustainable future. The way we have done things in this world for the last century have had a hidden cost, and this book offers us tools to change our thinking and make a change.

__Is this book useful for the creation of a sustainable world?__
This may be one of the most important works for people and companies to examine when trying to build a sustainable and equitable future.