Being the change

If there is one thing the world isn’t short of, it is problems. The world today faces an unprecedented set of challenges — from an overcrowded planet to an overstressed environment, from the challenge of lifting millions out of abject poverty to tackling the growing disparity between the haves and the have-nots, from new and more virulent disease to terror and conflict — the list is as wide and varied as our world itself.

Problems also make for great journalism. Wars, epidemics and natural disasters are tailor-made for great story-telling. But that is not the only reason why the media is dominated by ‘problems’. Bringing such issues into the public domain is one of the core responsibilities of a free media in any society. Highlighting a problem becomes the first step towards finding a solution.

But what of the solutions themselves? Who will take the responsibility to see a solution for a problem through to its logical conclusion? Is it just the government? Do we not owe a responsibility to our society to try and be part of solutions, and not just the problems?

A growing number of individuals and organisations around the world are beginning to think so. They are solving challenging issues using innovative ideas and frugal technologies. And we, at BusinessLine, are among the growing number of media organisations around the world that are convinced that our role does not end with simply reporting a problem.

That is the idea behind ‘Impact Journalism’. Leading news organisations from around the world have collaborated in an innovative project to bring you stories from around the world about such solutions, in a bid to inspire action for change. BusinessLine is a part of this global initiative.

This year, we join more than 20 leading global publications in bringing to you stories of sustainable business solutions for sustainable cities.

In this section, we bring to you a selection of such smart business ideas from around the world. From a simple idea developed in India — LC ³ concrete, which cuts costs, emissions and energy consumption — to 3D-printed houses in China; a start-up in Brazil that fuses technology with a waste-pickers’ cooperative to recycle waste, to a company in Germany called ForestFinance, which sees trees as an asset class worthy of investments — you will find an amazing array of innovative solutions.

We invite you to read, share and get inspired by these stories. Together, we can be the change.

Editor