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.

Going with the Flow vs. Being in the Flow

Post by ॐ Nature Heals, Nature Reveals ॐ.

You’ve heard the expression, go with the flow. It’s been used in countless situations by motivational speakers, counsellors, life coaches, teachers, even just friends and family.

The intention behind go with the flow is usually to encourage individuals to show less resistance to the circumstances and direction of their life. It’s in the same vein as don’t rock the boat, and don’t worry about the things you cannot change; don’t worry about the things you can. 

There’s a kind of hurried passivity to going with the flow which reminds us of the rat race and rush hour.  Everyone is in a hurry to get somewhere, but limited to the flow of the traffic. Everyone is in their own little world, wanting to be anywhere but where they are, push/pulled forward by the inevitability of the “big machine”—or, for a more organic metaphor, the enormous lumbering amoeba. 

Video: Tokyo time lapse in rush hour; Published by  Flow Bo

Source: YouTube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VkYHzsmR4K0

Cog in the wheel, ant in the hive, there is something about going with the flow which says follow the crowd, to us…be at one with the mob.  To go with the flow is a kind of surrender of oneself, but a surrender to circumstances and the status quo.

Going with the flow strikes us a kind of unconscious activity. A “shrug your shoulders and give up” type of response to the “inevitability of life.” Get up, go to work, come home, watch TV, go to sleep. That is a flow, alright…and it’s a flow many certainly go with. But it’s not exactly one anyone wants to be in. So, we tune out. And therein lies the crux of the problem with going with the flow.

Going with the flow leads to a kind of psychological and spiritual stagnation. A dead leaf blown haphazard on the wind…no longer connected to any real purpose. Just going, going, gone.

When you go with the flow, you are never really being in the flow.

One can be very much in the flow and yet not just going with it. To be, present, here and now, conscious, awake, alive…whether one is standing still and observing an ocean of people pass by during rush hour, or walking together very much in sync with them.

Being in the flow of life is the difference between the dead leaf which floats downstream, and the otter which is one with the river, no matter sunning himself on a rock or playfully shooting the rapids. The leaf goes with the flow. The otter is being one with the flow.

And it’s amazing what an experience one can have when one joins in being one with the flow of the moment especially if there’s actually an otter involved!)…

Video: Swimming with river otter in the Chagres River Panama; Published by chattaba

Source: YouTube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OgQ621oJuFA

PeapodLife high-order rainforest ecosystems help remind us to be in the flow. Our ecosystems are in constant motion, evolving, responding to you, your moods, your life. That’s because our ecosystems are being in the flow of your life, constantly balancing themselves and by extension, you.

Being in the company of an ecosystem, being one with its flow, can profoundly affect your ability to be in the flow of your life. Now, we’re not saying you’re going to have experiences like playing with an otter, but you’d be surprised just how profound an effect an ecosystem can have on you.

YouTube Video, 3:35 min.: PeapodLife Living Wall EcoSystem Fitch Street

This recently completed Living Wall Rainforest EcoSystem was installed at 235 Fitch Street in Welland, Ontario. 

Like most PeapodLife EcoSystems, it features orchids, moss, bromeliads, African violets, cacti, aquatic plants, fish & more. 

Like all PeapodLife EcoSystems, there is no soil, chemical additives or fertilizers of any kind.
Published by PeapodLife

Kids Grow Up SO FAST! (Fitch Street Ecosystem 6-Month Update)

PeapodLife: Rainforest Ecosystems only Get Better with Age

“A child seldom needs a good talking to as a good listening to.”
~ Robert Brault,
Source:  rbrault.blogspot.com

It’s hard to believe it’s already been 6 months since we installed and last paid a visit to the rainforest ecosystem at 235 Fitch Street, Welland Ontario. But yesterday we paid a visit to do a routine maintenance on the system and took the opportunity to “listen to our baby.”

Well, now it’s time tell.

And while it can’t do justice to being there in person, we just have to share some “baby photos” and a very short video up-close with the living wall ecosystem. See if you can spot the “hidden” orchid!

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

A Brief look at PeapodLife's EcoSystem Installation at the Affordable Retirement Residence, 235 Fitch Street, Welland Ontario.

In case you missed the secret orchid, here’s a closer look…

PeapodLife: Rainforest Ecosystem: Secret Garden - Hidden Beauty

But of course, discovering new, beautiful and wonderful aspects of your living wall ecosystem is not always a game of “hide and seek.” Sometimes it’s a case of “slow-motion fireworks” as only Mother Nature can do…and boy can she put on a show.

PeapodLife: Rainforest Ecosystem: Orchid Explosion

Suffice it to say, residents of the Fitch Street affordable retirement residence are thrilled with their ecosystem. They have a ball watching the orchids come and go, keeping an eye on the fish, snails, and the overall progress of the system.

Many have taken a real interest in their ecosystem, and why not? Wouldn’t you? Just imagine yourself being greeted by your own rainforest every time you arrived home (especially in the dead of winter)!

PeapodLife: Imagine Coming Home to Your Own Rainforest

Coming, going or just passing by, no matter how many times or how many different ways you look at your PeapodLife Rainforest EcoSystem, you soon discover that it only has one “side”…it’s “best side”… gorgeous.

PeapodLife:Every Angle Is an Ecosystem's 'Best Side'

Stay tuned for more updates in the future.

Better yet, connect with PeapodLife now and start watching your own rainforest ecosystem “baby” grow!

Attention Ontario! Don’t be SAD Winter’s here, Get Yourself a Tropical Rainforest Paradise

Image: A sidewalk snowplow clears snow in Ottawa, Ont., on November 17, 2014. (Errol McGihon/QMI Agency)

Source: http://cnews.canoe.ca/CNEWS/Canada/2014/11/17/22077086.html

Yesterday saw Ontario get hit with the first real blast of winter with anywhere from 5 to 10cm of snow falling in some areas. The wet blanket of slushy snow made for havoc on the streets and the morning commute.

Video: Slick road conditions this morning as snow sweeps through GTA 

Source: Global News: http://globalnews.ca/video/1676291/toronto-area-residents-wake-up-to-blanket-of-snow

Today, in Toronto we are facing temperatures of -7 degrees Celsius with a wind-chill of -18! Yes, winter is here and it’s already messin’ with us!

Worst still, the Farmer’s Almanac is forecasting a worse-than-average winter—even worse than last year. And just to jog your memory, last year included intense ice storms and deep freezes.

“Winter temperatures and precipitation will be below normal, with the coldest periods in mid-December, early and mid-January, and early to mid-February. Snowfall will be below normal in Southwest Ontario and above normal elsewhere, with the snowiest periods in December and mid- to late March.”

~ Old Farmer’s Almanac 2015

Source: http://www.almanac.com/weather/longrange/region/ca/3

Image: 2015 The Old Farmer’s Almanac

Source: Almanac.com General Store

Remember what that felt like? Maybe this will help jog your memory…

Image: People walk past fallen ice-covered tree limbs along a road following an ice storm in Toronto in 2013

Credit: MARK BLINCH / REUTERS

Source: TheStar.com: Amid Toronto’s ice storm, friends and strangers show warmth and kindness

Now, instead of all that, many minds turn to thoughts of summer, tropical getaways, all-inclusive holidays, cruises, etc. And we admit: it’s nice to get away from it all. Realistically, not many of use can get away for four months at a time, December to March.

PeapodLife can offer a practical, viable alternative to help combat what is for most “the winter blah’s” and what can be for some a very real and potentially debilitating condition known as Seasonal Affective Disorder or SAD.

According to WebMD, people with SAD exhibit many of the warning signs of depression. These can include:

• Less energy.
• Trouble concentrating.
• Fatigue.
• Greater appetite.
• Increased desire to be alone.
• Greater need for sleep.
• Weight gain.

Source: http://www.webmd.com/depression/guide/seasonal-affective-disorder

A number of clinical treatments exist for SAD, including light therapy. This involves shining full spectrum light indirectly into your eyes. Other recommendations include exercise, getting outdoors, eating a balanced diet, etc.

Image: Symptoms and Treatments of SAD 

Source: Corexellence.com – 10 Happy Factors that Fight Seasonal Affective Disorder (SAD)

What isn’t listed as a therapy for SAD is an indoor ecosystem (of course, because there has been no clinical research done in this area yet). All PeapodLife ecosystems make extensive use of full spectrum lighting. It follows that what’s allows rainforest ecosystems to survive and thrive in what is otherwise a dark and toxic environment for them will be good for us, too.

Then there’s the fresh air and vitality we experience when sharing the electromagnetic field of a high order ecosystem. It’s not only like being outside, it’s like being in a beautiful clearing of a tropical rainforest…your very own indoor paradise, right in your own home or office. No need for expensive flights and lengthy holidays. Every day can be lived in paradise when you live the PeapodLife.

Image: Winter be damned! Everyday can be like living in a tropical rainforest paradise with PeapodLife.

So why wait any longer? Don’t let winter to continue messing with you and your emotional health. Stick it to Old Man Winter and the Old Farmer’s Almanac and start living the PeapodLife.

Visit www.peapodlife.com to learn more.

Ecosystem in Senior’s Residence Thrives

Image: PeapodLife Ecosystem at Fitch Street Senior’s Residence

Last week we paid a visit to Birchwood Place, Niagara Regional Housing’s affordable retirement residence located at 235 Fitch St. East in Welland, Ontario.

Image: Birchwood Place 

Source: nrh.ca: Niagara Regional Housing: Development: Birchwood Place

We checked-in on the ecosystem we installed there, and the photos tell the story of how well this very basic ecosystem is doing.

Image: Orchids blooming in PeapodLife Ecosystem.

The moss is coming along nicely, taking hold and thriving. The orchids are blooming, with more on the way, and some flowers have even matured and produced seed-pods. 

We re-seeded the living wall with the seeds, we will have to wait and see if they can grab a foothold. As you can see from the photos, the wall is quite lush, and new seedlings will have an uphill battle for light given how well all the other plants are doing. 

Image: Ecosystem Thriving.

Even the fish are doing well. Some of the species laid eggs, a few of them hatched. This is a little unusual, since most fish are bred to be infertile. They were a bit too small to photograph without a macro lens.

As you can tell, an ecosystem is not a static thing. They grow, change, adapts and in the case of PeapodLife Rainforest Ecosystems, they thrive. Owning an ecosystem is an adventure. Generally, change happens at a slow pace, but sometimes leads to dramatic developments overnight (like a new orchid reaching full bloom, or new fish being born).

The point is, there’s always new life, new colour, new movement and new things to see and wonder at. Your ecosystem is full of life, and it’s precisely that energy and vitality that PeapodLife ecosystems bring to your life.

Life After Digital shows Need to bring Balance to the Dark Side

Video: How digital technology and social media impacts our lives

Credit: TVO 

Source: YouTube - Life After Digital (Preview)

“That Place…is strong with the Dark Side of the Force. A domain of evil it is. In you must go.

[Luke: What’s in there?] Only what you take with you.”

~ George Lucas via Yoda, Star Wars

Image: Social Media Hell 

Source: Crackade – You Are Now Entering Social Media Hell

Everything has a dark side. Unfortunately, there’s only one way to get past it…we have to descend into it, experience it, go through it, so we may discover something about ourselves and emerge into the light on the other side.

Digital technology and social media are having impacts on our lives no one could have ever imagined or predicted.  People are finding themselves descending into depths of darkness and depravity that are beyond disturbing—they are life-altering (in some cases terminally) experiences.

Last night TV Ontario aired a documentary: Life After Digital, which not only looked at the rise of interactive technology in our lives, but the emergence of social media and the impacts they are having on us. Some positive, others anything but.

From the tragic, much-publicized case of online predation and cyber-bullying which led to the suicide of Amanda Todd, to the emergence of “revenge porn,” the documentary obviously looked at some pretty dark extremes.

But it also looked at some of the more subtle yet ubiquitous effects of technology on our lives. For instance, the allure of the Internet as a shortcut to fame and/or fortune. Or the lingering anxiety we feel for the approval of others measured in “friends, followers, and likes.”   

You can watch the documentary online here. Also, be sure to watch The Agenda with Steve Paikin TONIGHT on TVO (Thursday 16th of October, 8pm & 11pm) for an in-depth panel discussion on the issues raised in the documentary.

Image: The Agenda with Steve Paikin 

Source: http://theagenda.tvo.org/

For our part, we thought we’d get our two cents in ahead of time, by going a bit deeper into this thing called the worldwide web and ask some tough questions.

A Mirror for Humanity

For starters, is it not obvious that the worldwide web is an outward expression of the collective unconscious of the planet? Two glaringly obvious facts support this assertion of truth:

1. Everything on the Internet came from someone’s mind at some point in time.
2. Everything that persists on the Internet does so because it appeals to something in people’s minds. Not just one or two people, either…thousands, tens of thousands, hundreds of thousands (or more).

This is not an easy fact to swallow. But a fact it is. Wishing it were otherwise or pretending that somehow we are exempt from it does not change it. We are culpable. We are not innocent.

After all, have we not all chuckled at some Internet meme, at a YouTube “fail” video featuring the mishaps and suffering of others? Have we not all sent nasty emails or “flamed” someone in a comment?  Downloaded “free” music, movies, software, etc.? Indulged in fantasies of every kind, from real or simulated violence to real or simulated pornography to…[fill in the blanks]?

And if not, have we congregated online with like-minded individuals to point fingers, condemn all that is wrong with the world and assert our own “holier than thou” positions of being “in the right?”  

All that and more is there, online. And all that and more is here, inside our own psyche. The thing about technology is that it brings our dark side up and out of us.

“He’s more machine now, then man…twisted and evil.”

~ George Lucas via Obi Wan Kenobi, Star Wars

Image: Darth Vader Mosaic 

Source: http://redd.it/1gwvo2

We are products of our environment, and we are what we eat. The more we interact with each other and the world through the mechanistic medium of digital technology and social media, the more we strengthen the binary, mechanical processes in our own psyche: black or white, yes or no, right or wrong, us or them. Action– reaction. Stimulus – response. Input, output.  Automatic. Unconscious.

There is no middle way in technology. No softness, no kindness, no compassion, nothing gentle. Forget the soothing voice of Apple’s Siri…there is no love there. Just programming. The more we engage in programming, the more programmed we become. It is a fact. It is undeniable.

And what is that programming? What is running on the program of our subconscious mind? We need look no further than the Internet: conspiracy theories, personal professional and philosophical attacks, revenge porn, identity theft, hacking, binge-watching, time-wasting, etc. Fear, anger, pride, lust, greed, laziness, etc. 

The more identified we become with technology, the more it becomes a part of us…the more it becomes us…the more we become it. We lose our humanity in the process. Don’t believe us? Just consider the new wearables and the enthusiastic anticipation—if not outright euphoria—being expressed online for the arrival of these gadgets and devices.

Image (modified): Montage of Wearable Technologies 

Source: Forbes – Credit Suisse Says Wearable Tech ‘The Next Big Thing’

What’s even worse is the pseudo-esoteric talk of the “singularity” being promoted by the likes of Raymond Kurzweil and others, who actually see the evolution of humanity taking place through the proliferation of the very technologies that threaten our core values.

Is there an antidote?

There has always been a place of refuge from the monstrosities imposed on humanity which emerge from the depths of human depravity itself: nature.

Many have expounded on the virtues of nature to soothe and invigorate, inspire and insight, relax and rejuvenate, to help one reconnect with one’s true self. And we certainly don’t need to repeat ourselves for the umpteenth time. 

We will mention that in recent years, the natural havens and sanctuaries of the world are becoming an ever-scarcer resource, as multinational corporations and our voracious appetites for consumption have placed a higher valued on “natural resources” via the decimation of pristine environments.

And let’s face it, living our life at the speed of the digital age means we don’t all have the time or energy to spend walking in nature an hour a day (especially not when we have a backlog of hundreds of emails, dozens of IM’s, countless tweets, several episodes of our favourite show on the PVR we need to catch up on…not to mention the vacation pics to post and the latest version of “this or that” software to download and install).

ENOUGH ALREADY! If we can’t get away into nature, how about inviting nature back into our lives?

An indoor ecosystem fills our living space with an electromagnetic field resonating with harmony and symbiosis…the exact opposite of the vibrations we experience in social media hell.

Where social media is all often about everybody expressing their “opinions” in short, reactionary, oftentimes offensive ways, an indoor ecosystem is about experiencing the peace and harmony of who you really are. 

Where the internet is all about bringing out and feeding the darker aspects of our psyche, the ecosystem is about bringing forth and nourishing our better, brighter, Higher Self…the part of us which longs for the end of all suffering for all creatures…for calm, wellness, peace, harmony, joy and happiness.

These are the “killer apps” of an indoor rainforest ecosystem from PeapodLife.  

Image by Peapodlife: Indoor Ecoystem at Fitch Street Retirement Centre, Welland

So our answer to Life after Digital? Live the PeapodLife.

You don’t have to go live in a swamp like Yoda to surround yourself with the life-force of nature. Bring balance to the forces at work in your life. Immerse yourself in lush beautiful nature. It sure beats living on another kind of world…

Image: Death Star

Source: http://starwars.wikia.com/wiki/Death_Star

Affordable Retirement Residence’s Rainforest EcoSystem Bursts into Life Improving Life for Retirement Lifestyle Residents is a Great Source Joy for Us

YouTube Video: PeapodLife Living Wall EcoSystem Fitch Street  

This recently completed Living Wall Rainforest EcoSystem was installed at 235 Fitch Street in Welland, Ontario. 

Like most PeapodLife EcoSystems, it features orchids, moss, bromeliads, African violets, cacti, aquatic plants, fish & more. 

Like all PeapodLife EcoSystems, there is no soil, chemical additives or fertilizers of any kind. 

Published on Jun 30, 2014 by PeapodLife

“You know, I suffer from depression. It’s my morning ritual to come down here and spend 20 minutes next to the living wall ecosystem. It just makes my day.”
~ Fitch Street Resident

It’s when we hear feedback like the above from a resident of Fitch Street Affordable Retirement Lifestyle Community in Welland, Ontario that we are truly humbled by the power of nature to heal mind, body and spirit.

Throughout the entire ecosystem installation process (which we documented in previous blog articles), the number compliments and thoughtful conversations we enjoyed from contractors, employees, residents and visitors was a real joy for us.

Image by PeapodLife: Completed Ecosystem at Fitch St. Retirement Residence 

It was a joy, too, to start putting the finishing touches on the ecosystem itself, including more moss, orchids, aquatic plants (surface and submerged), and fish.

Only one orchid was blooming when the above photo was taken, but as they settle into their new home and literally put down their roots, more will begin to bloom as well.

Image by PeapodLife: Bromeliads growing in Fitch St. EcoSystem

As vibrant and colourful as the bromeliads appear in the ecosystem at this early stage of its life, they, too, will only get better as they acclimatize themselves to their new environment and begin establishing symbiotic relationships with the other flora and fauna of the ecosystem.

Image by PeapodLife: Aquatic Plants & Fish in Fitch St. Ecosystem

Difficult to photograph, the fish seem quite content in their new habitat, swimming and schooling the full length of the large tank which not only serves as their home, but also a catch-all for the water dripping down the living wall and off the leaves of the plants—an important design & safety feature.

The benefits of this design? Cleanliness. There’s nothing worse than encountering so-called living walls that do not account for the tendency of water to drip. If those walls are made with soil, the resulting mess on the floor can be unsightly and slippery.

PeapodLife EcoSystems use no soil, and our designs keep the water where it belongs—in the ecosystem—to be enjoyed by beings who actually appreciate it: plants, moss and fish.

Image by PeapodLife: Fitch Street Affordable Retirement Residence EcoSystem

As a result, occupants and visitors of the Fitch Street Low-Cost 50+ Lifestyle Housing Complex can get up close and personal with their ecosystem in the main lobby without any fear of slips and falls. And get up-close and personal they do. Who wouldn’t want to?

Pictures and videos simply do not do our ecosystems justice. Like anything in nature, there’s no substitute for being there, experiencing its magic in person. We are happy to be able to bring a little magic into the lives of older individuals in such a simple yet meaningful way.

“Making someone’s day?” It makes it all worthwhile...all the time, effort and care we put into our Rainforest EcoSystems; all the special ways in which our Living Wall EcoSystems bring sustainable beauty and enduring vibrations of positivity to people and places.

Living Wall EcoSystem COMES ALIVE! What Progress Indeed Fitch Street Retirement Residence gets a Colourful Burst of Fresh Air

HD Video by PeapodLife: EcoSystem-in-Progress features Active Rainforest Cycle, Seeded Moss, Bromeliads, Ferns, Grasses.

PeapodLife Rainforest Living Wall EcoSystem "Under Construction" at Fitch Street Affordable Retirement Residence in Welland, Ontario.
Video features active Rainforest Cycle (automated spray misters); moss (seeded); bromeliads, ferns, grasses.
Still to come: Orchids, aquatic plants, fish and more.
Published on Jun 17, 2014 by PeapodLife

“I suffer from depression. My new morning ritual is going to be to come down and sit right here for a little a while. My God it’s so beautiful. It just makes me happy.”

~ Fitch Street Retirement Home Resident

The above video really does speak volumes (watching it on our YouTube Channel in HD is best).

As a part of our continuing series showing the evolution and organic growth of a PeapodLife Rainforest EcoSystem, today we offer video evidence of the dramatic improvement an EcoSystem makes to any space.

In addition, we offer more “in-progress” photographs which will serve as a kind “before and after” pics for the purposes of today’s article.

Image by PeapodLife: “BEFORE” Fitch St. EcoSystem Mechanicals & Foundation Installed.

Image by PeapodLife: “AFTER” Fitch St. EcoSystem: Bromeliads, ferns, grasses planted; moss seeded.

As we mentioned in previous blog posts, the process of installing a high-order indoor rainforest ecosystem by PeapodLife takes time. It is a step-by-step organic process.

There is NO SOIL. NO CHEMICALS. NO FERTILIZERS. NO ADDITIVES OF ANY KIND.

When you’re dealing with nature ON HER TERMS, patience and organic growth are the order of the day. There are no shortcuts. There is no way to exploit the laws of nature and “get away with it.” Apologies to industrial agri-business, et al.

Still to come: orchids, aquatic plants, fish & more!

At PeapodLife, we let our Living Wall EcoSystems to the talking. No dying plants. No smell. Just the freshest, cleanest air; and a most beautiful, vibrant, colourful and energetic background.

On of the Fitch Street residents (who shall remain nameless) put it best when she came by with her little dog to admire our work. She said,

“I suffer from depression. My new morning ritual is going to be to come down and sit right here for a little a while. My God it’s so beautiful. It just makes me happy.”

Enough said.

EcoSystem Begins to Take Shape in 50-Plus Lifestyle Residence: Water Circulating; Lighting Functional

Image by PeapodLife: EcoSystem with Plant Pockets, Water & Lighting Installed

“Life requires thorough preparation - veneer isn't worth anything.”

~ George Washington Carver

Source: brainyquote.com: George Washington Carver Quote

A few weeks ago we told you that an ecosystem had gone into Birchwood Place, Fitch Street Affordable Residence for Seniors. In that blog, we listed three steps which needed to take place:

1. Final dust cleaning and building flush to expel most construction adhesives and other chemical construction pollution, including off-gassing materials.


2. Add water and get the Ecosystem running; allow water and system to settle.


3. Add plants, water plants and fish; again, in a gradual, organic process.

We were there on Thursday of this week to  execute Step Two of the process…

“Once ample time has been given to achieve safe levels, we will begin to add water and get the Ecosystem running.”

~ Source: PeapodLife: Ecosystem Installed in Affordable Seniors ResidenceWelland, Ontario Seniors will Benefit from the BEST

Except for some minor hiccups (there are always a few to be expected whenever one does an install, because there is simply no way to predict the unpredictable), everything went smoothly.

Tradespeople, Building Management, neighbours and certainly residents have all expressed a good deal of curiosity and anticipation. And, remarkably, so many of them simple “get it”—that is, they very quickly grasp the essence of what PeapodLife is doing and cannot wait to experience it.

They also seem to grasp that there is no “final product” per se, unlike other so-called “living walls” which look at their best just after their installed, after which they begin the process of decay. No amount of natural or chemical fertilizer can sustain life in their fundamentally unnatural configurations.

PeapodLife Living Wall EcoSystems, on the other hand, look good once their installed, but really start to grow, thrive, flourish and dazzle weeks and months later.  There is never a “finished product” because the ecosystem, with all its beauty and wonder, is constantly changing, growing, surprising us while renewing itself. 

Image by PeapodLife: Lush EcoSystem at former Club Monaco Head Office.

So in a very real sense, PeapodLife is truly Life, and everything else is just a veneer. Veneers wear out, chip, fade, and reveal their substance less nature. Life, on the other hand, grows, prospers, discovers, and reveals the fertility of Mother Nature herself.

Which would you like to see in a 50+ retirement residence? Stay tuned, the planting of life in Welland will soon be at hand.

Ecosystem Installed in Affordable Seniors Residence Welland, Ontario Seniors will Benefit from the BEST

Image by PeapodLife: Ecosystem mechanicals, base, and panels installed

at Birchwood Place, 235 Fitch Street, Welland Ontario 

(inset photo credit: Niagara Regional Housing).

“We know safe and affordable housing is an absolute necessity for having a healthy life.”

~ Maryellen MacLellan, NRH Housing Operations Manager

Source: wellandtribune.ca: The Tribune: Seniors housing coming to Fitch

Over the past few weeks, PeapodLife and its partners have been working on a rudimentary green wall ecosystem for Birchwood Place, Fitch Street Affordable Residence for Seniors.

PeapodLife has to wait for the final completion of the ecosystem, due to various factors which must be met:

1. The building has undergone final clean-up of dust, and airing out of the complex for construction adhesives and other chemical construction pollution, including contributing materials gassing-off.


2. Once ample time has been given to achieve safe levels, we will begin to add water and get the Ecosystem running.


3. Shortly thereafter we will add the plants, water plants and fish, as the water and system settle. Please note that this too is a gradual, organic process. Ecosystems are self-organizing and at their best when given a chance to find their own expression.

In synthesis, we need to give the ecosystem the best possible start and can’t rush this critical time. Like any natural being in its infancy, the ecosystem is at its most fragile and nowhere near its full potential in the beginning. It actually “grows up” and into its new environment, self-organizing and establishing its own optimum way of being.

Image by PeapodLife: What a PeapodLife Living Wall looks like when the ecosystem has had a chance to begin to establish itself.

Compare this to other so-called “living walls” which look great just after being installed, but then begin a slow—and sometimes quite rapid—decline into a soggy, rotting, mouldy mess. Many designers and architects have actually dropped the idea of working with these pretend living walls, and building owners who invested in large-scale installations now lament doing so, with tens of thousands of dollars being spent annually in plant replacement costs.

PeapodLife is committed to doing living walls the right way, as they were meant to be done: working in support of natural processes, not against them. The result? Vibrant, beautiful ecosystems which may cost a little more money up-front, but in the long term pay dividends to all who experience them.

Image: PeapodLife Ecosystem at Graduate Engineering Lab, University of Toronto.

And really, if an affordable housing complex for seniors in Welland can afford one, that speaks volumes: not only of PeapodLife’s willingness to work within the parameters set out by our clients, but also our commitment to making our BEST—Building EcoSystems & Technology—available to everyone on the economic and demographic spectrum. 

Niagara Regional Housing is accepting applications for the new non-smoking seniors (55+) apartment building at 235 Fitch Street (East Building), Welland, ON.

Is WiFi in Canadian National Parks the Future of Nature Appreciation or just a Digital Distraction?

Video: Parks Canada wants to install wireless internet access hotspots at up to 50 of its parks this year

Source: CBC NEWS The National, April 29, 2014 - Wi-Fi coming to Canadian parks

"My thoughts can be expressed quite simply. I think it is a disastrous, quite stupid, idiotic concept, and should be eliminated immediately."
~ Farley Mowat, author, environmentalist, activist, one of Canada's most widely read authors

"I think the idea of WiFi in the national parks is great…if you don't want to partake just don't bring your phone. It might even get people out to the parks who otherwise wouldn't go.... they'll probably hopefully get distracted by all that nature."
~ Kathy Daley, camping enthusiast from Winnipeg
Source: cbc.ca: CBC Radio The Current with Anna Maria Tremonti: WiFi in some of Canada's national parks gets a fuzzy reception from campers

It’s a fair question, is it not? Quite a divisive question in fact: one which seems to be causing quite the stir not just in certain circles, but among the general public. Is Wi-Fi in Canadian national parks the future of nature appreciation or just a digital distraction?

The point—that we are living in a digital age and that internet access might make national parks more palatable to a new generation of young, wired Canadians—on the surface has its merits. Why not entice young people away from their cloistered computer screens to experience the great outdoors?

The counterpoint was summarized well by Stephen Sharper, columnist for The Toronto Star and an associate professor of the School for The Environment at the University of Toronto in a panel discussion on CBC Radio’s The Current with Anna Maria Tremonti:

“Children who often suffer from ADHD, from suicidal tendencies, and depression often improve dramatically when exposed to nature. And it doesn’t have to be a wilderness experience, it can be a visitors’ centre at a national park. But it’s direct experience with nature, not mediated through computers or Wi-Fi technology…[which] is very salutary and very important for the psychology and physical wellbeing of our children. And anything that can enhance that and foster that, I think, is to be promoted.”
~ Stephen Sharper, School for The Environment at the University of Toronto
Source: CBC Radio’s The Current with Anna Maria Tremonti

Mr. Sharper made his comments in reference to the work on Natured Deficit Disorder or NDD, pioneered by Richard Louv and featured in his books Last Child in the Woods: Saving our Children from Nature Deficit Disorder and The Nature Principle: Human Restoration and the End of Nature-Deficit Disorder.

Image: PeapodLife “Must Reads”: Last Child in the Woods and The Nature Principle by Richard Louv.

Images Source: richardlouv.com: Books by Richard Louv

Richard Louv is not only a journalist and author of eight books about the connections between traditionally recognized human institutions of family and community with nature. He received the Audubon Medal in 2008 and the Cox Award in 2007. In his newest book, The Nature Principle, Louv offers readers:

“a new vision of the future, in which our lives are as immersed in nature as they are in technology. This future, available to all of us right now, offers better psychological, physical and spiritual health for people of every age.” 
Source: richardlouv.com: About Richard Louv

What does PeapodLife think about all this? It’s quite simple, really: nature represents the gateway to a whole other kind of “network,” one which the Internet can scarcely hold a candle to…an UNLIMITED SOURCE of KNOWLEDGE; an INFINITE WEALTH of BEAUTY, INSPIRATION, IMAGINATION and PEACE.

Our previous blog article, Nature’s Perfection Recorded Beautifully: Birds on The Wires is Music to Our Ears attempted to illustrate how nature has in the past inspired geniuses throughout time and in every area of human endeavour—and continues to  do so. “But for how long?” is the question we posed.

And we pose it again: how long will nature serve humanity as a gateway to “the cosmic web” if our last bastions of pure, unadulterated natural splendour become infected by the mechanical, technocratic paradigm?

What marvels of inspiration, what deep, world-changing insights will be lost to another level of Angry Birds or Candy Crush Saga?  What precious once-in-a-lifetime opportunities will be lost forever because the individuals “present” were more concerned about taking a selfie and posting it to Instagram than being truly present to witness the miracle of nature unfolding before them?

PeapodLife believes wholeheartedly in the work of Richard Louv and others, but we take it to a whole new level. It’s not enough to occasionally expose ourselves and our children to nature. We must learn to live in harmony and mutual symbiosis with nature again.

This means submerging ourselves into the energetic field which only ecosystems generate; surrounding ourselves in our daily lives with healing, calming, rejuvenating and inspiring energies. We know that by doing so, this question of Wi-Fi in national parks will simply go away. We won’t need it.

In fact, we may begin to find ourselves relying less on Wikipedia (and the like) and more on our own innate (but currently atrophied) abilities to access universal knowledge.

Image: There is no Wi-fi in the forest, but I promise you will find a better connection
Source: facebook.com: Echoes of the Heart Healing: Album:Mobile Uploads: Grateful for Higher Connections

It’s Quality of Life, NOT Quantity of Life: Downsize Your Upscale Lifestyle to a Life of Substance (with plenty of Style)

Image by PeapodLife: Your Quality of Life wants its Perspective Back.   
Mansion Images Source: mansionproject.blogspot.ca: The Mansion Project - Bridle Path, Toronto, Canada - Part 2

“Giving up a home we were so proud of, I was expecting more condolences for the death of my upper middle class lifestyle, but friends wondered if they could get rid of all the clutter that bogged them down too. I was feeling shame for sure... but little by little, after three garage sales and a few trips to Goodwill I realized that material goods are not my identity. Making a massive difference in the world and keeping my family intact, much higher calling.”
~ Julie Kantor
Source: huffingtonpost.com: Huffington Post: Home: Julie Kantor: 5 Things I've Learned From Downsizing Our Lives -- Part 1

We’re not the first to talk about downsizing your lifestyle, and we certainly won’t be the last. From The Huffington Post series by Julie Kantor to an article on Scaling down a retirement lifestyle by Sonya Stinson on Bankrate.com, many smarter and more eloquent individuals have expounded on the many virtues of downscaling your lifestyle.

And while Julie and her family moved into a rental apartment, we at PeapodLife don’t necessarily believe one has to take such drastic steps to achieve the same goal. On the contrary, we have what we believe to be a unique take on the whole downsizing your upscale lifestyle to a LIFE OF SUBSTANCE.

If you’re living in the Greater Toronto Area, chances are your upper-middle-class home is worth in excess of a million dollars, and likely several million. The real estate market is very hot in Toronto these days, and there may never be a better opportunity to “sell high.”

But let’s say you do sell? You still have to buy another home. How will it be different? Also, what will you do with the excess cash? Where will you invest it? So long as you’ve lived in your home a number of years there’s no capital gains, but there are important financial considerations to make.

What if you could live in a green dream home and build 9 more like it for others to live in? You could sell them, rent them, or let PeapodLife’s Property Management Partners manage them for you.

You’re still invested in Real Estate, but no longer tied to a single enormous house you don’t need. Instead, you’ve diversified your real estate investment and are helping lower- and middle-income families also live in healthy green dream homes with PeapodLife ecosystems.

So, let’s be practical and walk through PeapodLife’s process step-by-step complete with some numbers. To keep it simple, we’ll work with a net house value of $2.5 million (after all real estate commissions and fees and any mortgage balance outstanding on the property; this is a fair number in today’s Toronto market for an upper-middle-class home).

   •    House worth $2.5 million (cash on hand after sale)
   1.    Get pre-approved for 10 mortgages of roughly $1 million each ($10 million total).
   2.    PeapodLife’s Affiliated Realtors locate 10 “sub par” properties (fixer-uppers) with one in a desirable neighbourhood you wish to live. All 10 (or just 9) can be selected on the basis of being able to be turned into duplexes with legal 2nd Suite Basement Apartments (income properties). Conditional offers are made on the properties.
   3.    PeapodLife’s Affiliated Architectural Technologists Inspect Homes, plans changes, prices out improvements including cost of high-order rainforest ecosystems on all 10 properties. Each property, cost of home + green renovations including ecosystem comes to less than $1 million.
   4.    Close on homes; roughly $250K downpayment on each ($2.5 million total, or cash on hand after sale of upscale home).
   5.    PeapodLife Affiliated Performance-bonded Contractors do the renovations & PeapodLife installs ecosystems.
   •    You are now the proud owner of 10 sensibly designed Green Dream Homes, 9 of which are income properties, all of which feature the healthiest, most vibrant, beautiful and stress-free living environment imaginable: PeapodLife BEST HOMES…Building EcoSystems & Technology via Home Ownership for the Masses that’s Economical & Social.
   •    You can rent, sell, or gift to your children any of the 10 BEST HOMES…whatever you choose. But make no mistake: you’re the hero here: you’ve transformed 10 run-down old houses into 10 green dream duplexes, all with legal basement apartment dwellings unlike anything else in the GTA.

So long as you can carry the mortgages, you can wait for bidding wars to break out on any of the properties (which is not unheard of in today’s market). In the meantime, you can hand over the Property Management to PeapodLife’s Real Estate Partner and either earn an income (or at least carry the mortgage).

Or, if you want a real life of substance, you can price the homes fairly (which still gives you an R.O.I. of $125K per house, or 50% ROI) and give 18 families (9 x residences) access to affordable green dream homes, knowing you’ve helped rejuvenate aging buildings in Toronto, and progressed the Green Building Movement.

PeapodLife’s BEST HOMES: Green Dream Homes in 5 Easy Steps 

No matter how you look at it, it’s a win-win-win. No matter how you slice it, you’ve downsized into a life of REAL SUBSTANCE, with the healthiest, stress-free living space for you, and for 18 other families in your community.

Email us today to get started: info@peapodlife.com.