Thanks for your idea on using jute fabrics in our product line. As the person responsible for leading fabric development for Nau I am always looking for new ideas to explore in the realm of sustainable textiles. Jute is indeed a very renewable fiber that can be made into a textile using fairly clean processes. We would happily consider a beautiful jute fabric, bring it on!

Great to hear from you. I’m very curious to learn more about Changents. From the beginning we’ve felt that we’re part of a much larger emerging community of people who are passionate about contributing to positive change, optimistic about the future, unafraid to take risks and creative in their thinking. From your description above it certainly sounds as though what you’re doing is further evidence of this emergent community in action. I’m inspired and look forward to seeing how Changents unfolds.

On our articles of incorporation, we were inspired by the thinking of Robert Hinkley, a retired corporate attorney who thought about “redesigning” versus “reforming” the corporation. You can Google him and learn more. I’d welcome a more in depth conversation so feel free to give me a call at out office in Portland.

Ian

First, the article about Nau in Fast Company rocks. The path you guys are blazing is inspiring social entrepreneurs like us. Thank you.

I am a former VP of PBS who left the fortress (and a nice paycheck) to start a social media venture launching in a few short weeks that does exactly what you mention — combines software and social networking to create change at viral speed.

Changents will be positioned as the online stomping ground for Gen X & Y’ers asking tough questions about society and demanding a platform for action. We’ll provide the tools and then get out of the way for our users to share their stories about cool, out-of-the-box thinking, young people around the world who are tackling social and environmental problems in their own unique ways — change agents. The coolest part though, is our signature feature, the Ripple. It’s essentially an application that dynamically tracks and graphically represents the trail of Internet-based actions taken by Changents members as those actions spread virally from person to person.

Anyway, I can’t agree more with you. We (Gen X/Y) are a fast-growing, tech savvy culture who want to make a difference on our own terms an in a manner that is fun, flexible and in line with our digitally connected lifestyle. Social networking is perfect platform for change, especially when it is driven with attitude, style and story. If we can leave the kumbaya, mothball, doom-and-gloom old school approach to change behind us (like you guys are doing at Nau), the possibilities are endless.

Question for you: We checked out your articles of corporation related to corporate social responsibility. Did you have a model to draw from?

- Deron Triff, Founder, Changents

We’d love to come to Canada, although that will happen a ways down the road.
As for David Miller, I know there was great promise when he was elected but given I’ve been gone from Toronto I’m not in touch with the current scene. On Ron, Zerofootprint and his new initaitive here’s what the press is saying:

abc Money: Toronto unveils social site for greens
http://www.abcmoney.co.uk/news/15200772178.htm

National Post: Toronto mayor tells UN summit about ‘Zerofootprint’ web
forum
http://www.canada.com/ottawacitizen/news/story.html?id=5abc1d74-bbf0-47d
1-8aa5-9ebeda765fd3

The Star: Miller asks world’s cities to join T.O.’s green scheme
http://www.thestar.com/News/article/214377

GigaOm: 5 reasons for the eco-tech boom
http://gigaom.com/2007/05/16/5-reasons-for-the-eco-tech-boom/

The Villager: Being more environmentally friendly just a click away
http://zerofootprint.net/to/http://www.insidetoronto.ca/to/villager/stor
y/3967536p-4580253c.html?loc=villager

CBC: New web tool helps Toronto map its eco-footprint
http://www.cbc.ca/technology/story/2007/05/15/tech-zerofootprinttoronto-
20070515.html

Forbes: Toronto Unveils Social Site for Greens
http://www.forbes.com/feeds/ap/2007/05/15/ap3724019.html

International Herald Tribune: Toronto mayor announces social-networking
site for green-thinking residents
http://www.iht.com/articles/ap/2007/05/15/america/NA-GEN-US-Climate-Summ
it-Toronto.php

TreeHugger:Toronto Mayor Miller and Zerofootprint Launch New Footprint
Simulator
http://www.treehugger.com/files/2007/05/zerofootprint_l.php

Computerworld: Online community using ‘collective intelligence’ to solve
global issues
http://www.computerworld.com/action/article.do?command=viewArticleBasic&
articleId=9019470

LifeHacker: Calculate and reduce your carbon emissions with
Zerofootprint
http://lifehacker.com/software/environment/calculate-and-reduce-your-car
bon-emissions-with-zerofootprint-and-yahoo-green-260514.php
The Star: Miller’s green plan ‘cool’

I think what you guys are doing is great. If you ever decide to come to Canada my wife would love to open stores for Nau (she’s a long-time retail veteran with Roots and Lucky Brand Jeans). As a Torontonian, it’s great to see others succeed on the world stage. Congrats. As for David Miller, his talk is more impressive than his walk. He is single handedly spending this city into bankruptcy. That wouldn’t be so bad if he was making Toronto a better place but sadly his four years as Mayor has been incredibly ineffectual. As for Ron Dembo, he seems incredibly bright and committed to a better Toronto. An interesting person in Toronto is Geoff Cape – http://www.evergreen.ca/rethinkspace/ – he founded Evergreen and is most of the way to raising $55 million to rehabilitate the old Don Valley Brickworks quarry, turning it into an family friendly environmental zone. Very Cool. Keep up the good work.