G-Sync - A New Kind of Manhattan Project for GRR

Usually by December, I am thoughtfully reflecting upon the good things we have accomplished over the last 12 months.

It is easy, though, to fall into a state of resigned melancholy when all the TV reports and magazine headlines are dedicated to the best categories of the year. We often forget that before one can become the best, the plan for success must be crafted step-by-step.

This weekend, a series of conversations with a common thread took place between two friends and myself. One friend is a newspaper, and maintaining that friendship involves a favorite Sunday activity of mine: I read The New York Times. Following quality time with both of my friends, I decided to scrap my already-in-progress editorial.

The change in topics began when my local friend commented that he felt Grand Rapids might have become a complacent place because of our frequent recognition as Greenest (insert category), and that by regularly collecting such awards, the process of repeated recognition might be causing us to rest or coast on our laurels.

As my friend and I talked, I expressed my ongoing concern over the type of Green message communicated locally where a coffee shop vendor at the Ford International Airport serves travelers jolts of caffeine in Styrofoam cups!

The conversation continued down an idealistic path with both of us wondering if we would ever have a system in place to help us decide what objects to buy or make available in our city based upon the ease of disposal of those items when they are no longer needed. Cue the fascinating article that recently appeared in the New York Times Magazine.

"Wasted Data," by Rob Walker, describes a world where information electronically collected by businesses at the point of purchase could be harnessed to help us address ways for disposal of the purchased material after it has served its purpose.

The focus of "Wasted Data" was on grad student Indhira Rojas' thesis outlining the possibilities of creating a "zero waste culture." In other words, can the things we buy be safely returned to another use rather than dumped into a landfill?

The piece was one of those eye-opening moments for me and I sighed while silently asking myself, "As a Green-focused city, why didn't we think of this?"

However, by looking at our city's Green accomplishments, I know more greatness is just around the corner. Grand Rapids is often praised for being the right size for incubating innovation and allowing it to flourish. Since we have been a test market for years, why couldn't we create new systems that encourage consumer behavior to understand and alter the negative impact of waste on our society?

We need to adopt the type of thinking that Rojas suggests in her thesis and create our own Manhattan Project for the "Greener Good" within our community. Then, we can aggressively partner with those folks who have the means to make change happen within our region.

Cooperation and innovation walk hand-in-hand in West Michigan.

Based upon the time I have spent working on various committees such as Green Grand Rapids and most recently, the Service Application Advisory Committee, I know that we are ready to begin working together on more projects that benefit the environment. Many people I have met along the way are citizens who possess the ability to make meaningful contributions, expanding big ideas with their input. And there are even more out there we have yet to meet.

A Greener Grand Rapids needs to be more than just a new vs. old campaign. It should be people working together to find the right synthesis of our best attributes in the pursuit of the common good. For the process to work, it must become a priority if we are to maintain our leadership in this area.

The next steps will be transformative for sure, but only if we are up to the task.

The Future Needs All of Us (to think about transformation.)



Tommy Allen, Lifestyle Editor


Email:  [email protected]
Twitter Feed: @TommyGSync


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Billboard Photo by James E. Westcott, public domain. Photo has been altered by Tommy Allen for editorial purposes.

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