Thank You Blake Mycoskie

Several months ago I was in the East Providence library with my son, Ian.  Ian was looking for another kid's series to devour, and I was looking for something to occupy myself while he did so.  Near the front desk, the librarians had kindly put out a display of books on starting your own business.  Absent mindedly glancing over the covers, one smiling face caught my eye.  It was the face of Blake Mycoskie, entrepreneur, philanthropist and "Chief Shoe Giver" at Tom's Shoes.  His book Start Something That Matters was to become the catalyst for Plant22.

Small business books fall, roughly, into two classes: the instruction manual and the inspirational guide.  Start Something That Matters leans toward the latter category.  While it does offer some helpful instruction, along with practical pointers, its main strength is that it inspires the reader to pursue his or her dreams through social entrepreneurship. 

Start Something That Matters offers a number of case studies of businesspeople who have become social entrepreneurs, describing how they have changed their own lives, and the lives of others, for the better. Reading through these small business biographies made me realize that I did not have to accept the status quo.  The only thing stopping me was, quite simply, me. 

This year my son entered first grade.  While this occasion was momentous on many levels, one practical result was that I suddenly had several hours every week to pursue my own projects.   Not being one to sit on my hands, I had already established a group called Permaculture Providence, through which I am teaching and demonstrating an agrarian philosophy that is personal, highly effective, and good for the environment.  This work is rewarding and important but is unlikely to ever generate much cash income.

What struck me most about Blake Mycoskie's book was the concept that a for-profit company could be a very cost-effective vehicle for social change. 

Having worked for a number of non-profit organizations over the years, I have often been bothered by the lack of entrepreneurship therein.  While focusing exclusively on providing a social service might seem like the best approach, the practical upshot is often either financial insecurity or a slavish, hypocritical, reliance on dubious funders.  Very few non-profits escape one or the other of these traps.  The more successful an organization becomes, the more time is spent fundraising.  The more time spent on fundraising, the more overhead the organization carries.  More overhead means that impact is blunted and programs become more carefully calculated to appeal to large donors and reliable funding sources.  Consider the many tons of glossy mailings sent out by "environmental" groups every year, or the questionable alliance between NPR and the estate of McDonalds burger billionaire Joan Kroc.  What would the Kroc Foundation say if NPR suddenly started doing aggressive exposés on the ill health and environmental destruction created by McDonalds?

To understand more about how a for-profit can be an instrument for change, one would be well advised to read Mycoskie's book.  Suffice it to say that small companies sometimes have more flexibility to enact change than small non-profits.  And working for positive change is a great way to engage and excite your customers.  Yes, as a company you will have to pay taxes, but one doesn't need to build board consensus to make big decisions, and one has more incentive to earn money for the cause that one supports.

Of course there is a place for non-profits.  Deciding on the right business model is very important, and the non-profit model is more appropriate for some causes.  But if you are considering starting something that matters, definitely check out Mycoskie's book.  For me it was a revelation.  Thanks Blake!

Climate by Deforestation

Climate change: it is a hot-button issue, and many people still believe that "there is no such thing as global warming."  What cannot be denied is that, in certain regions, deforestation has drastically affected climate.  Forests hold and release moisture much more efficiently than bare soil, pasture or farm land.  That fact is not debated.  When forests are cleared, local climates become drier.  This is beyond dispute, regardless of the larger-picture discussion about CO2 levels in the earth's atmosphere.  Please show this article to everyone, especially those who may be skeptical about the connections between forests and climate.

To demonstrate this fact, let us look at several examples: Brazil's São Paulo State, Madagascar, Ethiopia, and Haiti.  Each of these regions has been almost entirely deforested within the past 50 years.  And each has, separately, experienced the environmental, economic and human devastation of drastic climate change.

#1. São Paulo State, Brazil's Drought Crisis: Brazil is a relatively wealthy country -- the 7th richest country in the world by GDP in 2014.  This is a country that needs to invest that wealth back into replacing its disappearing rain forests, and they need to do it now.

This Google Earth aerial image shows that the coastline of the State of São Paulo, Brazil is now 1000 miles from the massive rainforests that, only fifty years ago, blanketed the entire country.  For perspective, that's the distance between Rhode Island and Florida. What is left is only small pockets of forest -- you have to zoom further in to see them -- not enough to create the conditions necessary for a "rainy season".  As a consequence, São Paulo State is now using up the last of its water reserves -- with no hope in sight.  The situation is dire and, unfortunately, might have been prevented with a sensible, national forestry policy.

Sadly, Brazil is still on a "spend now, pay later" binge, spending its resources rapidly without bothering to replenish them.  But for Sao Paulo (and surrounding states) "later" has become now, and the price is being paid in water or, rather, severe lack thereof.  (There is a reason they call them rain forests, you know.) 

So how do they solve this crisis?  The solution will take years, and the answer is massive reforestation.  Given the country's relative wealth, it is difficult to argue that charities should lead this effort.  Time to get to work, Brazil -- it's not just about global warming anymore, it's about your own water supply.  There is no excuse for high unemployment in a country with so much wealth and with so much planting to be done.  Reforestation must be a national project, and should be led by those who have made the most money selling Brazil's vast natural resources.  Click here to read more about this tragedy.

#2. Madagascar, Beating Back the Ocean: Madagascar is decidedly not a wealthy country.  Much of the deforestation that has occurred since 1950 has been due to the outside world's hunger for tropical hardwoods.  Like Haiti, slash and burn farming and charcoal production have also taken a huge toll on the country's once plentiful forests.  The result has been stronger storms, devastating erosion, and oppressive poverty.  Only recently have reforestation efforts begun to take hold in Madagascar.  Click here for more on the problems in Madagascar. 

Madagascar is also one of the countries where our partners are most active.  Click here for articles and videos showing our partners at work.

#3. Ethiopia, Embracing Reforestation: Ethiopia is a country in environmental crisis.  In the last four decades, Ethiopia has gone from 40% forest to only 2.7%.  The implied loss of wildlife diversity and economic resiliency is staggering, as are the human consequences.  Between 1983 and 1985, Ethiopia was synonymous with the word "famine" brought about, either directly or indirectly, by environmental changes from deforestation. 

Today, the government of Ethiopia, with the help of non-governmental organizations, is making strides to repair the damage.  This must be a long-term project but initial work is already beginning to pay off, in the form of jobs for reforestation workers and newly planted regions.  Click here to read about the government's stated commitment to a solution.  Click here to learn what our partners are doing to help.

#4. Haiti, A World-Famous Environmental Disaster: Haiti is renowned for its deforestation.  During the 20th century this country went from 60% forest to less than 2%.  As we all know, this island nation has paid dearly for these changes.  It has even been postulated that Haiti's 2010 earthquake may have been caused by deforestation (read more here).  There are so many lessons to be learned from this tragedy that one struggles to begin.  However, due to all of the attention received in recent years, programs are now being initiated to turn back the clock on the environmental damage.  Again, this solution will take years to implement but, with the help of donations and education, the Haitians are now beginning to learn how to replant their lost forests.

As a planet, we have huge challenges before us, and I am not naïve enough to believe that selling a few hats and stickers is going to repair it all.  Rather, Plant22 is part of a much larger movement.  What we represent is the understanding that things have to change now.  As UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon recently stated in his speech at the 2014 Climate Summit,  "Climate change is the defining issue of our age." 

We have a very limited window of time in which to reverse this terrible trend: perhaps 30 years at outside.  Therefore, it is crucial that we convince everyone that there is a direct link between forests and climate, at least regionally -- a fact that cannot be disputed.  And in order to make meaningful change, we must each commit some portion of our income, and time, to the effort.  I am pledging 50% of net profits from Plant22.com to the cause of reforestation in several very promising, deforested countries.  I am also committing many hours to publicizing these issues. 

Can you help, too?

Absolutely!  We must show everyone that, at the very least, regional climate stability is directly linked to healthy forests.  Please share this article with everyone you know, especially those who doubt the affects of deforestation on climate. 

Thank you!
-Karl
V.P. of Just About Everything at
Plant22.com

The Reset Button on Trees!

My son is awesome, let's get that straight, but he is not known for picking up his stuff.  Probably he gets that from me.

Lately we have had lots of discussions about responsibility for the *stuff* that we always seem to be stepping on.  We threaten a new ultimatum every week, but nothing seems to change.  There are still Legos all over the dining room floor.  The world could be coming to an end because of all his stuff and it probably wouldn't change his behavior.  It is a rare parent who doesn't have to deal with this issue.  The instinct to walk away from one's own mess appears to run very deep.  And we, as parents, often conveniently forget that we are not entirely innocent, ourselves.

By now, you know where this blog post is going.  How about let's not go there.

My big, metaphorical, point is that we have an opportunity to make things better by helping to clean up our own messes.  We have a large pool of ready labor, eager and willing to plant trees.  People in deforested countries know that they helped create the mess -- and they have a huge motivation to help clean it up.  All they require is some training and a liveable wage, and they can begin to improve their own lives, and our world's environment.  But the longer they have to scrape by on unlivable wages, the more trees they will harvest and the more the earth will suffer for it. 

We, as buyers of international forest products, need to accept our own responsibility for this mess.  People in these countries will help pick up the mess, but we, as responsible parties, must also contribute to the effort.

The good news is that the reforestation movement is catching on, and our planting partners are at the forefront of these efforts.  Millions of trees have already been planted and millions more are coming soon.

And that's where you, and Plant22, come in.  With this ready overseas workforce, we can, literally, hit the environmental reset button in countries like Haiti, Ethiopia and Madagascar.  The work is already well established.  And Plant22 has been contributing to the effort -- despite having no revenue stream whatsoever!  But now you can start to help us, and profits from your support will go directly to fund these vast reforestation efforts.

I am in the development stages with a number of products which you will soon see here.  Please keep in touch and, in the meantime, consider supporting The Eden Projects with a donation toward their reforestation efforts.

-Karl
V.P. of Earthling Solutions
Plant22.com

Progress, Setbacks, Solutions



When beginning any new endeavor, there is no way to foresee every challenge you will face.  What would be the fun in that?  My wife will be the first to tell you that my M.O. tends to be "act first, plan later".  Well, we planned a lot before I marched over to Providence City Hall to register Plant22.com.  We have so many great ideas we are practically bursting at the seams.

The registration process took all of 17 minutes (according to my parking meter).  The Second Deputy City Clerk, who filled out the form and notarized it, said "Good luck with your new business" and I felt pretty proud of myself on the way back home.  It is a good feeling to make progress and, although this is not the first company I have ever started, this part always feels like a milestone.

All told, becoming a business in the eyes of the law cost me $11.50, which made me think perhaps Rhode Island was a pretty friendly place to start a web-based venture -- despite what I had often experienced with other projects.  Granted, I still need to register with the state for tax purposes but, as I am not yet earning any income, I'm putting that off for another day.

Back at the home office, I was ready to pull the trigger and start developing our online presence.  There is still plenty to do with respect to web design, product development, etc. but I thought, perhaps, we might do a soft launch of the store, with a couple of nice products that Amazon.com sells.  They offer so many products that we had already identified dozens that I would be happy to put in our store.

One of the cool things about Amazon.com is that they offer an associate program by which you can list their products for sale in your own website, and get a commission on every one sold.  This would be an easy way to get the store rolling, we thought, and plant a few trees in the process.

Only after I had signed up for the store, plunked down my first monthly fee of $79.99, and began registering as an Amazon Associate did I realize that things were not quite as they seemed.  The first indication was that Rhode Island no longer appeared on the signup page in their "state" dropdown list.  I had registered as an associate seven or eight years ago with no trouble at all, so this was very peculiar.  I refreshed the page several times before deciding to do a little further research.  The result was a bit of a blow.  It turns out that Rhode Island residents can no longer become Amazon Associates, due to a sales tax battle between the state of Rhode Island and Amazon.com.  This is also true for Arkansas, Colorado, Maine, and Missouri.  This was once true for California and Illinois, as well, but their names are no longer mentioned on the Amazon Associates FAQ page.

Hm...

I was knocked on my backside for a few minutes.  This had been part of our business plan from the start.  My head spun.  Perhaps we could re-register the business in NH and partner with my mother?  Or could I get an office across the border in Massachusetts?  Should I abandon Amazon's web store entirely, and go with Ebay or Etsy or some other web store program.  In the end, I opted for none of the above.  At least not yet.  We'll have to see how this Rhode Island thing shakes out, but I am pretty well committed to our location, and want to support our local economy -- which means paying sales taxes.  As for website options, the automated, integrated fulfillment possibilities that Amazon offers are second to none.  So those parts of the plan would remain unchanged.

The great thing about setbacks is that they make you think fast and hard.  Not that we haven't been doing our share of that lately, but this setback made me think faster and harder than usual. 

It was not long before I recalled those wise words of Bill Mollison, guru of the permanent agriculture (Permaculture) movement.  He likes to say that "the problem is the solution."  This may not always be a true statement, but when you start to think of things this way, good ideas tend to pop into your head.  

So I sat and I thought, and I thought and I sat. 
Sometimes things come to me when I do that.

The first thing that occurred to me was that the Amazon Associate program was, at best, a small part of the big picture.  Although it might allow us to build a huge web store in record time, if the store was only earning 4% commissions on each item sold, we wouldn't be able to plant very many trees. 

We believe that visitors to our store will want a lot of bang for their buck.  It has always been our goal to plant a minimum of 22 trees for every product sold. That will require some substantial margins.  Creating a separate class of products for which the margins were considerably smaller had never quite sat quite right with me.  So it was time to ditch that idea.

As my thought process ramped up, I began to realize that I had already come up with some great ideas for products.  Some of them were more difficult than others to develop but perhaps the best way to start would be with one high-margin, simple, clever idea.  It is not yet time to reveal this idea but it's low impact, cost-effective, and fun.  And we think you'll love it!

Not only will it be fun, but it will also help us raise lots of money for reforestation!  Our most important product is, of course, donations to plant trees.  The whole plan is to raise money for reforestation in places like Haiti, Ethiopia, Madagascar, Vietnam, and elsewhere.  It is our belief that concerned people will be happy paying a little extra for fun, clever, American made products that support this kind of work.

So we are back to the design board.  We have to turn some of these ideas into products as soon as possible.  We won't be distracted by small-margin commissions.  Instead, we will focus even harder on those items that can raise the most money and plant the most trees.  Probably we were never meant to be in the Amazon Associate program.  Creating our own products will be infinitely more rewarding, as will supporting local artisans by selling their clever ideas.  Trees are our core focus, and this setback only serves to strengthen our resolve to plant millions.

Onward!

-Karl
Intergalactic Development Officer
Plant22.com

Connecting With The Eden Projects

Yesterday I spoke with The Eden Projects and am pleased to report that they have willingly agreed to provide me with images and their logo for use on our upcoming website!  This is a major advancement, and will help to give context to our customers, showing the important work that their dollars are accomplishing.

I had a great conversation with Rick, The Eden Project's Haiti coordinator, and he gave me an update on that particular project.  He reports that they have made contact with numerous hillside farmers, many of whom remember the forests that have disappeared and are willing to offer person-hours to help care for the forests that will be planted.  The farmers have offered large amounts of land to be converted back to trees.  This buy-in is essential to the success of these shoe-string projects.  Community involvement keeps costs to a bare minimum.  With involvement comes a sense of ownership.  And with ownership comes lasting change.

One way that The Eden Projects encourages participation in Haiti is by implementing a Permaculture-style "food forest" model on many of these Haitian farms.  The Eden Projects will plant understory and canopy trees that produce food, thus serving multiple purposes for the communities.  As a backyard gardener and a Permaculture enthusiast, I am pleased that they are using this model in Haiti.  The trees will provide both economic and environmental benefits to this challenged island nation and, because they offer easily recognized value, the forests should be well cared for.

We are extremely proud to be supporting this great organization.  Every ten cents they receive can, through their innovative network, plant one tree.  Our future customers, will be part of this movement.  It is our goal to provide value every step of the way.  It's not about getting rich, it is about bringing back the trees and the ethic of buying, healthy, heirloom American-made products.

The margins in retail are slim.  It is my responsibility to find a range of products that can, on average, produce a minimum of $2.20 cents of net profit.  To someone who has never run a store, this might sound easy. But after all of the expenses involved, sometimes one is fortunate to break even in a retail business.  But if The Eden Projects can work miracles planting trees, why should we be satisfied with narrow profits?  Ideally, we will donate much more to reforestation efforts.  We would love to donate $22 or even $44 per item sold.  So, behind the scenes, we are working on innovative ways of identifying (and creating) valuable, collectible, unique products that will be exciting enough to bring in much larger margins -- especially with the knowledge that our profits are going to such tremendously important projects.

Stay tuned!
Karl

Plant22.com
It's about the future

Graphic Design for Plant22.com -- by Carl (with a "C")

Carl and I met on Thursday and we talked about Plant22.com.  It is a fascinating and wonderful experience, creating a business entity.  The process from thought to conviction to action to thingness depends, primarily, on the number of people who believe in it.  Once critical mass is reached, the idea takes its place among other things and exists, both as a legal entity and as a quasi-object.  When an exciting new thing appears, people cluster to watch.  That's the phenomenon in the middle of which I find myself.

It is crucial for Plant22 to have the right feel, and much of this will be the result of a good design process.  He doesn't know it but, for a long time, I have been considering Carl as our lead designer.  He is a bright guy with cool ideas and a good ear for listening.  Although I knew all this, I had to carefully weigh the pros and cons of working with a friend on a project that means so much to me.  Friendship and work can be complicated.  It is important to get it right.  Mistakes in business can damage friendships.  I won't let that happen here.

So, part of me wanted to resist the urge to call him.  I knew Carl would be there for me, but sometimes it can be simpler to work with a stranger than with a friend.  My sister recommended several designers, and I contacted a couple of them.  I even went so far as to advertise on Craig's List to find someone completely random.  But every time I considered a stranger, I was haunted by the question: wouldn't it just be better to ask Carl?

The unequivocal answer turned out to be "yes".  And, having admitted this to myself, I pitched the project to him Thursday night.  Over our first pint of beer we skirted the issue and talked about family and friends.  He let me take my time.  Then, when I finally got to the point and said "so I need a graphic designer" he answered, without missing a beat, "I'll do whatever it takes to help you get this project off the ground."  I gave him the full plan and watched as he took in the details.  His questions, perspectives and comments were valuable and insightful.  His commitment to the mission of reforestation was clearly equal to mine.  And he understood that this was more than just another gig.  We left our meeting with a clear understanding and a plan of action.  This is precisely what I need: another person who understands.  He knows that this is a timely, and important, project, and he is willing to do whatever it takes to make it a tangible reality.

My sister, Cynthia Treen, has been my other cohort.  She is fabulous.  More about her later.  And I have started brainstorming with several other talented friends, including Chris Baldwin, an amazing illustrator and artist.  So many great folks are eager to pitch in.  In the end, this will be a cooperative effort, not just of merchants, artisans, forestry experts and planters, but also of the folks who commit themselves to purchasing better, and safer, products made by American artisans and workers.

The more I talk to people about this project, the more I realize how critical it is to build a great team.  We hope to bring everyone with us on this adventure.  We believe in forests, wildlife, clean air and clean water.  We also believe that the tools of our economy can be directed to make things better.  In a time of cynicism and outrage, this is about optimism and positive action.  It is about planning for a future in which we all want to live. 

We're all heading somewhere, one way or another.  We may as well go there thoughtfully -- and in style!  :)

Peace,
Karl

Starting A Business

We are starting a business.  It is called Plant22.com.  Right now it is only a name but we are building it.  We will have an average of 22 trees planted for every product purchased, and will help poor communities in the process.

For most of our lives, businesses have been perfecting the science of offshore sourcing and production in low-wage regions of the world.  In the process we, as consumers, have passively, often unknowingly, encouraged some pretty terrible stuff.  The result has been human and environmental catastrophes.  Now we know, but sometimes it almost seems to late to go back...

But what if we could turn this model on its head? 

What if there were a marketplace where the products were Americans made, and proceeds went to replant forests and jungles?  What if this store sold products we use every day, made responsibly, with safe materials and good business practices.  What if we could harness the power and efficiency of e-commerce to support artisans, artists and hard-working Americans while, at the same time, giving a "hand-up" to people for whom the recent past has been an unprecedented disaster?

Everyone would benefit:

• Customers would find quality, heirloom products, made to last for generations.
• American craftspeople would benefit from meaningful work and fair salaries
• Poorer countries would benefit from the regeneration of natural resources
• Communities would learn responsible forestry, investing sweat equity and building confidence.
• Everyone would feel good about working together to make a difference

Forests soak up carbon dioxide.  They cool the air and store the rain, refilling aquifers with purified water.   Where there are forests there are animals, fuel, building materials and plants for food and medicinal purposes.  A forest can become an eco-system in a very short time, and the people who planted the forest can become self-reliant again.

Right now it is a dream but, soon, it will be a reality.  Keep your eyes open for the soft-launch and crowd-funding campaign.

More news soon.

Plant22.com. 
It's believing in the future.