Even a year ago I was "digging in" against all the "climate change" protagonists. I saw them as a motley crew of "conservationists" who were basically against all development and growth. Back then I was convinced the whole "Climate Change debate" had been hijacked by these people and they stood for just about everything you could prefix with "anti" - anti-globalisation, anti-greenhouse gas emissions, anti-development, anti-war, anti-economic growth, etc.

Over the past few months I have re-examined my position. As you know from my recent riffs I now see "the climate is changing for business". If we block out the noise of the protesters and the conservationists who merely want to score political points then there are many valid issues for business to take on that relate directly to Climate Change. So let us forget the political posturing of parties, movements, protesters, voters, single-issue campaigners, etc. and let us move on to the business issues.

Is your business a leader in your industry? Has your business made Climate Change issues your number one priority for the next five years? Are your customers in the vanguard of Climate Change sensitive consumers? Are competitors in your industry ahead of you with their Climate Change initiatives? Could you move into another industry because of your Climate Change innovations? Could you acquire a company that has moved ahead of you with Climate Change measures?

If you tackle Climate Change issues within your business you will have grasped a once in a generation opportunity to leap frog ahead of any likely competition in the next five years.

Green by design is a new approach to doing business. It has you looking beyond your traditional or smokestack business models. It has you looking to provide environmentally friendly products and services. It has you looking to maximise the "use value" of all your intangible assets.

Green by design uses information to emphasise the "use value" you provide your customers rather than emphasis your product or service range. Green by design uses digital information systems to keep your customers fully informed about your carbon-reduced business choices. Green by design uses energy efficient solutions and carbon miserly technologies to reduce greenhouse gas emissions in every phase of your business. Green by design uses automation to reduce rework, waste, duplication, and paper records. Green by design uses machine to machine connections to limit the transportation needs of your business. Green by design compresses the supply chain for every product and every service bought or sold by your business.

Green by design starts with "a carbon neutral" mindset. This mindset is geared to reducing the carbon footprint of your business and all your suppliers to an absolute minimum over the next decade. In some cases the stretch goal is to "leave no footprint" from your business.