YouEnvisionWeListen

Innovative, International, Involving - Launch IP report

2010-04-19T09:33:00.000-07:00

Today was the official launch of the report from the Innovation Platform on how to get the Netherlands back in the top 5 of most competitive countries by the year 2020. You can download the report and guiding movie from their website (though everything is in Dutch, clearly they did not use all our suggestions...).

We are very curious what you think of the results, so please let us know here and leave a comment.

Also we are curious if you see anything that we as Enviu can or should take on in this context as a follow-up to the project we did (which was asking our network for input on this topic through social/ online media, and through a workshop session).

Maybe you like to continue the discussion online with other interested people from the network > we could open a separate LinkedIn group or we could set up another online chat discussion (with better technical infrastructure this time).
Or you have a project idea you'd like to work on in this context and could use the help of others > we could set up a workshop, see if we can arrange a project team, or see if we have the necessary expertise in our network.

Or maybe you have totally different idea! Well please let us know, and we can see what we can do together.
Leave a comment, or sent me an email: josine@enviu.org

For now, thanks for all your thoughts, ideas and discussions! Hope to see you soon online again, on this blog, our Facebook, LinkedIn, or Twitter!

Monday Innovation Platform launches 'NL 2020: back in the top 5'

2010-04-16T03:52:00.000-07:00

Coming Monday the Innovation Platform will present their answer to the question how the Netherlands in 2020 can be in the top 5 again of most competitive countries in the world. You all have contributed to this through commenting on our questions, sending in your ideas or particiapting in our brainstorm session on the 5th of March. We gathered your input and handed it over to the Innovation Platform. If you like to receive a copy of the final documents please send an email to Josine@enviu.org.

Curious what they did with our input? Join the launch this Monday 19th of April, in The Hague, Amsterdam, Eindhoven or Utrecht (see IP website).

Brainstorm results

2010-03-09T09:22:00.000-08:00

How to stimulate entrepreneurship

First of all, thank you for your patience yesterday and for your fruitful discussion you managed to have online in the live chat, despite all this! We definitely learned immensely and have seen the potential it has, so definitely look into the possibilities of developing this online discussion element further.

We are still finalising our final document for the Innovatieplatform of what came out of our brainstorm yesterday, but for those of you who are already interested, we have
- the minutes of the physical brainstorm (non-edited)
- the live cartoons made by Hans-Jan Rijbering (worthwile indeed!)
- the whole transcript of the online chat (non-edited)

Let us know if you would add anything! Just leave a comment...

Briefing and Programme Online Brainstorm

2010-03-08T06:54:00.000-08:00

Join online:
http://www.livestream.com/youenvisionwelisten

16.00hrs: - Introduction of agenda and explanation of goal of today - Short intro of participants: Who’s who? - Innovation platform presentation
Questions for online participants:
• Please introduce yourself with name, age, background/ job, nationality and where are you now?
• Is the objective of today clear? If you have any questions please let us know through the chat!

16.45hrs: - Plenary we will discuss and answer the following discussion:
1) For whom do we want to increase quality/value with a vision on competitive power?
2) What kind of value should the competitive power create?  e.g. economic value in € or social value or cultural value or what?
3) What kind of economy would we like to be while being a competitive economy/country?  e.g. What are basic principles of that future economy we find important...or see arising...no longer growth maximisation, but...
Online: Please join the discussion through the chat.

17.00hrs: - Gather and organise answers on homework/ preparation questions:
1. What are the current strong assets of the competitiveness of the Dutch economy?
2. What are the weak elements of the competitiveness of the Dutch economy?
3. From your expertise and focus what should be interesting areas for the Dutch economy to develop further?

Questions for online participants:
• Please send us your answers on the Qs above if you have not yet done that through the chat

- Select 3 topics: Think about why is this key for the Dutch competitiveness? Choose the 3 that you think are most relevant, important.
Online: We will have a Polldaddy.com ready where you can choose your theme as well. Please vote for maximum 3!
Together we come up with a top 3, to work on further for this brainstorm.

17.20hrs: - Brainstorm I: Split up in groups of 5 persons per theme. Dive deeper in your theme, what are the elements/ associations within this theme (mindmap), who are the stakeholders involved, answer the following questions:
1. What are the general trends and developments worldwide regarding this topic?
2. What elements are key/influential for this topic to enhance/increase the Dutch competitiveness?
3. What pitfalls/challenges, ‘bears’ can be identified preventing the competitiveness?
4. What opportunities ‘suns’ can be identified this topic will bring along?
5. What could be concrete targets for NL within this topic?

Online: As we now split up in groups it will be a bit more difficult to cover everything what is happening physically. Therefore we would like to ask you to also come up with answers to the questions above, which we can use as well. Please choose 1 of the 3 themes and make clear for which theme you are answering the questions. Besides, our moderator will go by the groups and see if they might have questions for you to answer and help them further.
18.05hrs: BREAK
18.15hrs: Energizer (just watch and laugh…)
18.20hrs: Brainstorm II: based on the input from the sessions before, the groups will select the main elements they want to go further with as basis for the vision of their theme.
Enrich ideas with different creative methods to develop vision further (e.g. visuals, personification, imagination 2020).
Online: Please try to develop your own ideas further within your chosen theme. You can use also online brainstorm methods, like browsing through Flickr and see what ideas you come up with through inspiration by random visuals or you can of course also browse the internet and see what is already out there in other countries.
Again our moderator will go by the groups and see if they might have questions for you to answer and help them further. 
18.35hrs: Vision finalization: Each group prepares a presentation about the gathered ideas and elements regarding their topic/subject and the main question: HOW can the Netherlands can increase its competitive power for 2010? Write out a vision statement with: - Where are we now? (main suns and bears) - Where do we want to go? (give a few concrete examples with:  - What are the main goals/ targets?  - Who is involved?) - Come up with good tagline/ inspiring sentence that summarizes your vision.
You can visualize it or write it out, whatever you like, you will have 10 min per group max. to present.
Online: Please work out your own vision statement and post it on our blog, or email: Josine@enviu.org. Again our moderator will go by the groups and see if they might have questions for you to answer and help them further.
19.00hrs: Presentations and feedback.
Online: Let us know what you think about the pitches and please give your feedback, comments or suggestions through the chat.
19.40hrs: Plenary wrap up and reflection: What stands out, what are overarching elements, etc.
Online: Let us know what you think and please give your feedback, comments or suggestions through the chat.
19.50hrs: Evaluation and closing
Online: We will have a separate more thorough evaluation about your online participation, later on through email, as we are very curious how this worked out for you and if you have any ideas on improvements.

Link to join brainstorm tonight ONLINE

2010-03-08T04:00:00.000-08:00

youenvisionwelisten on livestream.com. Broadcast Live Free

To join tonight's brainstorm online, use the following link: http://www.livestream.com/youenvisionwelisten

You can see what's going on in the brainstorm room in Rotterdam and join through a chat. Max, our moderator, will keep you up to date and follow the chat. At several moments in the programma we will specifically ask you for your input!

To guide you in the process, you can see the programme in this briefing document.

Feel welcome to join!
8 March
16.00 - 20.00 hrs

Join brainstorm ONLINE

2010-03-05T09:53:00.000-08:00

Coming Monday the 8th of March we organize a special brainstorm. We want to generate ideas that will help the Netherlands get in the top-5 of knowledge economies in 2020. The Innovation Platform will use these ideas in their ‘competition agenda’ that they will present to the Dutch government.

We would like to ask you to participate in this brainstorm online! Maybe you are not able to be with us but you do like to share your opinion and ideas online. You will be able to see and hear the other participants and share your thoughts with them. You just have to be online at the same time!

If you like to join, please let us know by sending an email to josine@enviu.org and we’ll send you the link where you can read, see and hear and of course JOIN this special session!

8 March
16.00 - 20.00 hrs
ONLINE

Question

2010-03-04T03:17:00.000-08:00

What could be the role for the Netherlands to come to a fully sustainable and ethical economy?
What are typical Dutch characteristics that could be exploited to contribute to this? And who would be involved, and in which ways?

Duurzame ideeen voor een competitieve economie

2010-03-04T01:35:00.001-08:00

Vanuit ons netwerk kwamen deze ideeen binnen met focus op een meer duurzame economie. Ter inspiratie! (Sorry in Dutch this time...)

- internaliseren externe effecten (zie CE rapport Grenzen aan groen)

- opbrengst fiscale vergroening (deels) gebruiken voor duurzame doorbraaktechnologie, zowel pilot als marktintroductie fase

- faciliteer groene ondernemers, zie de speerpunten van de Groene Zaak en hun businessprinciples.

- kijk breder dan energie & klimaat, elektrische voertuigen (fiets, brommer en auto's) bieden perspectief voor innovatieve nieuwkomers als Tendris en E-traction, zijn energieëffciënter, zijn goed voor luchtkwaliteit en veroorzaken minder geluidsoverlast, waardoor er ook minder afhankelijkheid van energie import uit het buitenland is. Bovendien zijn de accu's bruikbaar als opslag voor duurzame energie tijdens aanbod overschot.

- zet in op duurzaam bouwen (je huis als energiebron) en gebruik daarvoor bv overdrachtsbelasting en vergroen de hypotheekrenteaftrek en het huurstelsel.

Question of today

2010-03-02T06:00:00.000-08:00

What “New Economy” practices do you see happening world-wide? Please share with us one (or the best) example you know!

What practice(s) would you like to see implemented in the Netherlands?

Also check this earlier post about the Economy Transformers for inspiration!

Penta Energetica

2010-03-02T02:16:00.000-08:00

Tidal flow energy generation

2010-03-01T10:38:00.000-08:00

Through Facebook Jon Brown shared his idea on extensive tidal flow energy generation facilities:

"To start with it's important for the Netherlands to establish a reliable, independent energy supply:
It's lowland position, along with experience building the Delta Works and Zuiderzee Works, means it's in a perfect position to build extensive tidal flow energy generation facilities..." read the whole post

Lifelong learning

2010-03-01T09:32:00.000-08:00

One of latest members of the Enviu network, Bee Leng Lee, comes originally from Singapore and introduces to us her idea on Lifelong learning and how to create a positive and safe environment for senior students. Here is a piece of the document she sent us, to read the whole doc follow this link.

Why LLL?
People are the core infrastructure and resource of a country. The workforce in this case is extremely vital to sustain competitiveness. And people make up the workforce. So they need to be properly trained. To change something, we need to educate or make awareness of the changing world to the people.
While from the Lisbon treaty, the EU commission under Education and Training has implemented various Lifelong Learning Programmes (LLP) to enhance globalisation, much of the initiatives are based on student and staff exchange under the Erasmus, Comenius programmes. One purpose of this is to create opportunities for students and staff to expand their horizon to work/study in another country... Read the whole post

3 guidelines to foster innovation

2010-03-01T09:07:00.000-08:00

Inspired by a column of Pieter Hilhorst Carel Muller suggested that the 3 guidelines for "passionate budget cuts", might also apply to foster innovation: "de-regulate, small-scaliness and do-it-yourself".

So advise to the government would be:
- de-regulate: it would be cheaper and much nicer to change unnecessary juridical fights with mediation. Looking for a solution is then the main goal, not applying the rules (as the "paarse krokodil" advertisement).
-Small-scaliness: from the positive experience in health care we can learn that large-scale is not always cost efficient, nor "customer friendly" to the patients. Small-cale can be "klein maar fijn", and if it would be the norm in healtcare it could save 2,8 mld euros according to Kees Tamboer in the Parool 10th of Febr 2010.
- do-it-yourself: and finally, the way to save most, according to Pieter Hilhorst, is let amateurs take over the work of professionals, as much as possible, as banks did with home-banking.

What do you think? Could the need to cut expenses create opportunities for new policies/ ideas?
And what do you think about the 3 principles suggested?

A summary of your input so far

2010-03-01T05:55:00.000-08:00

THANK YOU, for all your input so far! We received ideas and answers through our Facebook, Twitter and LinkedIn accounts and several people even sent in complete articles and worked out ideas. But DON'T STOP yet, we have the time until the 12th of March to gather our thoughts, enrich them and create new ideas. So please keep sending them in and join the discussion!

We thought it would be nice to give you a short wrap up; what has been said about the Netherlands and the competitiveness of its knowledge economy?

We began by exploring what should be changed in NL, some thoughts were:
- Attitude of laziness/ Lack of ambition
- instead of striving for more and more income, striving for a higher quality of living
- Less complaints and more do'ers
- Feel responsable and connected to the rest of the world
- Focus on shared interests from people (who doesn't want a healthy planet?) instead of the current focus on the differences
- too much of unsystemized talks between government, developers and citizens
- open up more to international concepts, people, ideas.

When we asked about our greatest strength, our water management came up mostly:
- Water engineering
- Dutch Design
- Good infrastructure
- It's lowland position, along with experience building the Delta Works and Zuiderzee Works.

Then we started dreaming of 2020, NL would then be:
- still famous for our windmills and dykes. And we become known for the development and knowledge sharing on dealing with rising sea levels and (off shore) wind energy.
- the most Livable Delta in Western Europe and decision makers visiting from everywhere to see how this was achieved. They are especially interested in the holistic approach that provided the direction for this situation, in which sectors looked for their synergy instead of competing for attention, and funding.
- there is no more private transportation such as cars. In the future the Netherlands has already surpassed the "big brother" fear and works 100% interconnected, with a completely convenient transport system and where people are completely open to it.
- Four big cities competing eachother in the field of sustainability. In Utrecht all housing is CO2 neutral. Rotterdam has the most sustainable port in the world. In Amsterdam is the most elctric car friendly city on this globe and Den haag generates most of his energy decentralized. Let our pearls be inspriring examples for others!

And some of the first, concrete ideas that have been sent in are:
- Inspired by a column of Pieter Hilhorst; 3 guidelines to foster innovation: "de-regulate, small-scaliness and do-it-yourself" from Carel Muller.
- Life Long Learning and how to create a safe and positive environment for senior students by Bee from Singapore. And also Igor Kluin wrote before on our blog about this idea.
- Build extensive tidal flow energy generation facilities by Jon Brown
- Penta energetica: 5 principles that form a package of policy principles, that promote energy integration, resulting in a Neterlands with an “High Quality, Low Carbon society”, from Kees den Blanken.
- From Development Cooperation to Development Investment, by Third Chamber members (amongst who Marlon van Dijk)

If you would like to comment on one of the ideas, leave them below this post. And if you like to send in your own idea, please do: josine@enviu.org

Question for today

2010-02-25T03:00:00.000-08:00

Several responses on previous questions suggested to specialize in just a few sectors, such as water, even more than we do now. What do you think?

Should we focus on our traditional strenghts (water, greenery etc) or on developing new industries (nanotech, bio-economy, financial services, life sciences, etc)? Please explain your thoughts!

Did you know?

2010-02-24T09:00:00.000-08:00

What happens to the world if these trends continue?

And there is also an updated version Did you Know 4.0 (though I think less well made than the 1st one):

Jon Brown

2010-02-24T03:47:00.000-08:00

Sorry, I'm repeating a previous comment here but it's completely appropriate, actually more appropriate than last time I made it:

Assuming that commercialisation remains the primary incentive for manufacturing products around the world then the licensing of designs will become more important than a single company expanding its production andexporting its goods and this process will need to be facilitated in some way. Only the web offers a platform where this could possibly occur but even on the Internet the laws of a country define how well it can support different web activities, for instance the UK has gambling laws that make it better suited to supporting gambling websites than most countries, but the royalties system on music impedes the commercial viability of web radio there. If the Netherlands were to tune its laws and legislation appropriately (perhaps automatically honouring foreign patents as rights protection within the country) then it could become the international hub for trading in product licenses over the Internet, acting as a matchmaker and clearing house for ideas from around the world. Money would be made on commissions and fractional side royalties from the system in much the same way that stock market trading does. Indeed, the trade in ideas could naturally draw investment markets to the Netherlands, increasing that side of the economy.

Jon Brown

2010-02-24T03:44:00.000-08:00

To start with it's important for the Netherlands to establish a reliable, independent energy supply:

It's lowland position, along with experience building the Delta Works and Zuiderzee Works, means it's in a perfect position to build extensive tidal flow energy generation facilities. Rising tides will be used to inundate vast reservoirs, filling them via sluices through inlet turbines. When the tide recedes again the reservoirs would drain through through outlet turbines. To manage and store peak performance and cover times when tidal conditions require the turbines to be closed off, spare electricity generation capacity during the night will be used to pump water to additional reservoirs that stand above the high tide line - these can be drained to cover shortfalls in capacity at a higher energy yield than the tidal reservoirs due to the increased 'drop' on the water held in them. An extensive network of tidal energy generation of this nature would fit perfectly with the Netherlands' ongoing requirement to protect against high tides and storm surges from the North Sea, provide energy independence into the future and possibly create enough power to export throughout Europe.

If this technology was to be exported then cheap tidal power generation stations could be established around the world's coasts. This would make short hop 100% electrically powered ships economically viable, as they would only have to be able to reach the next station, where the lower cost electricity would be available to recharge their batteries. Who would make these high tech ships? The Netherlands, of course...

Even with electric cargo ships, it's clear that the future will be one where goods travel short distances from production to consumption, without a fuel as cheap as oil it's obvious that physical goods will not be carried halfway around the world. At the same time, people will travel such distances less as the cost of flights increases. This will create a situation where ideas are no longer transmitted around the world as rapidly as we have become used to. Luckily we already have the Internet, which is excellent for piping any form of data around the world, but rarely useful information. Even today, with telecommunications systems being better than ever, a common way that products and ideas move around the world is by businessmen and entrepreneurs seeing products in different countries, realising their potential in another market and then taking them there. Without today's levels of travel this process will be stifled.

Assuming that commercialisation remains the primary incentive for manufacturing products around the world then the licensing of designs will become more important than a single company expanding its production and exporting its goods and this process will need to be facilitated in some way. Only the web offers a platform where this could possibly occur but even on the Internet the laws of a country define how well it can support different web activities, for instance the UK has gambling laws that make it better suited to supporting gambling websites than most countries, but the royalties system on music impedes the commercial viability of web radio there. If the Netherlands were to tune its laws and legislation appropriately (perhaps automatically honouring foreign patents as rights protection within the country) then it could become the international hub for trading in product licenses over the Internet, acting as a matchmaker and clearing house for ideas from around the world. Money would be made on commissions and fractional side royalties from the system in much the same way that stock market trading does. Indeed, the trade in ideas could naturally draw investment markets to the Netherlands, increasing that side of the economy.

Question for today

2010-02-24T03:05:00.000-08:00

What can we do to stimulate international companies to settle or invest in the Netherlands?

Enviu - Innovators in sustainability

2010-02-24T02:35:00.001-08:00

And let's put effort in letting the pearls shine even more. This is just a start..

Daan Grooten

2010-02-24T02:33:00.000-08:00

Four big cities competing eachother on the field of sustainability. In Utrecht all housing is CO2 neutral. Rotterdam has the most sustainable port in the world. In Amsterdam is the most elctric car friendly city on this globe and Den haag generates most of his energy decentralized. Let our pearls be inspiring examples for others!

Miquel Ballester

2010-02-24T02:31:00.000-08:00

When I look to transports for instance. Is not there room for improvement? I see a future where there is no more private transportation such as cars. We have to work to make systems more convenient. Conveninence is a key factor! And it is not a matter of infrastructures per se. We have to wonder: Why is there people st...ill using cars? What small details make a car better than the current OV-system?
I see in the future, a Netherlands which has already surpassed the "big brother" fear and works 100% interconnected, with a completely convenient transport system and where people are completely open to it.

Michaela Hogenboom

2010-02-24T02:26:00.000-08:00

I would not be surprised if we are still famous for our windmills and dykes. With the increasing impacts of climate change, I can imagine that we become known for the development and knowledge sharing on dealing with rising sea levels and (off shore) wind energy.

Igor Kluin tells about first "vision-session" with the Innovation Platform

2010-02-23T05:45:00.000-08:00

On Friday the 12th of February, Igor Kluin, network member of Enviu and director of Qurrent, joined the first vision meeting organised by the Innovation Platform with 19 other young visionairs. Their assignment was to come up with the first ideas for a possible vision that can make the Netherlands more competitive. Here a short summary of his experience:

“I was very positive about the diversity of people that were present to think along.
I joined a sub-brainstorm group that came up with the idea of redesigning education in the NL: Life long learning. Educations should have shorter ‘run times’[1] and institutes should be interconnected much more. What you learn in the first 2 years is old information already in the last 2 years. If you can apply for courses in other institutes all the time and don’t stop learning after 4 yrs but keep learning all your life, this would improve the quality of knowledge and keep everybody up to date. Borders to diploma’s and titles fade and you are both teacher and student. You teach for example in the one course and are a student in the other: flexible and without boundaries.
The financial system in education should change as well. It should consist of a premium system like in healthcare insurance. You pay premiums your whole your life just like you consume education your whole life.
Essence: you learn continuously.
Take for example a pilot or a doctor. They take all sorts of courses during their studies and job to keep up to date with their knowlegde. They got to have a steady base but after their studies there are many things that change and they get extra training. This should be normal! We used the metaphor of stringing beads: you add beads throughout your entire life.

Inspirational Video of how the UK approaches this Question!

2010-02-23T04:25:00.000-08:00

This is what we are striving for...

Question for today

2010-02-23T02:59:00.000-08:00

In 2020 a reporter for a big international newspaper visits the Netherlands. What does he or she see? Where do people live, work, in what sectors, what do they want and how do they make their wishes come true?

Elmar Stroomer

2010-02-22T07:29:00.001-08:00

totally agree! We should increase facilities that stimulate and challenge the creative mind.. I am not talking about coffeeshops. I am talking about frablabs, playgrounds, good (technical) universities, open, solid and solidary society and government..

m4ximoe

2010-02-22T06:06:00.001-08:00

#youenvisionwelisten @nickygrunfeld that is quite provocative and asocial but considering our reality, well...

nickygrunfeld

2010-02-22T06:05:00.001-08:00

Irreverence #youenvisionwelisten

nickygrunfeld

2010-02-22T06:03:00.000-08:00

RT @Enviu: What is today’s greatest strenght of the Netherlands, which we should embrace and keep for a bright future? #youenvisionwelisten

Carolien Hoogland

2010-02-22T05:48:00.001-08:00

Water engineering & Dutch Design.

Enviu - Innovators in sustainability

2010-02-22T05:47:00.001-08:00

What is today’s greatest strenght of the Netherlands, which we should embrace and keep for a bright future?

Pieter Parmentier

2010-02-22T05:36:00.001-08:00

By far the best way to accelerate innovation in sustainability is to improve our networking. That is why I am working on a sustainability advanced network (SAN) in which people can find the expertise they are looking for. It will be a backbone to connect all networks and initiatives that focus on sustainability.enf@planet.nl

Enviu - Innovators in sustainability

2010-02-22T05:34:00.001-08:00

Borrow good ideas like there's no tomorrow. Progress may lie less in invention than in useful application.

Herman Jongejan

2010-02-22T05:33:00.002-08:00

No change ADD and ADD more that is a change and a chance

Thanks Denise to be connected

Maxim Asomov

2010-02-22T05:33:00.000-08:00

Main problem in implementation of sustainable development projects in the Netherlands is a too much of unsystemized talks between government, developers and citizens. Such a talks reducing econimical and environmental prosperity. Government and develpers stuck in salvation of risk problems- how to share them. Citizens and governement stuck in salvation what we want and how to achieve.

I would Introduce new bottop-up - top-down approach\framework of communication between government, developers and citizens. Where government and developers could agree on goals, define and quantify risks (which means risks could KNOWN) and could found solution to share risks or prevent them.
Government and citizens could agree on ambitions, ways to live and sustain (how far they would like to go.).As well as gov-t has to give a sufficient knowledge - what they are talking about...
... See More
If to make proper tool it could be easier to change=save the World

Denise van der Linden-morris

2010-02-22T05:31:00.000-08:00

I agree with Herman about feeling connected to the world. Focus on shared interests from people (who doesn't want a healthy planet?) instead of the current focus on the differences - especially religion related - between people around the world, so we can together come to creative ideas and create an exciting and sustainable world

Herman Jongejan

2010-02-22T05:28:00.000-08:00

Feel responsable and connected to the rest of the world as your neighbour

The Issues are Global and dont stop at any border they effect us all, in negative and possitive sence
The wind can blow from any direction but always comes from abrought

Marleen van der Werf

2010-02-22T05:27:00.000-08:00

Accountability as the new responsibility. Hence; transparency.

Enviu - Innovators in sustainability

2010-02-22T05:26:00.000-08:00

Think big even if being small: we can make a difference

Emile Voogt

2010-02-22T05:24:00.000-08:00

Positivity!

Ana Maria Palaghi

2010-02-22T05:21:00.002-08:00

Less complaints and more do'ers

Sikko Gerkema

2010-02-22T05:21:00.000-08:00

the lack of ambition

Michaela Hogenboom

2010-02-22T05:20:00.000-08:00

instead of striving for more and more income, striving for a higher quality of living

Enviu - Innovators in sustainability

2010-02-22T05:18:00.000-08:00

We are trying to figure out how YOU think the Netherlands can become one of the Top 5 Knowledge economies in the world.

Our question of today is:

What is that one thing you would like to change in the Dutch society?

Kayode Olowoofoyeku

2010-02-22T05:12:00.000-08:00

Focusing on power of intellectual capital that ignites value,rather than mineral resources.

Marleen van der Werf

2010-02-22T05:10:00.000-08:00

No longer at the cost of the world's poorest people.

Michaela Hogenboom

2010-02-22T05:05:00.000-08:00

by not putting the empasis on earning money, but on creating value

Enviu - Innovators in sustainability

2010-02-22T05:03:00.000-08:00

How will the Netherlands earn its money in 2020?

Egon De Bruin

2010-02-22T04:51:00.001-08:00

Hun fractieleider van Eerste Kamer heeft daar laatst hele spannende dingen over gezegd.

Egon De Bruin

2010-02-22T04:50:00.001-08:00

Watch the ChristenUnie in this closely

Enviu - Innovators in sustainability

2010-02-22T04:48:00.001-08:00

Also refer to the Beyond GDP project by the EU: http://www.beyond-gdp.eu/

(this may be what you were referring to as well?)
But yes, why not take the lead in this..

Enviu - Innovators in sustainability

2010-02-22T04:46:00.001-08:00

Thanks Egon for your thoughts! We will continue more indepth discussions on your ideas about specializing in water and a new economic measurement and try to take the ideas further!

Egon De Bruin

2010-02-22T04:45:00.000-08:00

Some thoughts:

* Specialize in only a few sectors.
* Transform economic measurements beyond GDP (like national balance scorecard for 'triple p' sustainable performance). If we will be a experimenting guiding country within the EU, everybody will look at us and would like to our expertise/knowledge
* Specialize in water, even more than we already do. Will be one of the major global issues in the coming decades.... See More
* Get more young people from abroad!
* Away with patent laws :- ) (just a wild idea, about 100 years ago we did without, and those were the days for Philips and Unilever to 'sprout')

Enviu - Innovators in sustainability

2010-02-22T04:23:00.000-08:00

And another set of thoughts: innovation is not about having knowledge but about using knowledge, and preferably in other ways that others. How to foster that (building on the previous thoughts)? By encouraging to make different links, e.g., by asking different questions. And connecting 'unusual suspects' And where better than in a traditionally ... See Moreopen, multi-cultural society. Let that work for the good.
Competitive knowledge economy may be about fostering the differences, to come up with new distinguishing solutions.

Enviu - Innovators in sustainability

2010-02-22T04:21:00.001-08:00

Yes, bulding RELEVANT knowledge bottom up: find out what it menas there and develop relevant directions for research and implementation from there. But also realise that to be useful for others at some point links with the broader context than just NL is important.

Sikko Gerkema

2010-02-22T04:20:00.001-08:00

yup I agree

Carolien Hoogland

2010-02-22T04:19:00.001-08:00

Here we are: back to the relations bit: build relationships with the people you want to involve, and empathise with what S means to them. So for instance to my mum, S means a stable income and connecting to her friends and the people around her... I won't bore her with "thou should not driveth" anymore...

Sikko Gerkema

2010-02-22T04:17:00.001-08:00

It should be something I can have a relation with...the more we talk about it the more boring it gets

Enviu - Innovators in sustainability

2010-02-22T04:04:00.000-08:00

Thanks Sikko but could be more specific, what exactly do you mean with it should be more like a brand?

Enviu - Innovators in sustainability

2010-02-22T03:05:00.001-08:00

What is today’s greatest strenght of the Netherlands which we should embrace and keep for our future?

Penta Energetica

2010-02-21T09:10:00.000-08:00

Energy policies so far do not deliver enough results. Trias Energetica policies – save energy, use sustainable energy, process fossils as efficient as possible – fail to deliver enough effect timely. Energy use increases, sustainable energies hardly manage to match that growth and efficiency increases are slow and little. Its open ended nature without a maximum and its solo technical nature are fundamental shortfalls of the Trias Energetica.

The Penta Energetica Principles can be applied to any region, but are best applied to urban area’s with sufficient size (more than 5-10 million inhabitants) and diversity of energy functions (industry, ports, transport, housing) as to facilitate energy integration best. Apply to such area the following steps:

1. Accept a long term sustainable CO2 per capita max., e.g. 4 ton CO2/capita per year

Then fulfil the current energy need with technologies realisable between now and 2020, by:

2. Use the maximum sustainable energy sources (wind, sun, geo, tidal, etc.);
3. Use fossils as efficient as possible for both old (gas, oil, coal) and new (biomass) fuels,
by best available conversion technology, CHP, DHDC, etc. until the CO2 cap is reached;
4. Save energy to stay under CO2 cap, both freely, with economic incentives and mandatory;
5. Innovate and redesign to a Low Carbon/High Quality life style and economy, under strong carbon restrictions. ICT, novel transports, adaptation of travel and life style elements will play important roles, next to improvements of energy use in industry and utilities.

These analysis, further information and presentations of Penta Energetica can be found here.

Inspiration of today

2010-02-19T07:25:00.000-08:00

We have decided that besides just asking you for input one our questions we want to provide you a daily inspiration. An article, a video, research report or link that we think might inspire you to come up with new ideas!

For the weekend, a tip from Carel Muller from our network (thanks for that), let's get inspired by top innovator or "the restless genius" Ray Kurzwei.

Interview on Youtube below, but just Google the guy, there is TED talk, he has been on "Wintergasten" and loads of other videos.

Curious what you think! Let us know and leave a comment....

Life Long Learning

2010-02-19T05:47:00.000-08:00

One of our latest members of the Enviu network, Bee Leng Lee, comes from Singapore and introduces to us her idea on Lifelong learning and how to create a positive and safe environment for senior students. Here is a piece of the document she sent us, to read the whole doc follow this link.

Why LLL?
People are the core infrastructure and resource of a country. The workforce in this case is extremely vital to sustain competitiveness. And people make up the workforce. So they need to be properly trained.
To change something, we need to educate or make awareness of the changing world to the people.
While from the Lisbon treaty, the EU commission under Education and Training has implemented various Lifelong Learning Programmes (LLP) to enhance globalisation, much of the initiatives are based on student and staff exchange under the Erasmus, Comenius programmes. One purpose of this is to create opportunities for students and staff to expand their horizon to work/study in another country.

What about the people currently in the workforce? Here, I am not talking about LLL for leisure learning like sewing, knitting, philosophy, psychology, etc. Though they are equally interesting. I am talking about a second degree or a first degree for those who missed the chance when they were younger.
There is a trend in the main-stream Dutch universities (I do not have imperial evidence here. It is merely based on personal observation), that it is a place for the young. While the LLL grant in the UK, for example, encourages even the greyed-hair to go back to universities for education, you seldom see older (40 and above) students returning to school for education.
Older people may feel intimidated and uncomfortable by the fact that he/she may be the only matured student among the group of youth in their early 20s.
There are a lot of advantages and also things to learn from the matured people. So it is actually a plus point for the youth. However there is no sure climate (matured student climate) created here.

Coming from Asia, one of the differences is that people in some Asian countries are constantly going back to universities for further education. On-line and distanced University programmes are very common. Most people have various diplomas and continually upgrade themselves. When the people grow, that makes the countries grow too.

In the UK, LLL has encouraged the people in the workforce to continue their education even at very senior age. It is so common to see them among the young students.

Advantages that LLL could bring are:
1.    Younger people can learn from the experience of older people
2.    Older people get new information of the current development and experience academic life again.
3.    Educating the current workforce opens up their the horizon. They will also have the opportunity to mix around with international students.
4.    Current workforce could updated their skills and become more aware of current development in the world.

This in hope can improve professionalism in the workforce and create better awareness of globalisation starting from the nuclei of the country, i.e. the people.

Suggestions
Initiative to launch a learning atmosphere for also the older population and make it safe and comfortable for them to return to education. Also to encourage them to upgrade themselves.

External links on the subject:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lifelong_learning
http://eur-lex.europa.eu/LexUriServ/site/en/com/2006/com2006_0614en01.pdf
http://www.ou.nl/eCache/DEF/18/832.html

And also Igor Kluin who was present at the first vision session of the Innovation Platform posted his idea about LLL.

The map of the future

2010-02-18T10:34:00.000-08:00

Through FFFFound.com stumbled on this map, designed by Density Design, based on the scenarios developed by the Institute for the Future in Palo Alto to show the net of ideas and hypothesis built by 7000 influencers from all over the world.

Hi-res version @ Flickr
Zoomable widget @ Closr.it

Here te part on ECONOMICS, maybe some inspiration!

Developed by Density Design

Question for today

2010-02-18T08:12:00.000-08:00

We are trying to figure out how YOU think the Netherlands can become one of the Top 5 Knowledge economies in the world. Our question of today is:

What is that one thing you would like to change in the Dutch society?

Please comment (click the link below)!

Greenbizstartup

2010-02-15T03:50:00.001-08:00

My vision for NL 2020: open, flexible and stochastic. And above all: fair and sustainable! #innovatieplatform by @igorkluin

johanledeboer Reetweet

2010-02-15T03:46:00.001-08:00

RT @liekelamb: Ook bij grote innovatieve bedrijven geldt; decision makers zijn niet de innovaters!! #innovatieplatform #penw

RichardLambLive Retweet

2010-02-15T03:45:00.000-08:00

RT @liekelamb: Ook bij grote innovatieve bedrijven geldt; decision makers zijn niet de innovaters!! #innovatieplatform #penw

liekelamb

2010-02-15T03:44:00.001-08:00

Ook bij grote innovatieve bedrijven geldt; decision makers zijn niet de innovaters!! #innovatieplatform #penw

KasbecK Retweet

2010-02-15T03:40:00.000-08:00

RT @igorkluin Oh, one last thing: we do away with countries. The concept is obsolete. Local meets global. #innovatieplatform

Tweets from the Weekend

2010-02-15T03:38:00.000-08:00

We're getting creative here dreaming of the Netherlands in 2020 #innovatieplatform http://yfrog.com/4aymjdj

Very very creative... #innovatieplatform http://yfrog.com/3nfj0j

My vision for NL 2020: open, flexible and stochastic. And above all: fair and sustainable! #innovatieplatform

Oh, one last thing: we do away with countries. The concept is obsolete. Local meets global. #innovatieplatform

Sikko Gerkema

2010-02-12T06:22:00.000-08:00

sustainable for me is just as dead as other words...its too long, its not simple, its doesn;t feel right

to make it work it shoudl be more as a brand
the problem with sustainable is that it van easily be abussed for the wrong commercial reasons...

igorkluin

2010-02-12T06:17:00.000-08:00

Igor Kluin is tweeting from a Brainstorm session of the InovatiePlatform on the competative advantages of the Netherlands.

Tweets:

First an analysis of NL economic data... Bad slides to be honest. #innovatieplatform http://yfrog.com/1d5oehj

Innovation IS the competative advantage if you ask me... #innovatieplatform about 2 hours ago from Tweetie

On my way to a brainstorm session about the Dutch economic competative advantage. #innovatieplatform about 2 hours ago from Tweetie

Carolien Hoogland

2010-02-12T04:47:00.000-08:00

Do away with with the should's and ought's... Start listening to what people . Help them find that truely fulfill these needs. Thus create sustainable development without even using the S-word... :P

Find the 15 minute Competitive Advantage

2010-02-12T04:37:00.000-08:00

The case for creating long term (durable) trends by taking baby steps: http://tinyurl.com/yl9hhxo (via @Enviu)

Michaela Hogenboom

2010-02-12T02:57:00.000-08:00

To add to that, I would suggest that education should become more demand-driven: people should be stimulated to think holistically (in systems) and are challenged to seek answers for the complex issues we’re coping with nowadays, like the food crisis, economic crisis and climate change. Furthermore I believe that the link between education, the public and the private sector should be strengthened in knowledge development so that the sectors become mutually reinforcing.

Ana Maria Palaghi

2010-02-12T02:46:00.000-08:00

In addition to all above :), I would say:

-By investing more in R&D
-Enhancing/boosting collaboration between knowledge institutes and companies
-Focus on incorporating sustainability into financial aspects(i.e.investments,long-term focus)
-Focus on traditional strenghts and on the strategic positioning, scout and innovate new possibilities... See More
-Investing in education

Economy Transformers!

2010-02-11T06:47:00.000-08:00

With our project partner Embassy of the Earth, we have designed a learn & work process of 1,5 years. Using social innovative tools like Theory U, Presencing, and open systems thinking models, this process facilitates a few hundred dedicated and committed individuals - cross-sector and cross-interest - to work together to come up with values, models, ideas and practices for a new economy.

http://www.economytransformers.com/Home/Welcome.html

Wubbo Ockels at TED Amsterdam on HIS IDEA...

2010-02-11T06:41:00.000-08:00

The Danish Welfare Machine...

2010-02-11T05:11:00.000-08:00

The Danish approach to being a top knowledge economy. How would this model, in YOUR opinion, look like for the Netherlands?

Josine Janssen from Facebook

2010-02-11T05:06:00.000-08:00

Any best practices or examples from our international network maybe that we can borrow? Sweden, USA, Switzerland, Singapore and Denmark are in the top 5 for example. What's happening there?

Herman Jongejan

2010-02-11T05:03:00.000-08:00

By keep on introducing significant WOW-projects."little birds find the food before bigger once can eat"

Ingrid de vries

2010-02-11T04:57:00.000-08:00

i like your thinking.. the adding of the last 5 points. Regarding the first, let's go for a cradle to cradle Delta and maybe even incorporate Zeeland in there.

Wouter Kersten

2010-02-11T04:42:00.000-08:00

Some thoughts:
* focus on traditional strengths (water, greenery etc) or new ones (nanotech, bio-economy, fin services, life sciences, embedded software, etc)
* specialise (see above) or more integral approach?... Lees verder
* isolated approach (geographically) or integrated. I mean the randstad is as big as London, so why not position it as such, but then for real
* USE the aspects that are mostly considered to be negative: open economy (immigration), cultural diversity, the 'silver economy' (ie ageing), etc....

Gabi Helfert

2010-02-11T03:45:00.001-08:00

They need to open up more to international concepts, people, ideas. A lot of knowledge-intensive/ innovation work is still very much focused on Dutch collaborations, organizations and the like. The country in itself is too small to play a major role without international collaboration. I can't understand e.g. why a lot of conferences, events etc. ... See Morein the area of innovation are still predominantly held in Dutch - which excludes the majority of other Europeans or players beyond. Even regional networks should be more open to international players, since e.g. the big players in Rotterdam, the harbor etc. are international companies who employ a lot of brilliant international people - who just don't happen to be fluent in Dutch. Just a few examples: Idealize, SenterNovem, openinnovatie.nl, Innovatief Nederland,
Zorg Innovatie Forum, Centrum voor Innovatie Management (CIM) - all exclusively Dutch clubs, with Dutch websites, newsletters, meetings etc. Not very inviting for a large part of the 50% of people with non-Dutch roots living in the area...