We have all heard the story about Jesus turning water into wine. There is another story about a village where just the opposite happened....
Every villager agreed to bring two skins of their very best wine, which would be poured into a big vat to symbolize the unity with which they fought and succeeded. One villager (every village has one) was the stingy sort and decided that he would put water in his skins, knowing the substitution would go unnoticed. He made sure that no one discovered his plot as the entire village stood in line, emptying their skins of wine into the vat.
Finally came the evening of the big shindig. As the villagers gathered with their mugs around the vat, the newly appointed leader gave a speech which inspired one and all. The feeling of comraderie was very strong. And after the speech the people cheered for the leader to be the first to fill his mug and the leader happily agreed.
When the leader placed his mug under the vat and let forth the flow of wine, he was surprised to find that his glass was filled with clear water. [Parable reported in the documentation for Red Ryder software].
Environomics
Environomics means that good environment is good business. While it is possible to exploit the natural world and reap short-term benefits, we are increasingly seeing the costly impact of short-sighted thinking upon our daily lives. The economic failure of nuclear power is dramatic. Recently, the continuing use of chloro-fluoro-carbons (CFC's) has created great controversy as a hole has been detected in the ozone layer over the Antarctic. At the very least, the chemical and refrigeration industries are being forced to re-tool. Some companies had an eye upon the horizon, an environmental awareness earlier. They adapted to this condition before committing their capital to what has now become obsolete equipment.
How does your enterprise relate with the environment upon which it impacts? What is your personal environmental impact? How do you translate your awareness of environmental conditions into your business dealings?