Henriette Weber

So, this morning I have been following the discussions about cop15 in every media I could. I feel slightly disappointed about the agreement, but I also think this is really early days and I think it’s a huge step to get the biggest economies to actually sign a deal, that, if not anything else, shows that they can work together on this. I thought it would be more ambitious, but a part of me thinks it’s a huge deal that we have the US as a part of a climate agreement at all, as well as china, brazil and india. I know it’s not enough – but in my opinion the commitment and the shift in mindchange is a huge deal, I am just hoping that this is what it’s needed to get the ball rolling.

I have a very good friend, John Grant, who is probably one of the most knowledgeable persons on this subject that I know, and he convinced me ages ago that the real change is not going to come from the politicians.

We need them as well, but the real change is going to come from the companies and from the people. We can change the market. We can become vegetarians or have 2-4 days of no meat at home. We can change supply because we are the demand. The thought has also crossed my mind that a weak agreement at cop15 is the best thing that can happen – because there’s a hope in me that’s certain that it might leave a part of the responsibly with the people, and people will feel more obliged to help out as well.

I saw a danish tv-documentary a while back where kids walked the streets of Copenhagen asking grown ups “why they had destroyed the planet”. Everybody felt super guilty and hurried on – and not one person looked into the camera. Nobody knew why. It’s just a part of the system. And I think it’s changing and escalating more and more – and it’s about time.

I often say in my talks and workshops that I firmly believe that within 2 -3 years it’s going to be really hard to be a company that is not “doing good”. I have a firm belief that the transparency in social media is going to enhance that as well. If you don’t do good, if you’re not responsible, if you don’t care about anything but the money, if you don’t connect, if you aren’t in the same room as your peers (in social media and IRL) you’re non-existant and your clients will find alternatives, or even better the alternatives will come to them via social media – the products will find them, and the “bad companies” won’t really be an option. I know it’s kind of idealistic, but I really think it’s where we are heading…

All in all, I am disappointed, but optimistic… I can see both pros and cons and I think it’s a huge deal that it’s finally, finally finally being taken seriously – also on a political plan. It’s not at all what I wanted, but I can see a good thing in spreading the responsibility and not just leaving it up to the politicians. And basically I am happy that we didn’t have to loose the maldives or the netherlands before it was taken totally  seriously, by the leaders of the world as well.

We have every reason to be disappointed – and we could have asked for more, but I am still confident that this is a huge step for mankind and I am happy and hopeful at the same time – the future looks brighter in my optic, and it’s about time…

Today it’s climate action, and even though that I – a couple of days ago gave my thoughts on the importance of everybody doing their share for the climate, I want to touch upon something similar yet different today. I want to talk about giving gifts that people give to other people  - which in my opinion is where the sky is the limit.

So this weekend I had to attend to a birthday party and a wedding, which was both awesome – But I am really one of those people who always orders her goods online, and then it’s very rarely that the stuff are actually coming in for the day I need them. So for this birthday party and this wedding I wanted to do something different. Spurred by the cry for help from Ethiopia (they have around 5 million people down there who is on the brinks of starvation) I decide to give both the happy couple and the happy birthday boy a giftcerficate to Kiva.org instead of some stupid book of some really unimportant stuff or some design stuff (which is all nice and dandy but I am pretty sure that both the couple and birthday boy has enough of that already). I mean we (I think I can say all of the western part of the world) has so much crap, stuff, things, memorabilia.

In these crisis times it’s really key that we build on this shared economy – and I really think that the majority of the gifts under my christmas tree this year is going to be gifts that people have to give to other people. It makes total sense to me that this is a cool way of everybody chipping in and making a difference…for themselves, for societies and for the world.

Oh and if you have any cool projects (preferably green) that you would like me to look at, and that can be turned into christmas gifts for my family – Im all ears.

ps. for my own “reallife startup” I will do christmas gift certificates for Coworkingboat Pan – perfect for the father who has everything

Today it’s blog action day, and this year, more important than ever, it’s about climate change.

It’s something I feel very passionate about, and someting that we know that we need to act upon now if the status quo of gaia needs to be maintained.

Also from my writings on Green Girls Global, I also figured out that you have to have a positive and creative outlook on this HUGE challenge otherwise it could really get you depressed.  With this attitude towards climate changes I was ready to go explore – and there’s so many awesome things out there happening in this area to make the world a better place for the future generations. On the other hand, I get increasingly upset when I see that some people don’t really care – and why should they – I mean we probably won’t live to see the worst of it, But our kids will, and their kids, and their kids.

So I can get really sad when I walk into a house where all the lightbulbs aren’t energy efficient, when people don’t believe in ecology, when they can’t see what all these hyped things are good for, and they put me and my kids in some sort of generational dictatorship, where we decide the outcome of the world for the kids, but we’re to caught up in social media, business, life or whatever to care.

Why should you chose to put solarpanels on your house ? because it’s important that we redesign our energy consumption. why should you eat ecological foods? because it’s healthier, it’s better for the animals, and the ecological farmers are doing so much to try and bind the CO2 in the ground. Why should you eat more vegetables ? because it makes you look like a rockstar and if you eat more vegetables you won’t eat as much meat – and our global meat production is the no 1. cause to the climate changes.

We all know by now that the best thing you can do to affect the climate changes in a positive direction is to become vegetarian. I think that in 3 -5 years you will be looked down upon if you don’t do your share to battle this. You won’t see computers or phones that are using more energy than they are giving – everything will be based on the natural unlimited resources we have – and it could be that I come across as such a hippie – but this is bloody important.

Why should you blog about climate changes, because others might support you and write their thoughts, They might comment and participate in the discussion somewhere, or cut back energy consumption in their house because they start monitoring their overall electricity level. You should do it because you have a voice, and that voice matters..

There’s so many reasons to be a part of this movement. There’s so many ways we can change this for the better. We have all the tools to make it happen. I believe in you. I believe in us. I really think we can pull this off.

As a part of Elmine Wijnia’s In full flow project Im rambling about my education – and what was and wasn’t useful to me. I also talk about the future of education and especially for my 5 year old daughter.

Stories on our kids’ education – Henriette from Elmine Wijnia on Vimeo.

also a different take on education coming from Euan Semple (also a part of Elmine’s in full flow project)

Stories on our kids’ education – Euan from Elmine Wijnia on Vimeo.

I just read Matt Balara’s very short blogpost on his impressions from SXSW (which I also attended and you guys probably know that by now – okay I’ll stop writing about SXSW soon).

Anyway what we should all take away from SXSW (even those of you out there just terribly annoyed that I keep mentioning SXSW) is that we need to do epic shit. Epic-whatever-field-your-in. And do things while you keep your integrity, don’t sell out -life’s too short.

reflections on Women in Tech for Ada Lovelace day:

oh and btw – for Ada Lovelace day – I also uploaded the newest version of “why every company should be a rock band”

And here’s a couple of ladies of tech that I think you should check out:

Laura Kiralfy
Line Young Peteri
Jennifer Wilhelm
Stephanie Booth
Patricia Furtado
Vero Pepperell
Francesca Birks
Molly Wright Steenson
Karen Mardahl
Elmine Wijnia
Twanna A. Hines
Nanna Thorhauge
Christiana Bolli-Freitas
Leila Boujnane
Luisa Carbonelli
Lilia Efimova
Karin Høgh
Dannie Jost
Beth Kanter
Gala darling
Trine-Maria Kristensen (in danish)
Flo’s Diner (in danish)
Gia Gia
Ulla-Maaria Engeström
Anne Mølleskov
Lisa Risager
Suw Charman-Anderson (the initiator of Ada Lovelace day)
Stéphanie K
Janetti Chon
Jasmina Tesanovic
Meghan Warby

is.. that you don’t.

You simply stop mentioning it as the IT industry. Because it’s not what it is anymore. The internet is not about IT.  IT is not about IT.

So women should do stuff they love and they normally do – online – and then you have them in IT.

Actually I am thinking that we should give it another word that “the big and bossy IT industry..”  maybe something more pink and filled with stilettos.

I don’t see myself in IT, maybe I am in Tech–

TA-DA! ( thought of the day)

Today it seems like we’re in the fight for something bigger than “just” the environment. Apparently it looks like we are the generation who is going to take on the biggest battle.

We have 4 global crisis’ going on in the world today:

1. the enviromental crisis

2. the food crisis

3. the oil crisis

4. the financial crisis

To me it might not be a coincidence that all these crisis’ are coming at the same time.

I think what the world needs now is “something” that can guide us through this all the way – and I don’t think that the leaders of every nation in the world is going to be capable of agreement.

In the danish newspaper information there has been a couple of articles lately describing the crisis in the overall global system.

One was called “the end of a supercyclus” and argues that the russian economist Nikolai Kondratiev, probably was right after all.

He argues that after 50-60 years of growth – the system needs to reinvent itself. So is there a new depression coming like in the 30s ? – could be….

On the other hand you have a more participatory environment ever ! – existing on the internet.

I am sure that we all are going to have a huge impact on this when everything comes to everything.

People that does something instead of just watching TV.

In my eyes the future looks bright – but exciting ! – and I think this is a test that all humans needs to get together and actually act upon as a whole.

I am not frightened but I think that 2008 is going to be a year of dramatic changes – in everybody’s lifes…

This blogpost has been crossposted at greengirlsglobal.com 

the title of this blogpost is my favorite quote these days – and that also goes for me – my blog is currently not my center – I am everywhere else. So things are changing around here. I am not that into blogging these days.On the personal level, it has been a mess for the last 2 months. However I can feel myself regaining my strength. And take of where I left. I just wanted y’all to know that I am still here – and I want you to have the best of christmas and new year =) 

Is there such a thing as an IT-underground ? – I think so ! – and I am gonna use the term more….

I love underground movements – especially the ones I am a part of =)

what do you think ?