Tamara Giltsoff Talks To

Tamara Giltsoff is Managing Director of OZOlab whose mission is to create eco businesses that will rock things in this world. OZOlab have produced OZOcar – their beacon brand. Tamara is an old friend and supporter of PSFK. We wanted to ask her about what’s exciting her on the eco-landscape.

1. There’s been a big shift in attitude in terms of eco-consciousness. What’s important now to people and how do you see eco concerns shifting in the short term?

Eco concerns in the short term are shifting/have shifted to “does this make any bloody difference if I bother at all” attitude, ie, helpless people. The hype has predictably peaked; the reality kicked-in. Somewhere between awareness levels about environmental issues and the reality that is ‘living the American dream’ has got to be found to move things forward. It almost pains me to admit this as someone who has a deep understanding about environmental issues (and is screaming this is not enough), but unless I do then neither I or the environmentalists/treehuggers will never get the shift happening. What is important is to make green steps pretty damn easy for people and then take them on a journey from there. It’s back to basics, despite the awareness levels.

2. What are a few of the green companies that you think are especially noteworthy in terms of innovation and creativity? Or companies that are making serious strides to be more eco-friendly?

Wal-Mart. Bless them for banning by 2008 the useless-to-everyone notion of watered down washing detergent in large plastic bottles when the world could have it concentrated. This idea is a leading principle of Natural Capitalism. And their employee program PSP – Personal Sustainability Projects – where employees develop their own goals to improve their health and the environment.

Cycling, which is becoming sexy is turning me on. It’s really happening. Watch what happens over the next year. Paris and cycling in the form of 20,000 bicycles to rent, a ‘product-service system’, is turning me on. It has put cycling and sexiness on the world map.

EU Restaurant(s) in New York for bottling their own water in New York State and refilling the bottles – local production and reuse. Easy peasy, everyone benefits. The proprietor has been doing it for three years; he sells at $5 as the water is as good if not better that Fiji. Taking on the bottled water industry is turning me on.

Al Gore for creating the biggest discussion in the world.

The Guardian’s continued coverage on the issues and commitment not only as media voice and a platform for discussion (George Monbiot is a continued turn on), but by placing sustainability as a strategic pillar driving the business. They have recently commissioned and published to the world their green consumer segmentation model. They have invested in a team and new division within their business, that has grown out of commercial sales department, to advise their advertisers on sustainable business practice and advertising. They work in partnership with Forum for The Future to guide the world towards sustainability.

ABC carpets. Will they be the first store ever to migrate from a traditional to a total commitment to only selling sustainable materials/products and vintage/second hand. Again I like this because it is a strategic business decision.

A start-up called dropps – liquid laundry pacs. Or one step ahead of Wal-Mart by getting rid of the bottled packaging altogether.

Coca Cola, for engaging in conversation about their contribution to landfill. For the possibility of local production and distribution. Let’s see what they come up with, I have no idea I just know they could be doing some smart and priceless things.

3. What are you up to at the moment? What’s new since we last interviewed you?

I am up to identifying green business and consumer problems and developing accessible solutions for the market – making green easy for people who find it difficult.

What does that mean I actually do? It means that I am working on a number of green business (“OZO”) venture ideas – assessing opportunities, building and managing teams to help me articulate and solve problems, and currently writing (three) business plans for ventures that I/we/they/he/she and the many stakeholders we get to input into our thinking, believe will challenge the current paradigm within industry sectors and bring to market new ways of doing things that are better for the world and for people and prove highly profitable.

How does that mean I work? To stick to my vision for sustainable business practice but never ever to believe my answers are the right ones because challenge and questioning is the mother of innovation.

How do I like it? It’s hard, it’s hard be a woman doing it, it’s exciting, it’s optimistic and damn it very disheartening oftentimes. May I take this opportunity to thank those who help to lift me regularly and those who also challenge and ground my rather optimistic visions for the future.