December 2nd, 2010 § § permalink
In Gotham city, the Bruce Wayne assumes his alter ego Batman to fight crime. Beeman is not a millionaire playboy, nor does he have a fancy ride like the Batmobile. Like Batman, he improves our society not with superpowers, but with human ingenuity and determination. While the name Axel “Beeman” Krause, may not inspire fear in the hearts of criminals, I am confident it will soon be known by anyone concerned about our ecosystem.
Mr. Krause has the less than glamorous task of teaching Biology at my highschool, New Westminster Secondary School. The beekeeping program he introduced began as a teaching aide, but has since grown into a movement.
Mr. Krause has the makings of a social entrepreneur. The fully functional beehives produce honey and beeswax, which are sold for profits. However, the merchandise is merely a means to promote a social mission. With the recent collapse of many bee colonies around the world, he recognized the opportunity to create a social enterprise. Honey bees are under threat from various mites and diseases as the use of pesticides and herbicides weaken their immunity. Beeman may not fight crime, but he is improving our world one colony at a time.
October 26th, 2010 § § permalink
In the wake of the recession, there has been an outcry for greater transparency in businesses. Volkswagen took transparency to a whole new level with their Phaeton assembly plant in Dresden, Germany. Dubbed the Transparent Factory, it has glass walls, resembling something from a futuristic fairy tale. VW facilitates daily guided tours for anyone who is interested in seeing one of the greenest manufacturing plants in the world. Even the way VW moves parts and supplies is green, using an electric tram transportation system.
If I could hop on a plane to Germany, this is one stop I definitely wouldn’t miss. It would be amazing to witness what VW is doing for sustainability. While their competitors are trying to cut costs and payback government bailout, the German automaker is focusing on sustainability.
Indubitably, riding on the forefront of the “Green Wave” is advantageous for VW’s image. I believe it is also vital for their survival. Traditional transports rely on diminishing supplies of oil. Furthermore, air pollution and congestion resulting from conventional transports cause inefficiencies in supply chains, increasing the production cost. Thus, going green is not only embracing a dream of happily-ever-after for mankind; it is financially viable as well.
