Hello!
Yes this newsletter is late, because I was moving house last Friday. Mission accomplished. But first, I got to say this, next time you hear anyone in the sustainability/responsible investment space proclaiming millenials are a different species and will save the world, please call them out. I am not sure what purpose this hype serves, except for marketeers launching new flashy reports and getting media attention. If you don't believe me, see this:
- "The same percentage of Millennials (25%) want to make a positive impact on their organization as Gen Xers (21%) and Baby Boomers (23%). " - Harvard Business Review
- "The data shows clearly that there are as many differences within millennials as there are between them and other age groups. They are not one single entity with clear differences that shaped solely by age." - Campaign
- "Maybe many of the characteristics we like ascribing to millennials aren’t unique to this generation. Maybe they’re specific to young people of any generation" - BBC
- "Even though millennials are known to be the most environmentally educated generation, they often do not take action on their extensive knowledge" - AdAge
Anyway, the attention on millenials obscures the fact that older generations own the vast amount of wealth in this world or control it. By focusing on millenials we are placing the responsibility for environmental and social matters in their hands, while insinuating that older generations can sit back and relax while they are the ones with decision power.
Back to moving house, it still amazes me the amount of stuff one can own, of which opinions differ between my girlfriend and myself about how much I actually need or what my girlfriend thinks we need. Sounds familiar? I am glad much can be recycled or re-used, but it is still sobering to see how much stuff I had to thrown away, e.g. what to do with old electric cables? Any tips are more than welcome. Many evening has been spent as well finding used furniture instead of buying new and if we bought new, it had to be sustainably produced and as durable as possible. It is still a struggle but let's keep this as our intention.
See you next month!
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What I've been reading:
Going beyond ESG greenwashing, it is a disaster waiting to happen. The changing landscape of social impact investing, and will impact investing avoid the challenges microfinance faced? Ten reasons not to measure impact and what to do instead. The rise of batteries in our lives. Will solar panels get a lot cheaper this year? Anthony Bourdain passed away, he had the power to speak the truth. What makes work meaningful or not? In some cities, ubering is cheaper than owning a car. Tesla's model 3 is a bestselling car in the US. Oops "Some scientists and ethicists are criticizing traditional conservation strategies, which they say focus on saving valued species while discounting the lives of less charismatic animals." Confused, because training makes runners more efficient but not cyclists. A lot of research on diets is just wrong, food studies don't contain the truth necessarily. Looking for a jacket? Refurbished clothing by North Face, these are cool initiatives. No more information age, this is the reputation age. Strength training makes you faster. Don't believe the Steven Pinker hype either, read this instead. Talking about mindfulness in dollars is a bit funny, but hey it works at SAP Germany. Goldman Sachs will track feel good companies.
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Recommended listening/looking:
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