"Processes in nature occur in cycles – they flow but always have a balance and purpose at the end of the day. In our modern world, it is important to live in a way that does not disrupt these cycles as disruption creates disharmony which taints nature’s already perfect system."
- Mamakan, 2011
During the financial crisis of 2008, it became evident that the consumer age we have
created is a model that needs rethinking. It's a system that is showing signs of wear, and
is in great need of innovative and revolutionary solutions.
I co-founded Qi Global to incite such change. We believe innovation happens when there is cross-pollination of knowledge, hence our approach involves reaching out to individuals and organisations from diverse industries. Ideas are the seeds, but we also need passion from the community, and resources from the corporate world to nurture a meaningful space that can allow these ideas to come to fruition.
By bridging people from these different backgrounds together, synergistic encounters are engineered, and innovative projects are formed as a result of our collective effort to be architects of a different future.
One of our current projects is the Rainforest Cuisine brand. Encroachment from palm oil
plantations is rapidly transforming Borneo’s rainforest, possibly the world’s most
magnificent example of biodiversity. With Cathy Henkel, the director behind “The Rise
of the Eco-Warriors”, and Andre Chiang, one of Singapore’s top chefs, we started an
initiative that tackles deforestation in a novel way. The destruction of rainforests stems
from the fact that the new forms it takes – such as timber and fertile agricultural land –
are far more than profitable than its original state.
Our solution, hence, is to monetise the rainforest as it is by supplying haute cuisine
establishments with rare, original and natural rainforest ingredients. The sustainable, fairtrade supply chain we are developing will allow the rainforest to continue flourishing,
bring equitable returns to the local communities and, on a larger scale, generate interest in protecting our rainforests by showcasing its beauty and diversity to the rest of the world.
I am currently based in Singapore, and must admit that the nation has not been
developed with sustainability in mind. It's easier to not be green here – for instance, the
infrastructure makes it safer to drive cars than ride bicycles to get around, and it is
simpler to throw things out than recycle. However, whilst living sustainably can be a
hassle here, this has not deterred a marked climate of change from taking place. The
numbers of those who see value in social entrepreneurship and ethical consumption are growing exponentially amidst Singapore’s otherwise nonchalant community. Economic success drives this society at-large, but more are beginning to realise that money cannot be our only aspiration and that we need to start caring for our social and environmental fabrics as well.
There is a revolution occurring in Singapore, and Qi is jubilant to be part of this ongoing
effort to formulate a recipe for more meaningful, sustainable lives. Our role is to inspire,
incubate ideas and help make the impossible happen. Given that discomfiting brushes
with impending economic and environmental disasters are still fresh in humanity’s
collective memory, it is certainly time to review, re-assess and reinvent a system that has
failed not only us, but also our environment and the happiness of future generations.
About the book
Together with almost 60 designers, entrepreneurs and change-makers from Brazil, Argentina, Chile, New Zealand, Australia, Indonesia, Thailand, Vietnam, Cambodia, Singapore, Malaysia and Japan, they are sharing personal experiences, project examples and local culture to inspire and enable a more sustainable future.
Aart and Paula started the project in 2011 to get a better understanding of the fuzzy concept of sustainability and its role and importance for design. During 184 days, they were exploring a dozen countries to discover sustainable solutions in materials and design worldwide. During their journey they offered inspiring lectures and hands-on workshops to teach and learn about the local issues and practices of designers.
"The book is a MUST for everybody who considers herself or himself a designer of the future," commented Zuzanna Skalska, a recognized trend researcher who is one of the first readers. With this book Aart and Paula are bringing together the people, places and things they discovered during their travels to share their experiences. Personal contributions from the designers, entrepreneurs and change-makers they met are combined with local impressions and inspiring items discovered along their way.
With designers making skateboards out of bamboo, researchers improving packaging products, children doing green studies in the jungle and surprising ways of (re)using materials, this book is an encouraging sustainable snapshot of what is happening in the world today.
Proceeds from the book will go to Viva con Agua, a charity organization that supports people with clean drinking water worldwide.
Read more: https://www.dexigner.com/news/26295.