Doing it the Barak way. PR and marketing for the planet

I just read an artcile about how everyone wants to (know how to) do it like Barak did.

The haiku like mantra of his methodology : Be Cool, Be Social, Be the Change works for me.

Being cool .The tough part of 'doing the Obama thing' , for me at least, is staying unflappable and undistracted. My work with sustainable sensory garden design (see www.greenstonedesign.co.uk) may not seem like world changing stuff, but in a way it is. It's my way of showing the world (or a small part of it) another way of looking at themselves and our planet. It's PR for the planet.

Being social comes more easily. It's all about connections. Re-connecting with the natural world builds understanding and respect. When we respect our environment and everything connected with it, it follows that we will respect our neighbors as they are intrinsically linked with us too. If people respect you, know you, like you, they will trust you and buy from you.

Being the change is what I've done almost unconsciously for years. I've stuck my neck out and been 'different' when it was unfashionable to do so. My family and friends are made up of scientists and artists with an audience and even a following, doing their rather glitzy bit to make the world a better place. I eschewed all that to go back to basics, to teach children and adults to value our world, show people through creative design in their own space, through field trips to other inspiring spaces, to get people to value what is so easily taken for granted. My marketing plan for the planet has specific areas of focus but is essentially broad-brush.

Many people have recently commented that right now feels like towards the end of the Roman Empire. It may or may not be true but take heed: during the Dark Ages that followed the end of the Empire, some people prospered. They were the ones with the knowledge and ability to grow their own food, live with the land rather than on it. As we've seen in Zimbabwe, it takes very little time to strip a nation of its intellectuals and plunge towards anarchy. By reconnecting with the Earth we could all do ourselves a favor, whether we're in big business or small, agriculture or architecture, PR or marketing. It's not about 'going green' but about being the change.

Growing vegetables in small and unusual spaces

Home vegetable growing will become increasingly important in the future.

Knowing how to design (and grow) an attractive vegetable garden in limited space will be a challenge for many people. I'm going to run a course locally on how to do exactly that. If you think you may be interested, please get in touch, either by posting here, or by sending me an email through the website http://www.houseandgardendesign.co.uk.

If lots of people are interested who don't live anywhere near here I might be tempted to develop something that could be run online.

Those who have knowledge will prosper.

More soon!

Gayle