Very short summary of the findings in our climate change workshop. The full analysis including the 200some ideas and the 6 prototypes will be uploaded later. More on www.rethink-climatechange.eu
2. WORKSHOP SUMMARY RE:THINK THE CLIMATE CHANGE HOW DO WE PERCEIVE CLIMATE CHANGE ON A PERSONAL LEVEL? WHAT ARE THE ISSUES THAT CONCERN AND OCCUPY US? 22 PARTICIPANTS, 4 FACILITATORS, 1 MODERATOR, 8 HOURS GENERATED A TOTAL OF ~ 240 IDEAS, ~ 30 VISUALISATIONS CREATED 6 PROTOTYPES FOR PRODUCTS, SERVICES & ACTIONS DOCUMENTED IN 110 IMAGES, 4 HOURS OF VIDEO THIS COLLECTION SUMMARIZES THE INITIAL PREMISE, THE STARTING QUESTIONS, INSIGHTS AND QUESTIONS POSED.
3. WORKSHOP GOAL: ANALYZE PARTICIPANTS ACTIVITIES TO EXPLORE PERCEPTION OF CLIMATE CHANGE REAL PROVEN URGENT WHICH ISSUES DO WE ASSOCIATE WITH CLIMATE CHANGE? WHAT ARE THE (UN)KNOWN FACTS? HOW IS THE AWARENESS? TURNING KNOWLEDGE INTO ACTIVITY WHICH TOPICS DO WE CARE FOR? WHEN DOES KNOWLEDGE TURN INTO ACTION? WHAT RELATED ISSUES DO WE REALLY ACT ON? MOBILIZING STAKEHOLDERS WHO ARE THE (NON-)INTERESTED PEOPLE? WHAT MOVES PEOPLE ENOUGH TO MOBILIZE THEM? HOW AND WHEN DO WE (RE-)ACT? ARE WE REALLY ASKING THE RIGHT QUESTIONS?
4. WORKSHOP INSIGHTS WHAT DID WE LEARN FROM THIS WORKSHOP? WHICH ARE THE RELEVANT INSIGHTS FOR BUSINESSES? CLIMATE CHANGE IS A SCARY TOPIC – PROCRASTINATION EASES FEAR WE NEED TO CREATE NORMS AND LAWS TO SET FRAMEWORKS FOR SUSTAINABILITY ECONOMIC COSTS SHOULD INCLUDE COSTS OF EFFECTS ON THE CLIMATE TURN THE NEGATIVE EFFECTS INTO SOMETHING POSITIVE, REDEFINE THE ISSUES GIVE CUSTOMERS ABILITY TO HELP YOU, PEOPLE WILL REWARD YOUR GOOD EFFORTS WE NEED TO CHANGE THE WAY WE PRODUCE AND CONSUME WE NEED TO START PAYING THE COSTS NOW TO BE IN BUSINESS IN THE FUTURE STOP ENVISIONING THE APOCALYPSE, START GRASPING THE OPPORTUNITY RETHINK CLIMATE CHANGE BREAK OUT OF CONVENTIONAL THOUGHT AS ARTIFICIAL PERSONS, COMPANIES ARE NOT EXEMPT FROM MORALS
5. QUESTIONS ASKED 1 WHICH QUESTIONS CONCERN CUSTOMERS? WHAT ARE OUR PRODUCTS MADE OF? WHAT WASTE DO THEY LEAVE? IS ZERO WASTE ACHIEVABLE? HOW WILL CONSUMPTION CHANGE? CAN WE AFFORD A LOW-CARBON FUTURE? WHAT DOES OUR WEALTH LEAVE BEHIND? WHEN DOES WASTE BECOME A RESOURCE? ARE YOUR PRODUCTS MADE TO LAST OR MADE TO TRASH? WHY IS EVERYTHING ABOUT IMMEDIATE COST? DO WE PAY FOR OUR ACTIONS NOW? OR DO WE PAY FOR LATER? CAN WE REUSE CARBON OR PUT IT BACK? WHERE AND HOW SHOULD OUR FOOD BE GROWN? CAN WE ALL BE CONSUMERS? SHOULD PRODUCTION BE LEFT TO THE INDUSTRY ALONE? WHAT ECOSYSTEM BENEFITS ARE WE CASHING ON? PRODUCTION AND ECONOMY
6. QUESTIONS ASKED 2 WHICH QUESTIONS CONCERN CUSTOMERS? MOBILITY HOW WILL WE MOVE AROUND IN THE CITIES? ACROSS NATIONS? HAVING TROUBLE BREATHING? DO WE NEED SO MUCH TRAFFIC? WILL YOUR CITY DROWN? WHAT WOULD YOU DO IF IT DOES? WHERE ELSE COULD WE LIVE IF OUR REGION IS NOT HABITABLE? WILL YOU NEED TO FLEE THE CLIMATE? WHERE TO? WILL OUR MOBILITY CONTINUE KILLING US WITH EMISSIONS? WHY IS HALF THE COST OF RECYCLING IN TRANSPORT?
7. QUESTIONS ASKED 3 WHICH QUESTIONS CONCERN CUSTOMERS? HOW CAN WE REDUCE ENERGY BY CHANGING PROSUMPTION? HOW MUCH ENERGY DID GO INTO THE CREATION AND TRANSPORT OF MY PRODUCT? HOW CAN WE COMBINE ENERGY CREATION WITH MUNDANE TASKS? HOW CAN WE MAKE ENERGY SAVING MORE FUN? WHY CANT PRODUCTS AND ENVIRONMENTS BE SMARTER AND CONSERVE ENERGY THEMSELVES? ISNT ENERGY EFFICIENCY A WAY TO MAKE MORE MONEY? WILL WE PAY IN ENERGY AND EMISSIONS IN THE FUTURE? HOW MUCH IS THE COST OF SOLAR AND WIND IF WE ALL POOL IN? HOW FAST CAN WE CHANGE OUR ENERGY CONSUMPTION? ENERGY
8. END OF ANALYSIS NEXT SECTION: HERE, THE SUMMARY OF THE WORKSHOP ANALYSIS ENDS. THE NEXT SECTIONS SUMMARIZE THE STRUCTURE OF THE WORKSHOP, SOME MAIN IDEAS AND A FEW PROTOTYPES TO ILLUSTRATE THE INSIGHTS. A DETAILED ANALYSIS AND THOROUGH DOCUMENTATION IS AT WWW.RETHINK-CLIMATECHANGE.EU
9. WORKSHOP STEPS STEPS WE TOOK IN THE WORKSHOP STEP 1: RESEARCH STEP 2: DEFINITION STEP 3: IDEATION STEP 4: VISUALIZATION
10. RESEARCH CONSISTED OF PARTICIPANTS PREPARING SOME EMPATHY EXERCISES: CREATING A POSTCARD, A SCRAPBOOK PAGE AND A MEDIA DIARY. STEP 1: RESEARCH PARTICIPANTS ALSO RECEIVED FACT SHEETS AND GENERAL KNOWLEDGE ON VARIOUS TOPIC AREAS AS FEW OF THEM WERE EXPERTS ON CLIMATE CHANGE. THIS PREPARATION WAS COMBINED WITH ART AND MEDIA FOR INSPIRATION, PARTICIPANTS DISCUSSED THE MATERIAL TO EXPLORE THEIR VIEWS OF THE TOPIC. RESEARCH OUTCOME WAS ANALYZED AFTER THE WORKSHOP. INSPIRATION KNOWLEDGE INSIGHT EMPATHY ANALYSIS
11. FEELING WHEN DID WE START ASSOCIATING NATURE WITH CLIMATE PROBLEMS? EMPATHY PARTICIPANTS FELT THAT DEALING WITH CLIMATE CHANGE CREATES NEGATIVE EMOTIONS AND THAT IMAGES WHICH SHOULD BE ASSOCIATED WITH CALM AND BEAUTY ARE SLOWLY EVOKING ANXIOUSNESS. AT THE SAME TIME, THE LONG-TERM PERSPECTIVE OF EFFECTS WAS CAUSE FOR PROCRASTINATION. THE MEDIA COVERAGE OF THE TOPIC DOES NOT INSPIRE ACTION. EVEN ACTIVISM AND CAMPAIGNS LEFT PEOPLE WONDERING HOW OR IF TO TAKE ACTION. FEELINGS ASSOCIATED WITH „GREEN“ PRODUCTS ARE „GOOD“ AND „EXPENSIVE“. SUSTAINABILITY IS VIEWED AS A LUXURY MANY MAY NOT BE ABLE TO AFFORD (SHORTTERM)
12. REASONING WHY DO WE SEE TECHNOLOGY AS BOTH CAUSE AND SALVATION? KNOWLEDGE PARTICIPANTS BELIEVE TO KNOW MANY FACTS ABOUT CLIMATE CHANGE. HOWEVER, THE FACTS THEMSELVES SEEM TO BE OPEN FOR INTERPRETATION AND DEBATE. WHEN DEALING WITH FACTS, THE ISSUES TEND TO BECOME IMPERSONAL, WITH „BAD THINGS“ ONLY HAPPENING TO OTHERS. THE REAL EFFECTS OF CLIMATE CHANGE SEEM VERY FAR AWAY BOTH IN TIME AND SPACE. PARTICIPANTS THINK THAT WE DO HAVE THE TECHNOLOGY AND MEANS AVAILABLE TO SOLVE THE SITUATION, BUT THE CURRENT CRISIS IS CAUSED BY UNWILLINGNESS TO SEE BEYOND SHORT-TERM COSTS AND LACK OF POLITICAL WILL. FACTS ARE CHANGING AS WE SPEAK, YET ARE SUPRESSED AT THE SAME TIME. TOPIC HAS NO PRIORITY.
13. DREAMING WHAT IS OUR VISION OF A BETTER WORLD AND HOW DOES IT RELATE TO THE CLIMATE? INSPIRATION LOOKING AT ART INVOLVING AND RELATING TO THE TOPIC, PARTICIPANTS WERE INSPIRED TO CREATE BETTER PRODUCTS, SERVICES, PROCESSES AND POLICIES. MANY EFFECTS OF CLIMATE CHANGE ARE NOT CAUSE FOR CONCERN FOR EUROPEANS AND NORTHAMERICANS IN SHORT-TERM. MILD WINTERS DO NOT INSPIRE FEAR. ARE WE CREATING HELL OR HEAVEN ON EARTH? WE SHOULD TAKE CARE TO CREATE A WORLD THAT WE ACTUALLY WANT TO LIVE IN. IF NOT FOR US, THEN FOR OUR FUTURE CHILDREN.
15. PROBLEM AREAS IS CLIMATE CHANGE TOO BIG OF A TOPIC TO EFFECTIVELY DEAL WITH? ISSUES FIRST ISSUES EVERY PARTICIPANT ASSOCIATES WITH CLIMATE CHANGE ARE ENERGY, MOBILITY, PRODUCTION, CONSUMPTION, WASTE, WATER, AIR, POLICIES AND FORESTS. FEW OF THESE ISSUES ARE ACTUALLY PART OF DAILY ROUTINE AND CONCERNS. ENVIRONMENTAL DAMAGE AND CHANGE IN CLIMATE ARE NOT PART OF BASIC NEEDS – EVEN IF THEY RELATE TO DAILY TASKS SOMEHOW. HOW DO WE MAKE THE ISSUES PART OF LIFE WITHOUT INFORMATION OVERFLOW, GREENWASHING OR RESIGNATION?
16. FOCUSING ON THE PROBLEM WHAT PART OF OUR LIFE IS CONCERNED WITH CLIMATE CHANGE? THE PEN CLIMATE CHANGE IS AN ISSUE OF OUR SOCIETY, AS SUCH, IT CAN BECOME PART OF PERSONAL LIFE VIA POLICIES. BY USING THE PEN, WE CAN CREATE LEGAL AND POLITICAL FRAMEWORKS. CHANGE IS POSSIBLE WITH THE RIGHT INTERNATIONAL AND NATIONAL FRAMEWORKS. PARTICIPANTS ARE HOPING FOR COP15. RULE OF LAW REGULATIONS EXPLICIT CONSEQUENCES
17. FOCUSING ON THE EFFECT HOW MUCH WILL CLIMATE CHANGE COST US NOW? HOW MUCH IN THE FUTURE? THE PRICETAG THE PRICETAG ASSOCIATED WITH THE EFFECTS AND WITH THE SOLUTIONS ARE ALWAYS IN DISCUSSION. PARTICIPANTS FEEL THAT CREATING NORMS THAT FORCE CERTAIN COSTS FOR SPECIFIC BEHAVIOURS COULD ENABLE ACTION. BEING UNSUSTAINABLE COULD COST MORE SHORT TERM, AT THE SAME TIME, LONGTERM INVESTMENTS TO BECOME SUSTAINABLE SHOULD COST LESS. NORMS AND CONVENTIONS COST OF BEHAVIOUR POSSIBILITIES AND ENABLEMENT
18. FOCUSING ON THE MORALS CAN WE AFFORD NOT TO DO ANYTHING HUMANLY POSSIBLE? THE FLASHLIGHT THE FLASHLIGHT SHEDS LIGHT ON PERSONAL AND ORGANISATIONAL BEHAVIOUR, CREATING TRANSPARANCE ON SUSTAINABILTY ISSUES AND POINTING OUT INADEQUACIES. SOCIETY WILL USE ITS OWN MORAL VALUES TO JUDGE WHAT IS GOOD. ARTIFICIAL ENTITIES LIKE COMPANIES SHOULD NOT HAVE THE SAME PRIVACY PROTECTION AS REAL PERSONS. WHO IS CREATING THE DIRT? TRANSPARENCE AND FOCUS SHEDDING LIGHT ON BEHAVIOUR JUDGMENT BY VALUES OF SOCIETY
19. STEP 3:IDEATION SKIPPING THE SINGLE SECTIONS OF THIS STEP AND ONLY DISPLAYING A SELECTION OF IDEAS. IDEAS SELECTION IDEA CLUSTERS ANALYSIS
20. COLLECTIVE WASHING (LIKE IN THE OLDEN TIMES) GREEN ENERGY EVENTS (ONLY USING SUSTAINABLE PRODUCTS) ENERGY SAVED – OVERFLOW INTO BANK ACCOUNT SUSTAINABILITY BOOTCAMPS FOR BUSINESSES CLIMATE CARDGAME FOR KIDS EDUCATION SHARE TUBS TO SAVE WATER CARSHARING - SUBVENTION REGENERATIVE LIGHTSHOW AT NEW YEARS EVE INSTEAD OF FIREWORKS REGENERATIVE LICHTSHOW ZU SLYVESTER STATT FEUERWERK ENERGY GENERATING STAIRS CREATE ENERGY IN THE FITNESS STUDIO NO-IDLE-TIME RANKING FOR COMPUTERS IN A NETWORK – TURN THEM OFF ENERGY SAVED – ITUNES 4FREE GREEN CERTIFICATE FOR HOUSEHOLDS (HANGING OUTSIDE) CARPOOLLANES FOR ELECTRO-CARS PAY FOR PRODUCTS WITH SAVED ENERGY FILTER UND SOCIAL NETWORKING ACCORDING TO SUSTAINABILITY POINTS CLIMATE BADGE FOR CARSHARING GREEN POINTS. FREE GREEN CONCERT CARDS FOR GREEN PRODUCTS ENERGY CARDS FOR HOME (LIKE IN A HOTEL)
22. VISUALIZING IDEAS WHY DONT WE SIMPLY TRY OUT IDEAS FOR SUSTAINABILITY? PROTOTYPES 6 PROTOTYPES WERE CREATED, ONE OF THEM FOCUSED ON PRIVATE AND ORGANISATIONAL ENERGY USE: HOTELS HAVE ACCESS CARDS THAT ALSO REGULATE THE ENERGY CONSUMPTION OF APPLIANCES AND DEVICES. WHY DONT WE HAVE THAT EVERYWHERE? YOU TAKE YOUR ENERGY KEY WITH YOU AND EVERYTHING TURNS OFF. NO MORE STANDBY. THE TECHNOLOGY IS ALREADY THERE. ENERGY CARDS FOR HOME (LIKE IN A HOTEL) SAVED ENERGY RECORDED ON THE KEYCARD COULD BE USED AS ELECTRONIC CASH, GIVING USERS INCENTIVE TO ACTUALLY MAKE THE SWITCH. COMPANIES CAN USE KEYCARD DATA FOR MARKET RESEARCH PURPOSES AND CREATE NEW SERVICES. IN A HOUSEHOLD OF TWO, THIS WOULD MEAN AVERAGE SAVINGS OF 150€ / YEAR.
23. BITS AND BYTES WHAT GENERAL CONCEPTS ARE HIDDEN IN OUR PROTOTYPES? ASPECTS COMPANIES CAN WORK WITH EACH OTHER TO CREATE NEW KINDS OF SERVICES WHICH THEY COULDNT DELIVER ON THEIR OWN. TRANSPARANCY AT ALL COSTS – HOW IS IT MADE? WHERE DOES IT COME FROM? WHAT ARE YOU DOING TO IMPROVE ITS SUSTAINABILITY? HOW DO YOU MAKE A DIFFERENCE? WHAT CAN WE DO TO HELP? NEXT-GEN USERS DO NOT LIKE TO CONSUME ONLY, WE WANT TO CREATE AND SHAPE. WE ARE NOT HIPPIES! WE LOVE LOVE LOVE TECHNOLOGY. BUT MAKE IT LONGLASTING, MAKE IT SUSTAINABLE, MAKE IT COOL & BE NICE TO US AND WE WILL LOVE YOU FOR IT. MAKE THINGS FUN! WE KNOW THE FUTURE LOOKS BLEAK, BUT GET US TO INTERACT AND INVOLVE WITH THE TOPIC.
24. THE BIG PICTURE HOW DO IDEAS AND EFFORTS REGARDING CLIMATE CHANGE FIT TOGETHER? COMBINING ASPECTS PARTICIPANTS SHOWED THAT PEOPLE AND THEIR IDEAS DO NOT HAVE TO STAND ON THEIR OWN, WHILE DISPLAYING PROTOTYPES, A LIVELY DISCUSSION AROSE.
25. EXPECTATIONS WHAT DO WE WANT FROM BUSINESS AND FROM LAWMAKERS? DISCUSSION THERE ARE SO MANY GREAT IDEAS OUT THERE THAT WOULD BOTH CREATE SUSTAINABLE PRODUCTS AND SERVICES AND MAKE A LOT OF MONEY IN THE LONG RUN. WE EXPECT BUSINESSES TO MAKE SHORT TERM RISKS TO HAVE LONGTERM BENEFITS BOTH FOR THE BUSINESS ITSELF AND THE ENVIRONMENT. WE EXPECT ORGANISATIONS TO COOPERATE WITH EACH OTHER AND TO OPEN UP TO THEIR CUSTOMERS. WE WILL NOT ADMONISH YOU FOR BEING HONEST. MAKE CLIMATE CHANGE A TOPIC TO TAKE INTEREST IN, NOT SOMETHING TO PUSH TO ONES MIND BECAUSE ITS UNPLEASANT. IT IS VERY EASY TO HAVE GOOD IDEAS. EVEN A GROUP OF NON-EXPERTS CAN COME UP WITH GREAT STUFF IN ONLY A DAY. WHAT IS REALLY NEEDED IS THE DETERMINATION TO MAKE THOSE IDEAS WORK.