John Elkington

Harvey Nicks 1 Harvey Nicks 2 Harvey Nicks 3 Harvey Nicks 4

Spent the day at the Lanesborough Hotel, at Hyde Park Corner, a few buildings along from where SustainAbility used to have its office.  This was the AGM for Limited Partners and Advisory Board members for zouk ventures.  

Last night, walking from Sloane Street station to Daphne’s for a zouk dinner, I managed to slightly lose myself, even though I know the area quite well, having lived there many years ago – and then collided with Professor Alexander Zehnder, who I last saw at a SAM session in Switzerland almost a decade ago.  We guided each other in.

Among the companies reviewed today were Gas Turbine Efficiency (GTE), Nanotron Technologies, Orb Energy (which I visited in Bangalore some years back), SiC Processing, Solarcentury, Sulfurcell Solartechnik, Trilliant and Triton-Format.

Before walking back to the US Embassy for a the showing of Frogs: The Thin Green Line, I took a quick spin around Knightsbridge, where, once again, I was forcefully struck by the Harvey Nichols windows. Then back through Hyde Park, where I took a closer look at the Cavalry memorial, which I hadn’t really looked at before – with its St George and the dragon. Struck me that the air force pilots were the WWII equivalents of the cavalry.

Following today’s zouk ventures AGM at The Lanesborough, I walked up to the US Embassy in a slight drizzle this evening to see the film Frogs: The Thin Green Line, with Sam (Lakha) and YingLi (Guo). Met the director, Allison Argo of ArgoFilms, before the film began, and asked the first question from the audience when the discussion began.  A very powerful account of the plight of amphibians worldwide, with a particular focus on the chytrid fungus, which I covered in a blog entry on 4 February 2006 and again on 1 January 2008. Made eating the popcorn they served a little harder than usual.

Capybara Nick and Charmian

Started the day in Docklands, at HSBC, with Charmian and Nick Robins, who I first worked with way back in 1994.  He heads the HSBC Centre of Excellence on Climate Change.  Was very much struck to see a giant capybara on the wall of the room where we met. Fascinating, provocative discussion of various aspects of climate change, including the extent to which it is usefully tackled in the current round of government stimulus packages.

Image wall in HSBC reception Image wall 2 Image wall, 3

Rose and clematis in our garden Cycladic head Front door, detail Tree on Common

As I have cycled and walked around the city, the plane tree seeds have been ubiquitous, getting into the yes – so that often I found myself cycling with me eyes shut.  Hardly recommended.  But I love these trees – so am happy to endure a week or two of grief each year.