By DR. FLORANGEL ROSARIO BRAID

Time Magazine’s annual issue last month listed 10 ideas that are changing the world right now. While they provide interesting information on how the “global economy is being made before our eyes.” I selected two that are more relevant to Manilla own local economy as we face the threat of economic recession and climate change.

The article on “Ecological Intelligence” starts with common beliefs about what it means to go “green.” Such as buying a T-shirt made from 100 percent organic cotton because we know that organic is better for Earth. It is, in many ways, but the green label does not tell us that even organic cotton requires more than 2,640 gallons of water to grow enough fiber for one shirt. Or that the latter may have been dyed in harsh industrial chemicals which pollute the water. According to psychologist Daniel Goleman in his book, Ecological Intelligence, thinking ecologically is understanding the global environmental consequences of our local choices. Goleman, also the author of Emotional Intelligence, a best seller, says that if “we can know the causes of what we are doing, and we can know the impact of what we are doing, this would have a radical effect on the way we do business.” The author of the article, Bryan Walsh, raises these questions: What if we could seamlessly calculate the fulltime effect of our actions on the earth and on our bodies? Not just carbon footprints but social and biological footprints as well? A method called life-cycle assessment is now being used to break down the web of connection. He cites the example of Coca Cola which is now using such information in analyzing operations in its global supply chain. For example, today, as it uses 5 percent of the world’s total sugar crop, it is also examining where it could minimize its impact. It discovers that it is on target in improving its water efficiency 20 percent by 2012.

It is this kind of comprehensive thinking and the capacity to see that we live in an interconnected world that would give us the confidence to face the threats of climate change and the economic meltdown.

The other idea is that of establishing “survival stores.” The article notes this growing trend – that stores are not selling and suggests that the solution is not just a matter of dropping prices to match consumers’ diminished buying powers. A survival store should be able to provide most of basic needs – low-cost food and clothing to last a few years but also satisfy our human needs for social experiences that could help us cope with the challenges. The latter could venues for recreation and education – sensible financial advice and opportunities for sharing concerns with others. During difficult times, people are better able to cope when they realize that they are not alone. Our local sari-sari stores are already “survival stores” but they can be expanded to provide other services for the community – information on available services such as carpentry, plumbing, electrical services, as well as energy conservation and “greening” advice. In a rural community, a store can provide information on access to health, credit, and legal services as well as livelihood opportunities. They could serve as information extension arms of the microfinance industry, perhaps the most promising survival institution in our country.

DR. FLORANGEL ROSARIO BRAID e-mail is florangel.braid@gmail.com.