I spend a lot of time thinking about what makes individuals, or groups of people, or companies try something new. Whether it’s changing up your running shoes, relearning something you thought you were clear on for decades, or trying to make things better for people and the planet– we’re conditioned to eye change wearily.
We’re trained to think in the language of opportunity costs and reputational risk. There’s a risk to being the first. There's the risk that someone will call you out for wasting time with one particular opportunity instead of searching out some other one just around the bend. There’s the risk that even a small mistake can jeopardize the trust you risked so much to build.
So what makes us willing to try out a limb when it's safer to sit by the trunk?
A couple weeks ago, a few members of the Blue Whales and Blue Skies team had the opportunity to tour the headquarters of one of our newest Ambassadors, Limoneira Company, in Santa Paula, CA. We spoke with members of their team that run food safety, farm and warehouse operations, and compliance.
I left with a big dose of humility that it's far too easy when walking grocery aisles flanked with shiny ripe fruit to forget how intricate and relentless it is if you’re in the business of perishable products. Unexpected weather events, or pests brought by unexpected weather, or supply chain bottlenecks and other international events impossible to anticipate, can easily derail thoughtfully laid plans.
I also left with a clearer sense of what makes some companies not be so afraid of new branches. In our case, that's companies willing to sign on to our program to support responsible shipping practices that reduce the risk of fatal whale strikes, and air and marine noise pollution. It’s companies with people empowered to innovate for better returns and impact, and driven to take on a little extra homework.
The silver lining of being a small non-profit, tackling a lesser known environmental problem (supply chain impacts on biodiversity and coastal community health is not, yet, a mainstream issue)– is that you get to meet some for-profit gems bold enough to try something that's relatively, really new. You meet the people of a companies’ ethos that know how to both zoom in on the minutiae of details directly in their control, but also zoom out with a leap of faith that collective action will deliver an even bigger impact. We learned about how Limoneira’s on-site solar installation (40% of their US operations are renewably powered) has an in-house herd of sheep to keep weeds down without pesticides. We learned how their use of organic mulch with Agromin’s composting facility, located on Limoneira’s property, not only reduces county landfill waste, but also water use and root rot while boosting soil nutrient levels and water retention. You could tell by the way they examined a leaf or lemon, they have meaning in the labor it takes to make their systems— from beneficial insects in the orchards or processing and storing in the warehouses— stronger. We learned how they innovate with new water management strategies and remote sensing technology to optimize delivery and water savings. Edgar Gutierrez, Limoneira’s Vice President of Farm Management Services said it best in concluding his explanation of operational efforts to stay a step ahead of market changes, technological advances, and sustainability opportunities– “we are not a status quo company”.
Partnering with pioneering companies like Limoneira is part of what Blue Whales and Blue Skies is all about. The program’s success, and the fate of our ocean’s largest inhabitants, largely depends on our willingness to bridge industry, agency, for- and non-profit divides, sharing in responsibility and a commitment to make our supply chains better for all of us, including marine life. This year, we are proud to report 37 global shipping lines have enrolled, and our Ambassador program is expanding to bring on more ports, logistics, brands and product companies that rely on maritime trade to move their goods and services in California’s waters.
Learn more here: www.bluewhalesblueskies.org/about
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