Self proclaimed greenie and innovation strategist, Jennifer van der Meer focuses her work on the burgeoning green economy. In addition to contributing to the inhabitat blog, she also serves as chapter chair of O2NYC, a non-profit that organizes educational and networking events for green designers, who have tremendous untapped power to change the way things are made.
PSFK: What are you up to at the moment? What’s new?
Collaboration. I’ve spent the past 3 years focused on green as a growth sector for new product development – from food to housewares to financial services. What became apparent to me is that we’re all interested in thinking about the future, and we want to participate in what it means to become green. Now I’m fascinated with the relationship between consumers and the brands they love (or don’t love) – and how that leads to co-creating the future. I’m working on a cool project with Drillteam Media called Heya for Toyota that is designed to do exactly that-creatively collaborate with young people, online, and in offline events.
PSFK: 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?
There has been a big phase shift in eco-consciousness. Many credit An Inconvenient Truth, but in my experience, the trigger was Katrina. I did a big study on environmental attitudes just before the big storm – and the average American was not that concerned about green issues. A few months after Katrina I did a similar study, and I found that people were just starting to wonder about the connection between consumption and environmental health. People everywhere – people that don’t even go to documentaries.
Just recently, environmental concerns have become immediate, personal. In the wake of all of these product recalls, I see people asking for the first time: Where is my stuff coming from? Where’s it made? Is it safe? Will it make me or my family or my pet sick? Toys, chicken pot pies, house cleaner, toothpaste. People are starting to look for proof of eco claims, and are no longer satisfied with feel good stories and bold promises. Many of my clients have wondered about the correlation between attitude shift and actual behavioral change – I predict that you will see that correlation happening, now, every time a product recall is announced.
PSFK: What are a few of the green companies that you think are especially noteworthy in terms of innovation and creativity?
I’m interested in brands that are approaching eco from a total company perspective, and are on a long term path towards continuous improvement: Toyota, InterfaceFLOR & Method Home. You see creativity and innovation flourishing everywhere in companies that have set a high bar for long term environmental performance – it’s not just in the product development or marketing departments. It’s happening on the factory floor, in the sales force, even in HR. Everyone wants to be a part of rethinking how they work, and they will apply their best energy and smarts to solving the problem. A sincere focus on green ignites a creative renaissance.
Thanks Jennifer!
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