How to Generate a Green Idea

Whenever I am faced with a problem, I try and come up with an idea to overcome it. For the past year I have been thinking about one big problem in particular: our global environmental crisis. We are destroying our planet, over-consuming our limited resources and living unsustainably. Although we may not know exactly how, we do know that our behavior will have serious consequences for humanity.

There are so many facets to the environmental problem that sometimes it is hard to feel like you can really make a difference. It was true when man invented the wheel and it is still true today; that a seemingly small ideas and innovations can have a big impact. This is the way that I like to think about it: environmental challenges are a new opportunity to invent ways to do things more efficiently, cleaner, long-lasting, and independent.

The best place to start is with your favorite thing in the whole world. It could be an activity, a place, or even an object. Surely, whatever it is that you are thinking of will change and evolve as the demands to be sustainable spread across society. Most of the things we enjoy in life are tied to the planet and its resources. Now, imagine how that thing that you love so much will exist and even flourish in the sustainable future. What will be different about it? What will it look like? What are some things that could be improved about it so that it could be more sustainable? What has already been done to make it more sustainable?

Once I start asking these questions my mind really gets going. I like to sketch my concepts and take notes about the conclusions that I made. Don't worry if you don't come up with a mind-blowing idea right away, or if you find out that someone already thought of it. There is so much value in the process of idea generating itself.

Thanks for reading my blog and I hope that we can generate some cool green ideas together!