Women in Tech: Is your I.T. Workplace just a Man-Cave for Frat Boys?

“An issue dear to my heart.”
~ Larry Page, CEO of Google
Source:  https://plus.google.com/+LarryPage/posts/E87jUNKHFLr

Image: Google’s Offices 

Source: linkedin.com: Pulse: The #1 Way to Get More Women in Tech and STEM

We know we’re sticking our neck out on this, especially leading with an image of Google’s offices, which—let’s face it—are a bit of a Shangri-la of high-tech office work environments, but it’s an issue which needs to be raised.

“Women make up more than half the US population, account for more than half of college graduates, and earn 40 percent of the MBAs awarded each year. Yet women comprise a much smaller percentage of the tech industry workforce, based on diversity reports released by more than 10 companies, from Apple to Google to Twitter.”
Source: CNET: It's not women who are the problem in tech land 

According to Larry Page’s Google+ feed, the topic of women in tech is an issue “dear to [his] heart.” Source: https://plus.google.com/+LarryPage/posts . As so it should be, according to Negotiation Consultant Victoria Pynchon, who points out the addition of three women to the board of directors “immediately and significantly increases bottom line performance.” Source: https://www.linkedin.com/pulse/20141012181202-11435719-the-1-way-to-get-more-women-in-tech-and-stem. And that 80% of purchase decisions are made by women, making for a striking marketing case.

“That's a fact. Numerous studies show that teams with gender and race diversity get better results. A Lehman Brothers survey of 100 teams found that "gender balanced" teams were most likely to experiment, be creative, share knowledge and fulfill tasks, while a 2009 paper by Institut National de la Statistique et des Etudes Economiques found that technical work teams with women were better at staying on schedule and had lower project costs.

“McKinsey and Co., meanwhile, says diversity translates into dollars: companies that are more gender- and ethnically diverse perform better financially.” 
Source: http://www.cnet.com/news/women-arent-the-problem-in-tech-land/

Yet according to the same CNET article, a survey by executive recruitment firm Korn Ferry reported women held only 14.3 percent of board seats at the 100 top tech companies in June of 2013. Ten percent of those boards had no women on their boards whatsoever at year’s end 2014.

Hopes Dashed

Carol Bartz, the former CEO of Autodesk and Yahoo, who’s been on the boards of Intel, Cisco Systems, BEA Systems and Network Appliance (now NetApp),  has “seen just about everything the industry can throw at a woman. That's why she ‘couldn't be more disappointed’ by what's going on in Silicon Valley and the technology industry today.” Source: http://www.cnet.com/news/women-arent-the-problem-in-tech-land/

According to University of Wisconsin-Madison research, only 14 percent of engineers were women in 2012, and almost 40 percent of women with engineering degrees never enter the field or quit after a short time in it.

Why?

Victoria Pynchon believes the main issue is lack of available child care. In an industry legendary for providing “perks” to attract and retain millennial talent—everything from in house basketball and beach volleyball courts, grocery and car shopping services, even a ticket-buying service and, of all things, doggy daycare—childcare is still a rarity.

“Bay Area companies often plan expansive offices with gyms, kitchens, game rooms, and other lavish perks to attract and retain the brightest workers. But onsite child care centers rarely make the list of amenities. Only 7% of companies nationwide offer on-site daycare to employees, a percentage that has held since 2005.”
~ Fortune Magazine
Source: https://www.linkedin.com/pulse/20141012181202-11435719-the-1-way-to-get-more-women-in-tech-and-stem

But there is another pressing reason, related to the frat-boy culture of a male-dominated industry…

"I had this fantasy that the young men growing up [after me] had more realistic views of their college friends and they would treat them better," Bartz says, shaking her head. "But they're just frat boys...I couldn't be more disappointed."
Source: http://www.cnet.com/news/women-arent-the-problem-in-tech-land/

A Mature Industry that Still Behaves Immaturely

Look, we get it: the hi-tech industry has to attract and retain young talent. But in the retention of said talent, companies need to recognize that young people grow up and have a maturing list of priorities—especially women who get married and have children.

The tech industry itself is no longer run by hippies—though they may have been the pioneers at Atari and Apple. They no longer cater only to “nerds”—The Big Bang Theory notwithstanding—they also no longer cater only to males. The video game industry is beginning to come to terms with this, toning down overtly sexist content.

So when tech companies design their work spaces, and the much-lauded “perks” they use to entice and retain 20-something talent, do they make assumptions about who they are attracting? Are the executives and managers making these decisions men? Are they themselves living out some kind of fantasy of “the ultimate man-cave” at work?

We think probably yes.  Sure, there are many women who will find much of what’s on offer “cool” but there’s a difference between cool and practical, meaningful, useful, helpful.

There’s also a big difference between cool and pleasant, refreshing, relaxing, inspiring, beautiful.

Image by PeapodLife: Cool or Beautiful? 

Office Image Source: http://teamgantt.com/blog/2013/12/18/how-to-maximize-productivity-through-fun-in-the-workplace/

You can say many things about many hi-tech companies’ work environments; and gawk jaw-dropped over many of their perks, but rarely will you come away thinking “wow, what a beautiful, inspiring place to work.”


Not everyone equates an adult-kindergarten environment or frat-boy fantasy man-cave to inspiring. Just because someone is an engineer and interested in working with technology doesn’t make them automatically interested in an environment best suited to cyborgs and adolescents.

Plenty of ‘Cool’ and “Wow!”

And to be clear: there isn’t anything wrong with ‘cool.’ It’s just that ‘cool’ has very little staying power. What’s cool today is very rarely still cool after some time. What we’re advocating for is a little substance injected into the midst of all that cool…and let’s face it, an indoor rainforest ecosystem has plenty of its own cool and “wow!” to go around. It’s just that it also has something that no amount of digital technology alone can match…it has life.

Leadership from the Top

The leaders of many hi-tech companies aren’t even engineers; or men; or in their twenties. The opportunity to redefine the tech workplace as a space of innovation and inspiration which speaks to everyone in an equal way—including management—begins at the top. It doesn’t need to be a case of pandering to frat-boy mentality; it can be something far more beautiful and meaningful; practical and inspirational.

Rainforests @ Work

Male or female, young or old, engineer or artist, we are all human beings. Our biological and energetic nature means our reliance on the basics of life, health and wellness is absolute. Especially for those who spend the majority of their time indoors in front a computer screen, the opportunity to bring the refreshing and rejuvenating effects of nature back into their life in a beautiful and meaningful way should not be overlooked.

Of all the perks and clever design decisions that go into the typical tech workspace, there is one which represents a more mature appreciation for what all individuals—young and old—need and crave. PeapodLife Ecosystems deliver.

Video by PeapodLife: PeapodLife Living Wall EcoSystem Fitch Street

Source: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zh1dk19VLwY

ECOsystem, ECOlogy, ECOnomy It’s all about “How We Live” in our HOME

Image by PeapodLife: ECO=HOME

Image Credit: Earth Nature Vector House & Ecology Graphic 

Source: http://www.welovesolo.com/earth-nature-vector-house-ecology-graphic-2/

“There's only one corner of the universe you can be certain of improving, and that's your own self.  So you have to begin there, not outside, not on other people.  That comes afterward, when you've worked on your own corner.”

~ Aldous Huxley, Time Must Have a Stop

Source: http://www.globalstewards.org/quotes.htm 

Let’s start with the following short film entitled ‘How We Live – A Journey Towards a Just Transition’ by Kontact Films, paying close attention to the first few minutes of the film discussing the definition of ‘eco’ as it relates to ecosystem, ecology and economy.

How We Live: A Journey Towards a Just Transition from Kontent Films on Vimeo.

So let’s break it down once more:

• Eco = home.
• Ecosystem = the complex interrelationships of home.
• Ecology = the study & knowledge of home (self-knowledge, where ‘home’ is an individual).
• Economy = the management of home.  

And there are three pillars of economy…

1. Resources
2. Work
3. Culture

Now, the film goes on to describe new business models, more democratic ownership, more local ownership, and even starts discussing human consciousness in terms of human behaviour, actions, interactions, “living better,” etc.

But sadly, while the film “gets” that we cannot expect the banking system which got us into this mess to get us out of it, the film ignores its own axioms in prescribing more top-down structural thinking as being the source for a plausible solution.

Nature doesn’t do much from a top-down level. The term ‘seed change’ comes from this very notion of incremental organic change. The planting of a seed which over generations produces not only one tree, but a forest of trees; the pebble dropped into the pond sending out ripples over time.

Now consider all the so-called “green” movements and technologies related to energy conservation, recycling, etc. At the end of the day, these reduce our negative impact on the planet, but do they actually heal our relationship with the planet? What does it mean, to have a relationship with nature?

How can we propose to create a mindset within ourselves—or a culture within our companies, let alone society—aligned with long term sustainability on the planet, if we have no idea what living in harmony and mutual symbiosis actually feels like?  In other words, no practical, experiential knowledge?

We cannot hope to better manage the resources, people and culture of economy unless we experience what it means to live in an ecosystem. Living in an ecosystem, gives us the experiential knowledge we need we truly comprehend the meaning and dynamism of harmony and mutual symbiosis—what we call ecology—and how it relates to our own self-knowledge.

Building upon such a nucleus, such a seed, we can adapt and grow an economy based on harmony and mutual symbiosis… exactly what we experience day in and day out at home—in our homes, offices, schools, as a reflection of what we’re experiencing in our hearts and minds.

In synthesis, we become a part of actual ecosystems…we gain authentic ecology through experience…and our economy cannot help but reflect everything we are and everything we know.

Image by PeapodLife: Explore Our Advanced Human Habitats with a pPodLite Angolo Unit perfect for Home & Small Office

It doesn’t take much, truly. Even a small pPodLite Rainforest Ecosystem from PeapodLife is enough to begin transforming your home/office into a place of harmony and mutual symbiosis…begin giving you the experience of what being in alignment with nature feels like.

Then the real magic happens. But you wouldn’t believe us if we told you! Like all believers in the magical powers of nature to inspire, transform and heal, it’s something you simply know in your heart, and/or have to experience first-hand for yourself. 

The Retention Problem Facing CEOs Today: Is there a Solution to the Millennial Challenge?

"There is this constant dynamism in the workforce that is very very hard to build the right [parts] of platform and environment for people to [accomplish] what they want."

~ Aaron Levie, CEO Box

Source: LinkedIn: Pulse: These Problems Keep Both The CEO Of Deloitte And Box Awake At Night by Caroline Fairchild

Image Collage by PeapodLife: Millennials in the Workplace 

Sources: http://www.businessinsider.com.au/millennials-need-to-learn-these-14-rules-2013-9; 

http://millennialleader.com/are-millennials-reshaping-the-workplace-thanks-to-gen-x/

In a recent panel discussion at the Milken Institute Global Conference in Los Angeles, Jim Moffatt of Deloitte and Aaron Levie of Box agreed that attracting and retaining Millennial talent is a major issue for their respective organizations.

As reported by Carolyn Fairchild, New Economy Editor @ LinkedIn, in her recent article: These Problems Keep Both The CEO Of Deloitte And Box Awake At Night

“Moffatt is working to empower young employees to stay at the firm longer by giving them more diverse work, Levie is grappling with the challenges of running a 1,300-person workforce with the average age of 25 or 26.” Source: https://www.linkedin.com/pulse/problems-keeps-both-ceo-deloitte-box-awake-night-caroline-fairchild

“It is very apparent that managing and attracting this demographic of workforce is certainly interesting especially in Silicon Valley,” Levie said. He cited the ever increasing number of companies competing for top talent, and Millennials’ acclimatization to rapid development and succession.

"This generation is very very accustomed to moving quickly ahead in every part of their life and when they get to work and things move slowly and they can't get ahead quickly it impacts their ability to stay," he said. Source: https://www.linkedin.com/pulse/problems-keeps-both-ceo-deloitte-box-awake-night-caroline-fairchild

Image Collage: CEOs discuss challenges at the Milken Institute Global Conference in Los Angeles; 

inset: Carolyn Fairchild, New Economy Editor @ LinkedIn 

Source: https://www.linkedin.com/pulse/problems-keeps-both-ceo-deloitte-box-awake-night-caroline-fairchild

So Millennial turnover rates may be high in Silcon Valley, but could the same be true in Canada? To find out, we turned to Mike Snyders, Senior Partner at Future Focus, Inc.—specializing in human resources  and human capital strategies in the Waterloo Region.

“Generation over generation learns how to manage each new generation that follows,” Snyders said. “How do we understand what their motivators are? How do we lead to motivate and develop new talent while maintaining business fundamentals?”

Snyders acknowledged the challenges faced by high-tech companies in the Waterloo Region are similar to those faced by companies in Silicon Valley—and just about everywhere. Many of the unique workplace environments we see in high-tech companies are trying to cater to what millennials are looking for. The key for employers, Snyders said, is to find the right balance between what Millennials want and what the business needs.

“Millennials are motivated differently. Their issue is work-life balance. Yes, you can retain people better by creating a work-life balance in the workplace, but can you stay productive? You need the structure in place. If it’s not managed right, it becomes a fun place, but not a workplace,” he said.

Just how do hi-tech companies’ office environments differ from the typical workplace?

Consider Auvik’s renewal of the Waterloo building formerely known as Blackberry 5. As part of their painful restructuring, Blackberry sold the building to flamboyant Dragon’s Den judge and investor Michael Wekerle. Wekerle was one of the investors involved in Blackberry’s 1997 IPO.

The mostly colourless, cubicle-infested space has been undergoing a transformation into a more lively and optimistic space. The 30-member start-up now enjoys a more open environment, featuring:

• accent walls painted in intense Auvik purple
• a bear mural and other flourishes by Ontario artist Chris Austin
• hand-painted signs displaying the company’s seven core values
• cardboard cut-outs of ‘key customers’
• a well-stocked cache of Nerf weaponry

Source: news.communitech.ca: Communitech News: Auvik poised to grow in bright, rejuvenated space
 

Image Collage by PeapodLife: Auvik’s Unique Office Elements

Photos Credit: Anthony Reinhart 

Source: http://news.communitech.ca/columns/auvik-poised-to-grow-in-bright-rejuvenated-space/

All hi-tech firms seem to have their own take on the ‘unique’ workspace. It’s a reflection of the culture of the firm, and this in many ways reflects Millennials’ attitudes toward personal style.

Style versus Substance

Echoing the sentiments of Mike Snyders, there is a danger for these well-meaning companies that the pendulum may swing a little too far in the other direction, resulting in a very ‘fun’ place, where very little ‘work’ actually gets done.

While many of the creature comforts Millennials may find enticing and attractive on the surface, one cannot deny that success is also a primary motivator for them. As well, high-performance and personal accomplishment cannot be overlooked as a motivating factor.

So what is there which simultaneously comforts and stimulates? What phenomenon has a proven track record of MILLENIA (speaking of Millennials) of simultaneously relaxing and inspiring new ideas, approaches, innovations, and invigorating individuals to pursue their revolutionary new ideas?

One word: nature.

It is undeniable that nature has played a critical part in inspiring everything from Newton’s Law of gravity to Beethoven’s 5th symphony to Einstein’s theory of relativity. But one look need no further than one’s own experience.

You know that feeling you experience in nature? You know that refreshed and recharged feeling. You know how it clears your mind and settle your nerves. There’s nothing else like it.

PeapodLife helps you have that refreshing feeling in your office environment.

In terms of creating a ‘feel good work environment’ which is both comforting and stimulating; one which boost BOTH work-life balance and productivity, an high-order rainforest ecosystem from PeapodLife is beyond compare.

It’s the feeling only nature can give you. Now imagine having that refreshing nature-feeling in your boardroom or in the staff cafeteria 24/7, 365 days a year. Imagine an ecosystem actively working all day, every day, boosting your Team’s happiness and efficiency to a whole new level. 

That’s certainly what Canada Life Insurance experienced. A few short weeks after installing an ecosystem in their boardroom, they began to notice profound improvements to meetings. Six months later, that boardroom was booked solid with a long waiting list.

Image: Canada Life boardroom living wall and aquarium, Toronto

As for Panasonic, revenue increased after outside salespeople started holding their sales meetings inside their staff cafeteria ecosystem.

Image: Panasonic Canada - cafeteria ecosystem

Just imagine the feeling of working in a climate-controlled rainforest environment. Static pictures can only do so much, so here’s an ecosystem in motion…

Video by PeapodLife: Fitch Street Living Wall EcoSystem 6-Month Update 

Source: YouTube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=m6opN_OXIu8

But not even a video can do our rainforest environments justice. No technology can replace the feeling only nature can provide.

Put the power of nature in motion for your business today, and watch the transformative capabilities of the rainforest create an environment that Millennials will want to live, work, grow, develop, innovate and succeed in. 

Connect with PeapodLife today for more information.

“Save the Canadians” Campaign Launched: Rainforest Plants & Animals for Overworked Canadians

Video: ICT Costa Rica Tourism - Save the Canadians

Source: YouTube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QbhCpfxsod8

You can’t make this stuff up. Well, maybe you can…sort of (i.e. singing animals organizing politically).

Image Collage by PeapodLife: Costa Rican Animals for Overworked Canadians

Sources: http://savethecanadians.org/,

travelweek.ca: Travelweek: News: [Video] Costa Rican animals campaign to ‘Save the Canadians’

The point is, an endearing website has been launched by Costa Rica Tourism to “Save the Canadians.”

Image: SavetheCanadians.org

Source: Pinterest https://www.pinterest.com/yybr/costa-rica-travel/

The website not only features singing denizens of the tropical Costa Rican rainforest, it has a great deal of maps, information on destinations, and tempting photos inviting visitors to “Explore [their] Human Habitats.”

Image Collage by PeapodLife: Explore Human Habitats in Costa Rica

Sources: http://savethecanadians.org/regions/central_pacific

The site also many features numerous videos highlighting the many beautiful destinations one can visit in Costa Rica, such as La Paz Waterfall Gardens.

Video: La Paz Waterfall Gardens, Costa Rica

Source: YouTube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OUwVcNKZKSI

We at PeapodLife applaud the efforts by Costa Rica’s rainforest ecosystem flora and fauna to save Canadians from the drudgery and toxicity of their daily workplace. And while getting away to a beautiful place like Costa Rica for a week or two every year is a good start, it won’t “save the Canadians…”

And Mother Nature knows it.

That’s why some of those dedicated rainforest plants and animals from Costa Rica have chosen to come north to Canada to partner with PeapodLife in bringing the beauty, relaxation, invigoration and healing powers of high order rainforest ecosystems to Canadian homes and workplaces 365 days a year.

Image Collage by PeapodLife: Ecosystems for Overworked Canadians

Text Image Source: http://savethecanadians.org/

Including up to five biomes, including canopy, waterfall, terrestrial and aquatic, our ecosystems fill your home or office with the beautiful and soothing sights, sounds and energies of a tropical rainforest, with no soil, no mess, and very little maintenance required.

Come explore our “Advanced Human Habitats.”

Image Collage by PeapodLife: Explore Our Advanced Human Habitats

Text Image Source: http://savethecanadians.org/

Bring the Mind Home at Last with an Ecosystem in the Home First

“All of man’s difficulties arise from his inability to sit quietly in a room by himself.” We do so many things, we speak volumes, and we think an endless amount of useless thoughts, but we’ve lost the sense of being. We’ve lost our ground. The most important thing is presence. Being. We’re often so distracted that: “We’re scattered everywhere, but nobody is at home.”
~ Blaise Pascal, with Sogyal Rinpoche
Source: School of the Holy Science Facebook Page:

The French philosopher Pascal once said, “All of man’s difficulties arise from his inability to sit quietly in a room by...
Posted by School Of The Holy Science on Tuesday, April 7, 2015

Let’s face it: very few of us can sit quietly in a room by ourselves. For so many reasons, both internal and external, we find it very difficult to just be still with ourselves.

Whether it’s the cacophony of our crazy busy mind, our crazy buy life, or the mixed-mash-up of real and perceived distractions pulling our attention in all directions, we find ourselves living in a kind of hurricane; a typhoon of never-ending thoughts, worries, wants, to-do lists, etc.

Like a song that gets stuck in our head, we cannot escape the prison of “mental calm depravation.” We may even have difficulty sleeping; either unable to fall asleep due to the never-ending stream of thoughts troubling us and keeping us awake, or disturbing and unsettling dreams reflective of our waking psychological state.

And while it’s all well and good to tell ourselves we can “leave our troubles at the door,” the reality is our subconscious minds have other plans. Without taking time on a regular basis to relax, concentrate, visualize and remember, revere and experience our naturally pure state of being, we remain trapped on the hamster wheel of an unsettled mind; lost in the hurricane of our lives.

PeapodLife can help. High order ecosystems are the eye in the storm of our lives. An ecosystem in the home creates a space which encourages us to sit comfortably and quietly. The natural harmonics of the ecosystem coupled to the phenomenon of entrainment tune our senses, our central nervous system, and our brain to a more soothing state.

Add to this field of harmony and mutual symbiosis the beautiful colours, soothing sounds, replenishing oxygen, and ambiance of energy and vitality, and you experience a space where you have a chance to actually be…not only alone with yourself, but with whatever deeper experiences of reality your heart and mind are open to having, via meditation, a good book, just your own thoughts coming into clarity, or maybe just the deepest, soundest sleep you’ve had in ages.

The point is, we all can use an eye in the storm; a sanctuary and a place where positive rejuvenating harmonics help you return to your natural, optimal state of being. What you do when you arrive there is up to you. PeapodLife’s job is helping you get there…bringing an ecosystem into your home first so you can bring your mind home at last.
 

Image by PeapodLife: Our ‘Crazy-Busy’ Life is a Hurricane & PeapodLife is the Eye of the Storm

Source(s): maidenpost.com: Feelings – Loneliness ;  

altmd.com: Specialists: Spiral Way Healing Arts: Calm In the Eye of the Storm

The Earth is an Amazing Place Invite it back into your Life

Image by PeapodLife: The earth is an amazing place…invite it back into your life

Credit: Earth Nature Vector House & Ecology Graphic 

Source: http://www.welovesolo.com/earth-nature-vector-house-ecology-graphic-2/

As a little change of pace, we thought we would offer you a little meditative break from your busy day to just stop and remind yourself that earth is an amazing place.

We begin with this montage featuring the music of Vangelis.

Video: Vangelis - Beautiful Planet Earth [HD] 

Source: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8Akb1t37T4E

Next, we offer up this video simply called Planet Earth:

Video: Planet Earth: Amazing nature scenery (1080p HD) 

Source: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6v2L2UGZJAM

Some of the amazing places on our planet are almost too beautiful to believe:

Video: Planet Earth Most Amazing Beautiful Places HD 

Source: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ug39P7ZFopg

And then there’s this compilation by our friends at The Rainforest Site:

Post by The Rainforest Site.

I think we can all agree watching videos on YouTube is not the same as being there. Sadly, we have lives, responsibilities, and realities to face surrounding the practicalities of life. Fortunately, there is a way we can invite the earth, in all its magnificence, Mother Nature in her essence, back into our lives in a very practical and meaningful way. We can live the PeapodLife.

Video by PeapodLife: Living Wall Ecosystem up-close and personal - Bodystream Health & Wellness Center

Source: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CjqzgbjxlOM

It’s not that easy being “GREEN” “Efficiency” vs. “Sustainability”

Image Collage by PeapodLife: It takes more than “efficiency” to be “GREEN”

Sources: http://imgarcade.com/1/environmental-sustainability/; https://environmentaleducationuk.wordpress.com/2010/07/24/environmental-sustainability-is-out-the-window-if-commission-is-cut/; 

http://content.time.com/time/health/article/0,8599,1857113,00.html

Decades after the birth of the modern environmental movement, the western world has seen the rise of a burgeoning “green economy.”

But the world seems somehow hamstrung to tackle global warming and other major environmental problems, leaving environmentalists frustrated and the general public apathetic. Perhaps the ecological warning of the century came not from Al Gore, but from Kermit the Frog…

Video: sesame street - its not easy being green 

Source: YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hpiIWMWWVco 

So what makes being green so hard? Like anything in life, how we think about something effects greatly its impact on us. Recycling, conservation, emissions reduction, carbon trading, and many other schemes have emerged into the mainstream under the umbrella of sustainability.

Logo: Sustainability – creating more, wasting less. 

Source: http://www1.hw.ac.uk/sustainability/branding.htm 

But this isn’t the definition of sustainability…it’s the definition of efficiency. And this gross oversimplification of sustainability in purely material terms has become the proverbial Achilles Heel of the so-called “green” movement.

But sustainability is not a question of material efficiency alone. If it were, the world would be taking it much more seriously. If we say sustainability only matters in the material economic sense, then we are attributing purely tangible value to ecology, ecosystems and humanity’s ongoing harmonious and symbiotic relationship with the natural world.

By thinking about sustainability solely in the “what we take out of / what we put back into the environment” equation, we deny its intrinsic value—the intangible value of nature and a healthy, vibrant, thriving environment.

In my book, The Attlas Project, Volume One: SEE the World in a New Light, I explore this question and offer a context with which to further the discussion:

Accounting for the Tangible and Intangible Costs of Business

One of the interesting concepts in economics is that of opportunity cost, the notion that, in free markets, while direct costs of goods and services are contained in the price, one must also consider the benefits of making alternative choices.  The inherent scarce nature of resources means that choices are usually based on a prioritized cost-benefit analysis including consideration of opportunity costs.

Consumers, like most entities existing in free markets, have incentives to achieve maximum benefits at minimum costs.  While there are exceptions to every rule, on the whole consumers will make purchase decisions based on an evaluation of their choice—the tangible and intangible benefits they will receive versus the tangible costs they will incur, including some opportunity cost factor.  Of note here is the consideration of intangible benefits on the part of the consumer.  A designer label or prestigious trademark will often fetch a higher price than an identical substitute (minus the mark) despite having the same tangible costs.  One might be tempted to argue that supply and demand forces prices higher in this instance, as in others, since designer brands are distributed in limited quantities and the desire to own one of a limited number of units is high.  Or a connoisseur might argue that it is precisely the limited availability of premium goods that warrants paying a higher price.  In either case, the producers of such goods make up for lower quantities with higher margins.  In the case of some producers such as Tommy Hilfiger or the GAP, neither argument applies, since neither of these so-called designer labels are produced in limited quantities.  In fact, the intangible benefit of fashion is the very notion of being “fashionable,” which by definition stands in opposition to the idea of exclusivity.  The paradox of individuality as it is expressed through following the latest fashion trends is a socio-psychological issue beyond the scope of this chapter; nevertheless, the point must be made that markets—especially in the West—have accepted the concept of intangible benefits and use monetary metrics to account for them, despite inherent incompatibilities.

One need only observe the salaries of certain athletes, actors, and CEOs in the West—particularly in the United States—to realize that accounting for intangible benefits with dollars can produce simply outrageous results.  Investors and analysts alike have puzzled over exactly how an acquiring firm arrived at the sum paid out in “goodwill.”  So-called priceless works of art, antiques, and artefacts nonetheless get auctioned off for very real sums of money.  The retail price of a designer t-shirt manufactured offshore can sell for double or triple the price of a higher-grade cotton t-shirt “Made in the USA.”  One cannot deny the inherent incompatibility between intangible value and dollar measurement.  Currency is useful for valuating measurable quantities of resources: pounds of salt, bags of grain, kilowatt hours, acres, hours of labour, etc.  But how does one quantify the value of the Sistine Chapel or the Great Wall of China?  Surely not in terms of square footage!  The old cliché “money can’t buy happiness” rings true in this regard.  Still, markets have deemed it fair and necessary to incorporate intangible value into price.

If there are varying degrees of intangible benefits considered in all economic choices, then it follows that there must also be intangible costs.  Like the balance sheet itself, the cost-benefit analysis should balance, and yet it does not.  Historically, free markets have over-emphasized the “assets” side and turned a blind eye to the “liabilities.”  After all, there is no incentive for markets driven by earnings growth and increased profitability to concern themselves with the intangible costs of doing business.  The capitalist system, moreover, is ill-equipped to account for intangible costs.

To illustrate, consider a $20 GAP t-shirt.  Due to all the advertising and fashion trends depicted in the media, I as a consumer may believe the intangible benefits of wearing a GAP t-shirt (over and above the tangible benefits of any normal $10 t-shirt) are greater than the $10 premium I must pay to wear it.  The market has priced in the intangible benefits of wearing GAP, and I am willing to pay that price, despite the fact that Costco sells an American-made generic-label t-shirt for $10.  The GAP could source t-shirts manufactured under decent conditions, with workers being paid relatively decent wages, and still provide me with a $20 GAP t-shirt at a profit of at least $10.  Instead, it sources t-shirts from Southeast Asia manufactured under sub-par conditions, paying sub-standard wages, to provide me with a $20 t-shirt at a profit significantly greater than $10.  As a consumer, I have no simple basis on which to make an informed choice in this case, since although the price clearly accounts for the intangible benefits—reinforced through marketing and fashion trends—it fails to account for the intangible costs of GAP’s business practices.  In short, I cannot readily or easily evaluate all the costs against the benefits.

If I was an investor and not a consumer, I would have an even greater incentive to buy GAP, since its business practices give it a better operating margin, and that translates into higher earnings.  Thus, the high social costs of GAP’s exploitative business practices abroad and the high environmental costs of its international shipping practices, are reflected in lower economic costs and higher share price for the company and its investors.  In other words, the effects of GAP’s high intangible costs have been accounted for as tangible benefits—assets, if you will—but the intangible costs themselves have not been accounted for anywhere for what they are—liabilities.  Given the natural scarcity of resources and the purported long-term nature of equity investment, such inequitable cost-benefit analysis is unsustainable over time.

Tens of millions of dollars are spent on marketing and advertising the intangible benefits of wearing GAP clothing, but nowhere are the intangible costs mentioned to either the consumer or the shareholder who, by purchasing GAP over another company, are supporting low-paying, high-margin operations in Southeast Asia, increasing contributions to greenhouse gases via shipping, and helping eliminate higher-paying jobs domestically.  The ripple effect of their economic choice, compounded with the choice of millions of others following fashion and investment trends, will eventually come back to haunt them, but the effect is so far removed at the time the purchase decision is made it is intangible and unaccounted for—“out of sight; out of mind.”  Like the billions upon billions in off-balance-sheet debt that caused the collapse of Enron, global markets have set themselves up for a terrible fall.  Eventually, all those unaccounted-for intangible costs will catch up to us—this time in the trillions—or if not us, then our children (and/or our children’s children).
Source: – Attila Lewis Lendvai, Author, "The Attlas Project," Chapter 2: SEEconomics.

Image: The Attlas Project Volume One - SEE the World in a New Light Cover 

Source: http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/1439235031?ie=UTF8&tag=a0261-20&link_code=as3&camp=211189&creative=373489&creativeASIN=1439235031 

But rainforests can and are measured in square kilometers and tons of lumber. What’s worse, after they are cut or burned down, the land they once occupied is repurposed and measured in heads of cattle or tons of coffee beans, cocoa, palm oil, etc. The pricelessness of the rainforest, however, is unaccounted for. At least not yet, according to Lendvai :

Eventually this issue will take care of itself.  Economics does, after all, take into account scarcity of resources and supply and demand.  The intangible costs of generations of indiscriminate logging, fishing, agri-business, manufacturing, and science and technology will eventually be priced into the handful of fresh vegetables, healthy farm animals, and potable water left on our planet.  How ironic if someday mighty CEOs, oil barons, rock stars, and professional athletes must face a future when the wealthiest people on earth are farmers, and a bushel of grain is auctioned off for the price of a Ferrari or a luxury home.  Indeed, economics has built in the mechanism—albeit delayed—to price intangible costs into goods, with compound interest to boot.”
~ Attila Lewis Lendvai, Author, "The Attlas Project," Chapter 2: SEEconomics.

PeapodLife and The Attlas Project alike challenge us to consider, then, a much more comprehensive definition of sustainability:

Image: Sustainability as more than just efficiency 

Source: https://leemanfor.wordpress.com/2011/04/11/what-is-the-process-to-develop-an-economic-policy-that-provides-services-and-sustainability/

In this definition of sustainability (SEE: Social, Environmental, Economic), the efficiency part is at best only 1/3rd of the equation (economy). The word economy is practically synonymous with efficiency (economies of scale, more economical products, etc.) Since the satisfaction of the profit motive is based on net results, efficiency is only 50% of the equation of “materialist success.” Thus, it is only 1/6th a factor in the overarching umbrella of sustainability.

Why This Matters to PeapodLife Building Ecosystems and Technology

It should be clear that PeapodLife ecosystems  adheres to the much more comprehensive, holistic and meaningful definition of sustainability…SEE Value(s). These are benefits you do not measure or think so much as you feel…instinctively in your body and intuitively in your heart.

When you experience a high-order rainforest ecosystem in the flesh, you know its value. Not because you’re measuring the amount of fresh oxygen it’s producing; not because you’re counting the atmospheric particulates being filtered out of the air by the living wall; not even because you’re  calculating the number of sick-days you won’t be taking thanks to having an ecosystem in your life. No, you just know its valuable to you and yours…you just feel it.

And no, a video cannot do it justice, but hey—what more can we offer over the Internet?


Now ask yourself (and be honest), can your low-flow toilet or showerhead make you feel that way? How about your recycling bin? Don’t get me wrong, we’re sure you believe you’re doing good, and making some difference, but do you know it…can you feel it, deep down?

Can you develop a meaningful relationship with “energy efficient technology?” More importantly, does “materialist green technology” truly deepen your appreciation for—and love of—nature, your friends and family, your community? Do gadgets and gizmos and processes relax you, invigorate you, strengthen your immune system by immersing you in an experience of mutual harmony and symbiosis?

Your Toyota Prius may make you feel like you’re doing something good for the environment in your head, but it’s still just a machine…it’s not actively surrounding you with a space of love. You may “love it” in a materialistic sense—a kind of ego attachment—but it cannot love you back.

PeapodLife‘s ecosystem can…and does…more than your mind can begin to imagine, but in ways that your body, heart and soul can experience…without mind…and can absolutely know.

Yes, it takes more than efficiency to be green…it takes something much deeper. And it’s that deeper thing inside all of us which is the only level on which we can ever find lasting satisfaction of any kind—true peace, joy and happiness. PeapodLife’s ecosystems create a space of love and connect with you on that level.

SEE a New Vision of Green Bloom, Rooted in a Holistic Definition of Sustainability

Now imagine a world in which everyone had the opportunity to connect with nature on that level, all the time. Imagine what that would mean to the societal, environmental and economic aspects of sustainability…if everyone was surrounded by a space of love…if everyone was immersed in a field of peace, joy and happiness.  What would happen to the nature of relations, decisions and transactions if they could be made surrounded by nature in its highest expression?

This is PeapodLife’s vision of “Green.” And no, it’s not easy to get there, maybe. But it’s not that hard to experience. PeapodLife is an Attlas Project: we have the technology and the financial services to make owning and living/working in a high order rainforest ecosystem a reality.

Come SEE for yourself. Contact Us today.

Season’s Greetings 2014

YouTube Video: "The Light Shines All Over The World" 
Hope for Light: Marilyn Lightstone on her Iconic, Multi-Faith Holiday Song
Credit: YouTube MarilynLightstone's channel

"However we worship, whatever our clan,
We all first belong to the family of man.
All over the world...The light shines all over the world."
~ Marilyn Lightstone
Video & Quote: Marilyn Lightstone 
Source: YouTube "The Light Shines All Over The World"

At this special time of year we take this opportunity to wish you and yours a magical Holiday Season, filled with family, friends, and the warmth of the season, no matter what faith (if any) you celebrate.

We also extend our heartfelt gratitude for our clients and partners who made 2014 so special. We look forward to an even more prosperous 2015 filled with new opportunities to bring the beauty, tranquility and healthfulness of the PeapodLife to even more people.

Our sincerest wishes for a joyful holiday,

a happy and prosperous New Year for all,

and Peace on Earth for all Beings.

~ The PeapodLife Team

Image Collage: Happy Holidays from PeapodLife 

Credit: Microsoft/ProfileBrand.com http://profilebrand.com/graphics/category/christmas/4430_happy-holiday.gif

Dancing KINGS & the PEACOCK Life Men: “Get Down and COLOURFUL” to “Get it On” the Natural Way

Video: At 0.15” these miniscule jumping spiders are nature’s tiny talents.

Source: YouTube – Peacock Spider 7 

“You can dance if you want to,

you can leave your friends behind.

‘Cause your friends don’t dance

and if they don’t dance,

Well that’s no friend of mine.”

~ Men Without Hats, Safety Dance

The natural world is filled with flamboyant, elaborate and beautiful displays by male species courting their female counterparts.

The above ritual by the tiny Peacock Spider, native to Australia, is one such dancing display, complete with colourful abdomen flap which raises just like a peacock’s feathers—hence the name. But these small spiders are by no means the only ones “putting the moves on” their ladies.

It’s no secret that male birds are often more colourful than females, and that they must woo partners using all types of behaviours. But Papua New Guinea’s Birds of Paradise are legendary not only for their elaborate ritual/mating dance, but their beautiful plumage. 

Video: Birds of Paradise

Source: YouTube - National Geographic Live! - Tim Laman & Ed Scholes: Birds of Paradise

Now let’s face it: the human animal likewise performs its own mating rituals, whether we admit to it or not. And the proliferation of beauty, fashion & lifestyle magazines for women and health, fashion and lifestyle magazines for men are proof of this. Such publications often offer both sexes ways to gain an “advantage” over rivals when it comes to “attracting and/or keeping a mate.”

Image Collage: The “Peacock life” by PeapodLife.

Sources: http://menshealthsix.com-is.co/us23/ ; http://www.telegraph.co.uk/earth/earthpicturegalleries/5023005/Animal-pictures-of-the-week-20-March-2009.html?image=25

Then there’s “the nest.” Some birds woo a mate by building an elaborate nest which prospective mates come and examine. If the nest is to their liking and meets with their approval, the courtship is successful and mating can proceed.

Video: “The Bachelor Pad” in Nature

Source: You Tube - Romantic Bowerbird Builds Intricate Structures to Seduce Females

This also has its correspondence in the human animal. The “swinging bachelor pad” is but one example of how men attempt to make a good impression on prospective partners, by showcasing their success, cleanliness, organization, likes and interests, tastes in food, design & music, and much more. 

Now, imagine if your “bachelor pad” had one of PeapodLife’s high-order rainforest ecosystems…

Image: PeapodLife Rainforest Ecosystem turns any Bachelor Pad into a sanctuary for new “lovebirds” to become “empty nesters.”

The colours, vivacity, freshness, vitality and life-affirming energy of our indoor rainforest ecosystems will surely turn any bachelor pad into a sanctuary where “lovebirds” can meet, mate and perhaps even become “empty nesters.” But not just any old nest…a nest of MUTUAL HARMONY & SYMBIOSIS, as embodied by one of our high-order ecosystems. The essence of balanced, sustainable beauty. 

In other words, while what starts off appearing as “The Peacock Life” in time reveals itself to create The PeapodLife. And who doesn’t want a relationship of mutual harmony and symbiosis? Contact PeapodLife today and get to work on your “Nest of Paradise.”

Nature’s Worth, Beyond Words

Image: “For going out, I found, was really going in because what I gained most from nature is beyond words.” ~ John Muir & John Fowles.

Image & Quote Source: FirstCovers.com: Facebook Quotes Cover: For going out, I found was really going in...

“For going out, I found, was really going in because

what I gained most from nature is beyond words.” 

~ John Muir & John Fowles

Quote Source: FirstCovers.com: Facebook Quotes Cover: For going out, I found was really going in...

Normally, when one thinks about a TED Talk, one’s mind turns to images of highly educated, intellectual, experienced and/or self-important individuals strutting around on a stage for 10 to 20 minutes or so expounding the virtues of their work, field of study, insights, discoveries, theories, etc.

Image: UAB’s Sarah Pacak in the TED 2012 Spotlight  
Source: University of Alabama at Birmingham: UAB News Blog: UAB's Sarah Parcak in the TED2012 spotlight

PeapodLife enjoys TED Talks as much as the next person, but every now and then, one comes along which decides to do more showing then telling. A TED presentation which adhere’s to a picture is worth a thousand words school of knowledge.

It just so happens that today we share the highlight of just such a presentation; and well, you could say it presses all the right buttons with us…

Video: Nature Beauty in HD and Slow Motion  
Source: YouTube - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UJ73zhytr2E

In the spirit of this video, we decided to share another which will give you a sense of how you can feel every time you find yourself in the company of your own indoor ecosystems from PeapodLife:

Video: Beautiful World - Equator 3 1080p HD  
Source: YouTube - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Is-GRMIvVXE

Of course, as beautiful as such videos are, they are no substitute for being there, for experiencing nature directly, personally and intimately. There’s something about the energy and vitality combined with peace and tranquility that cannot be duplicated or substituted.

That is why PeapodLife works with nature to bring lifeforce back into people’s stale, stressful, technocratic, and often toxic living environments. We don’t waste our time with novelties, mechanical monstrosities and half-measures which offer at best a mere fraction of the benefits of real ecosystems—and in some cases can actually seriously deteriorate the health of your space.

Rather, we invite nature on its terms—self-contained high-order rainforest ecosystems—into your home, office, school, retirement and/or healing centre so that you and yours can benefit from its calming and rejuvenating powers.

There is only one way to bring the harmony and symbiosis of nature into your life, and that’s to work in harmony and symbiosis with nature itself. This is PeapodLife’s secret, and why no other competing technology comes close to how our solutions can make you feel.

Consider that, especially considering winter’s fast approaching—one the Farmer’s Almanac is predicting will be worse than last year’s winter!

In light of all this, imagine being able to enjoy the energy, fresh air and soothing comforts of your very own high-order indoor rainforest ecosystem:

Video: PeapodLife Living Wall EcoSystem Fitch Street 

Source: YouTube - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zh1dk19VLwY

…even as you find yourself in the middle of winter, surrounded by this:

Video: 12-Hour Winter Snowstorm  
Credit: Edward Huff  
Source: YouTube - http://youtu.be/QBjD9mIRf5o

Enough said.

☺

FED UP with Sugar!? Forget “Hooked on Phonics;” Get Kids “Hooked on Healthy Food”

Video: FED UP – Official Trailer

Source: YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aCUbvOwwfWM

Everybody's got their poison, and mine is sugar.

- Derrick Rose

Source: BrainyQuote: http://www.brainyquote.com/quotes/quotes/d/derrickros541438.html

Not alcohol, cigarettes, or what we typically think of as drugs. Like so many others in the industrialized world I’ve picked my poison—sugar—and it’s 100% legal and available EVERYWHERE, in just about EVERYTHING. In fact, this particular poison is nearly impossible to avoid. 

Did I really pick my poison? Or was I picked? And just how much of a “poison” is sugar, anyway? The new documentary film, “FED UP” explores America’s addiction to sugar, and the epidemics it is causing in young people; the first generation, it is said, whose life expectancy will be lower than that of previous generations.

One of the rather vivid arguments the film makes is that sugar “lights up” the same area of the brain as cocaine. If that is so, then in terms of addiction, sugar can be considered the most widely used drug on the planet.

Image: Screenshot from FED UP Official Trailer – Brain response to sugar and cocaine

Source: YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aCUbvOwwfWM

“So what?” You might be asking yourself: “so a few cavities and some kids who grow up as adults with a sweet tooth aside, what possible harm can come from this pure white sweetener which made all our childhoods that much more bearable?” Well, it’s not quite that simple.

For the record: I am a sugar addict. Like most people, I turn to carb-laden, starchy, fatty, and sugary comfort foods for—well—comfort. I am on a diet free of gluten, corn, soy and cow-dairy (for medical reasons), and yet I still find a way to satisfy my cravings for starchy/sweet foods.

If you cannot get out to the theatres to see FED UP anytime soon, you can watch an episode of CBC’s the fifth estate exposing “The Secrets of Sugar,” below, which pretty much summarizes much of the current scientific and medical basis for “the war on sugar,” as well as the economic and political pushback against any efforts to reduce consumption.

Video: The Secrets of Sugar - the fifth estate - CBC News

Source: YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xDaYa0AB8TQ

So what can be done?

Well, since the issue here seems to be first and foremost the effects of sugar on children and their long-term health, there is an immediate message of prevention and education. With an educational component, one might have expected this blog on Genesis Eco Fund’s Blog, but not so: it’s not that kind of “education” that’s needed.

What’s needed is some good old-fashioned child rearing, like the kind we got from our parents—like the kind being shown in the following CBC news report on the importance of getting kids hooked on healthy food early in life.

Image Video-Link: Getting kids hooked on healthy food early is crucial, researchers say 
Source: CBC News The National Sep 2 2014 Child Nutrition

Right now, children’s addiction to sugar is being institutionalized on an industrial scale (especially in the United States where school breakfast and lunch programs are inundated with industrial food: cheap sugar-laden products whose primary ingredients—like carbs and starches—convert to sugar in the body; let’s not even mention the unhealthy fats and “flavor enhancers” like MSG).

But wait a second: I was brought up pretty well. We did have lots of carbs, mind you—but 30 and 40 years ago there was no talk of the dangers of carbs, yet…not like today. Well, maybe that explains why my mom now has Type-II diabetes.

Still, my mom prepared home-cooked meals. I suppose we ate at places like McDonalds and Kentucky Fried Chicken on occasion. And we did drink a fair amount of juice (which nowadays they say is almost as bad as soda pop). But there’s more to this than just “instilling healthy lifestyles.”

Kyboshing Comfort-Seeking

Make no mistake: sugar is “comfort food.” Like any drug, sugar makes children feel good; not only that, the “crash” you feel after the “high,” has a sedative, relaxing effect (if slightly depressing).

We reach for the snacks partially because our bodies are addicted to them and craving them, biologically—as Dr. Mark Hyman argues in his book “The Blood Sugar Solution: 10-Day Detox Diet,” discussed in an article on NYDailyNews.com—but there’s more to it than that.

There is a neuropsychological connection. When we are nervous, for instance, we like to crunch starchy food (like popcorn in the theatre). Chocolate and sweets likewise become more attractive to us when we “need something.” Maybe it’s the “warm fuzzy feeling” sugar gives us, like a warm hug.

In my own experience, I find that meditating or mantralizing has a powerful effect on my ability to curb cravings for sugar. In addition, being in the company of an ecosystem likewise relieves cravings, since I feel good without turning to comfort food.

PeapodLife advocates a more healthy, wholesome and comfortable environment: one with high-order rainforest ecosystems. No matter how well you try to eat, or what kind of lifestyle and nutrition regimen you try to stick to, what good is it if you’re surrounded by an environment which causes stress?

In a stressful environment, you’re just going to find yourself fighting your own cravings for comfort—sugar and related unhealthy choices.

In a calming, soothing, relaxing and invigorating environment, you crave neither the warm and fuzzies, nor the power-drink rush, nor the post-sugar-high crash. You are already balanced, content and happy.

At PeapodLife, this is what we feel is so important: allowing children the opportunity to experience the power of nature to provide the comfort and support in a safe and positive way—mutually symbiotic relationship. The ecosystem provides the ongoing nurturing we once received from our parents, and in many ways, is what we seek when we turn to sugar.

We surround ourselves with toxic environments and impressions, causing all kinds of stress and anxiety, in a society which shuns open displays of affection, compassion, empathy, etc. in certain “serious” circumstances, and we wonder why we turn to sugar!?

We subject children to unnatural, mechanical institutionalized education and indoctrination programs, standardized testing, etc., television, video games, iPads, the digitization of their lives, and we wonder why when they seek warmth and comfort they turn to “the quick fix” of sugar?

It’s time to bring nature back into our lives, and let the ecosystem begin the healing, the comforting; only then will our cravings for sugar be under control.