Bacon's Rebellion

Democracy Thrives in Sunlight

VEOLIA AD IN AN EVER SMALLER WORLD

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by

James A. Bacon
in

Those who are accustomed to our complaining about WaPo ads – and MainStream Media ads in general – may be surprised but today’s WaPo on page A-7 has an ad that is worth a careful look.

After you have looked at the “Do you see a Tree?, We also see a universal challenge.” ad, check out the Veolia web site to find out about this Enterprise that provides “water, waste, energy and transport services” for urban areas.

Here is the story:

The ad has for a background a high-oblique air photo of what appears to be a swatch of French Countryside. It may be Tuscany or Bavaria or ?. It may even be New Zealand or South Africa but it ‘looks like’ the countryside in Europa. In this swatch of Countryside the farmsteads are not centered on hamlets because the artist did not want to distract from the ‘Tree.’

The ‘Tree’ is an Alpha Village scale urban place with a divided parkway serving as the “trunk.” It could be a large Lewenz (‘Parallel’) Village but does not have the Autonomobile Free Core. In the graphic one can identify a number of land uses that ‘could’ represent a Balance of J / H / S / R / A.

What is very apparent is the Clear Edge and the relationship between Openspace inside the Clear Edge with Open Land outside the Clear Edge.

Could it just be that Veolia, an Enterprise that provides water, waste, energy and transport services, knows a thing or two about the settlement patterns the result from the fair allocation of location-variable cost?

OK, perhaps it is just a nice graphic that happens to be useful to illustrate those realities.

We will never know.

On a related topic, NPR did a two part series on 31 March and 1 April on the climate and lifestyle impact of dysfunctional and functional human settlement patterns. The Atlanta New Urban Region is the venue. The functional example – Atlantic Station – was designed based on the Richard Thornton graphic we included and described in our “All Aboard” column of 16 April 2007.

It is a small world and getting smaller with fewer places to hide for the 12 ½ Percenters.

EMR

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  1. Larry Gross Avatar
    Larry Gross

    I was hoping to get EMR’s take on this from Mr. Florida:

    The Rise of the Mega-Region
    By RICHARD FLORIDA
    April 12, 2008; Page A8

    When people talk about economic competitiveness, the focus tends to be on nation states. In the 1980s, many were obsessed with the rise of Japan. Today, our gaze has shifted to the phenomenal growth of Brazil, Russia, India and China. But this focus on nations is off the mark.

    The real driving force of the world economy is a new and incredibly powerful economic unit: the mega-region.

    http://online.wsj.com/article/SB120796112300309601.html

  2. Anonymous Avatar
    Anonymous

    The nice thing about the tree is that it has room to grow. Usually, once you have a tree, then a forest isn’t far behind.

    RH

  3. Jim Bacon Avatar
    Jim Bacon

    What’s interesting about this is that it’s a sign of a momentous shift in the political economy of growth and development: We’re witnessing the rise of a “green” business lobby, whose business models are predicated on conservation and rational human settlement patterns, that can act as a counterweight to the forces of Business As Usual.

    It will take years for “green” business to emerge as a full-blown political force. But, as this ad shows, it has the potential to influence citizens’ perceptions and understanding of the issues. When green business comes of age, it could scramble all political calculations.

  4. Anonymous Avatar
    Anonymous

    Give me a break, Jim.

    We are witnessing the rise of a green lobby attempting to create a business model predicated on vast subsidies and mandatory purchases.

    The solar facility in Deming, New Mexico depends on a 30% Federal tax credit, among others.

    The BP solar facility in Tres Cantos, Spain will be able to sell its power to the grid for 575% of the cost of production.

    The green lobby can alter people’s perceptions, but so far its main interest is in altering the economics.

    RH

  5. E M Risse Avatar
    E M Risse

    Following up on yesterdays ad, today WaPo has a 14 page supplement titled:

    “Environmental Leadership”

    The ads reinforce the points made in the 8:42 post.

    It is what we called “Green in the name of Green” in our 17 March post of that name.

    What is surprising is that the “editor / salesperson” for the “advertising supplement” allowed in an ad Jim Speth’s (Dean Yale School of Forestry and Enviro Studies) new book “The Bridge a the Edge of the World.”

    The ad title is” “Modern Capitalism is Destroying the Planet.”

    He takes the impact of Reich’s “Supercapitalism” a big step farther.

    This goes back to our point about the future in MainStream Media in THE ESTATES MATRIX — very soon citizens — the majority of whom are already hurting from the recession — will stop believing advertising in general.

    This relates to Pearlstein’s column today, also in WaPo about the future of print journalism. He is right and SO wrong.

    He misses the reality that MainStream Media is now owned by the Second Estate and there will be no way to make money because…

    Citizes will stop believeing in advertising just as most have stopped believeing in politics and miricles.

    So many topics, so little time.

    EMR

  6. E M Risse Avatar
    E M Risse

    Larry:

    Mega Regions aka New Urban Regions and conterminous agglomerations of New Urban Regions are the new fundimental building blocks of civilization — economic, social and physical, but…

    What fits better in Florida’s quote is “multi-nation-state Enterprises,” not “mega regions.”

    We are about to witness an unintended consequence of Supercapitalism and the multi-nation-state Enterprises:

    The power of citizens as consumers (or non-consumers) in New Urban Regions.

    To drive profits multi-nation-state Enterprises have created massive consumer driven economies.

    They are about to flex their collective impact for the reasons noted in our last comment.

    Yesterdays WaPo Business Section has a nice profile.

    (No, I do not just read WaPo but on this issue the Economist had it last week and New York Times yesterday too and CNN picked it up and it was rewriten by USA Today and will be an essay in Time…)

    EMR

  7. E M Risse Avatar
    E M Risse

    Sorry, the title of that 17 March post is “GREED in the name of Green.”

    EMR

  8. Larry Gross Avatar
    Larry Gross

    “To drive profits multi-nation-state Enterprises have created massive consumer driven economies.”

    I don’t want to take this out of context – but some would claim that such Enterprises – whether they be multi-nation-state or not are RESPONDING to consumers with the products and services that prove by their acceptance that they ARE wanted.

    And I don’t see multi-nation-state as the opposite of mega-regions but rather hand-in-glove.

    For instance, you can have mega-regions WITHOUT multi-nation-state enterprises.

    And you could have the vice versa.

    multi-nation-state enterprises are an inevitable evolution of competition, and in my mind, not good or bad in the bigger scheme of things.

    Just because an enterprise becomes multi-national does not result in harm.

    Building Volvos in Sweden and selling them in the US is not an inherently harmful concept.

    … but I WOULD agree.. moving a Volvo plant to a 3rd world country where the cars are built with slave labor and there are virtually no laws to protect the environment is an issue.

    … we actually saw this kind of thing in the US where big companies would (still?) play one state off against the other… on environmental regulation AND human capital (right to work laws).

    … so .. now the “right to work” laws have progressed to the next level – China and other developing countries where the “right to work” is a Godsend for formerly subsistence level existences can be upgraded to middle class aspirations….

    so if the RESULT of Supercapitalism IS a degraded environment and a lack of health care and retirement security for workers… then yes.

    the solution is not to outlaw multi-nation-state enterprises but to make it mandatory for any enterprise to locate in a country and/or sell goods/services that their workforce is treated equitably.

    Otherwise, all we have is institutionalization of predatory capitalism … which is pretty much what we had in this country in the past.. and still continuing as we (in my mind) pretend that “right to work” is a willing agreement between those who will not get adequate medical care and retirement benefits and those who gather wealth by selling goods and services subsidized in essence by lower labor costs.

    my brain is too small and weak for me to understand the connection between Supercapitalism and Optimal Settlement Patterns.

    In my current degraded mental state – I see virtually no connection…

  9. Michael Ryan Avatar
    Michael Ryan

    The illustration reminds me of Nahalal in Israel.

  10. E M Risse Avatar
    E M Risse

    Larry quoted our earlier statement:

    “To drive profits multi-nation-state Enterprises have created massive consumer driven economies.”

    And then commented.

    We will address the last paragraph of this comment first:

    “My brain is too small and weak for me to understand the connection between Supercapitalism and Optimal Settlement Patterns.

    In my current degraded mental state – I see virtually no connection…”

    The annals of psychoanalysis are replete with cases of otherwise capable individuals who claim that the cannot make a connection between two sets of conditions which are clearly related.

    There is an energetic debate over the causes of these claims. They arise in contexts of both religious beliefs and economic decisions. Three theories have been advanced:

    1. The subject does understand but fanes inability due to the fact that acknowledgment of the connection / relationship would undermine strongly held beliefs or economic well being. (A lie detector screening would identify this condition.)

    2. The subject relies on a fallacious “proof” to protect from implied harm.

    3. Some unknown subconscious mechanism is at work which drives the often observed 20 / 60 / 20 split of belief on complex topics.

    “I don’t want to take this out of context – but some would claim that such Enterprises – whether they be multi-nation-state or not are RESPONDING to consumers with the products and services that prove by their acceptance that they ARE wanted.”

    This is exactly what Wal*Mart says. In fact that is just what Sam Walton said he wanted to do when he opened his chain of retail outlets. The question is do citizens really want those things and would they want them if they knew the cumulative impact.

    “And I don’t see multi-nation-state as the opposite of mega-regions but rather hand-in-glove.”

    Do you mean “multi-nation-state” or “multi-nation-state Enterprise?”

    “For instance, you can have Mega-Regions WITHOUT multi-nation-state Enterprises.”

    Of course there are none, but what would this prove?

    “And you could have the vice versa.”

    That is possible, but again, there are none.

    Multi-nation-state Enterprises are an inevitable evolution of competition, and in my mind, not good or bad in the bigger scheme of things.”

    Ah, we have a new book for you to read after you have completed “Supercapitalism.” It is called “Small-Mart” by Mike Shuman and it is fantastic. Also see “Learning From Big Boxes” PART III of THE PROBLEM WITH CARS.

    “Just because an enterprise becomes multi-national does not result in harm.”

    That is true,

    “Building Volvos in Sweden and selling them in the US is not an inherently harmful concept.”

    True again.

    “… but I WOULD agree.. moving a Volvo plant to a 3rd world country where the cars are built with slave labor and there are virtually no laws to protect the environment is an issue.”

    Again we agree.

    “… we actually saw this kind of thing in the US where big companies would (still?) play one state off against the other… on environmental regulation AND human capital (right to work laws).”

    “… so .. now the “right to work” laws have progressed to the next level – China and other developing countries where the “right to work” is a Godsend for formerly subsistence level existences can be upgraded to middle class aspirations….”

    “so if the RESULT of Supercapitalism IS a degraded environment and a lack of health care and retirement security for workers… then yes.”

    “The solution is not to outlaw multi-nation-state Enterprises but to make it mandatory for any enterprise to locate in a country and/or sell goods/services that their workforce is treated equitably.”

    There are more issues than this but as far as you have gone, you are right. When you have completed Reich and Shuman you will have some further items upon which I suspect we will agree.

    “Otherwise, all we have is institutionalization of predatory capitalism … which is pretty much what we had in this country in the past.. and still continuing as we (in my mind) pretend that “right to work” is a willing agreement between those who will not get adequate medical care and retirement benefits and those who gather wealth by selling goods and services subsidized in essence by lower labor costs.”

    EMR

  11. E M Risse Avatar
    E M Risse

    The correct title of that book by Mike Shuman is “The Small-Mart Revolution: How local (Core Confusing Word) Businesses are Beating the Global competition.”

    I once did a program with shuman and have a good deal of respect for his perspective.

    But for the use of “local” and his failure to define “community” that the uses to describe a whole range of bread boxes it looks like his book is a winner.

    In fact if it holds up this revolution may be as big as the Industrial Revolution and far bigger than the oft touted “Second Industrial Revolution.”

    More in a review soon.

    EMR

  12. Larry Gross Avatar
    Larry Gross

    I don’t see Walmart as the enemy of optimal settlement patterns nor commerce-gone-wrong.. or the reason why cheap labor without benefits supplants jobs with benefits.

    Any cursory view of US History at the point in time that labor unions were formed clearly illustrates that the issue is not about multi-nationalism but rather who controls the government.

    In 3rd world countries – the mechanisms in play are not gussied up like they are in “more civilized” places but the basics are the same… folks with or in search of wealth advantage themselves on the backs of others if they can.

    The wealthy see government as what is necessary to “harness” human capital… whether it is some slimy little dictator in a 3rd world country or some slimy little guy lobbying the government by using influence money.

    This was true in 1800 and it is still true – just more sophisticated in action.

    The goal is the same… rules than benefit those who traffic in “capital” .. usually at the expense of those who _are_ the capital.

    But Walmart is just a modern version of the old Country Store – that sold olives from Spain, top hats from Britain, and tea and coffee from India and Brazil..

    Trains and Ships are what did it – long, long before anyone knew what a tractor trailer was or what it would look like.

    You could take away the interstates and the tractor trailers and people will STILL buy stuff from other countries…. even if the journey from the ship is by buckboard…

    Once rail complemented ships – the settlement pattern game – changed forever… and we don’t go back.

    No matter what size the NUR – there WILL be products that come from outside of that NUR…

  13. E M Risse Avatar
    E M Risse

    Larry said:

    “I don’t see Walmart as the enemy of optimal [functional] settlement patterns nor commerce-gone-wrong.. or the reason why cheap labor without benefits supplants jobs with benefits.”

    Larry, you may not but most who have carefully looked at it do.

    Those who do not like the impact blame Wal*Mart.

    Those who get richer from Supercapatalism praise Wal*Mart but they all see the impact and it is largely the same impact.

    Let us know what you think when you have finished “Supercapitalism” and “The Small-Mart Revoltuion.”

    EMR

  14. Larry Gross Avatar
    Larry Gross

    Walmart is the modern version of the old Country Store that sold everything from canned goods to tea.

    I think folks are seriously confusing “trade” and “commerce” from worker and environmental inequities which can and do occur even if you are completely self-contained and don’t trade at all.

    They’re blaming trade for bad treatment of workers and the environment.

    Let’s say that more countries including the US start imposing requirements about the treatment of workers and the environment …and let’s say they are very strict and no more goods are allowed that are produced at the expense of workers and the environment.

    Let’s assume that … what would happen?

    WalMart won’t go away.

    WalMart will continue to thrive because what WalMart does – is OUT COMPETE their competitors.

    If the US does not allow imports from China… for ALL retailers – then all retailers will be affected from WalMart to the locally owned stores.. but WalMart will find an approved source and … STILL sell it for less.. than their competitors.

    Yes there is an issue with what WalMart pays it’s workers but I think we all forget how country stores used to operate.

    They often were “family” affairs… and no .. they did not get minimum wage or have health care either…

    Other industrialized countries have GOVERNMENTs that have taken on the responsibility to provide health care for ALL of their citizens whereas in this country – we have not.

    I don’t think we can blame Walmart for that. No any more than you would blame .. virtually all modern retailers.. whether they be Food Lion or Home Depot or Starbucks or Dollar General.

    I really do think part of this is folks inability to cope with the changes ongoing .. in trade and commerce – that are not going to go away…

    When you get right down to it WalMart is no different than in concept than a Regional Medical Center or a large airport or regional Malls, just about any scope/scale activity that serves
    entire regions…

    we’re never going back to neighborhood groceries that sell olives out of wood barrels… ain’t going to happen.

  15. E M Risse Avatar
    E M Risse

    Larry:

    I am not sure where you are getting your information on Wal*Mart.

    Even Wal*Mart’s PR staff and consultants do not pretend they can get away with such statements.

    Start with “The Small-Mart Revoltuion” and the research we cite in PART III of THE PROBLEM WITH CARS.

    “Let’s say that more countries including the US start imposing requirements about the treatment of workers and the environment …and let’s say they are very strict and no more goods are allowed that are produced at the expense of workers and the environment.

    “Let’s assume that … what would happen?

    “WalMart won’t go away.”

    Actually Wal*Mart would not even exist for the reasons we outline in PART III noted above.

    Especially if those “reforms” you cite included a fair allocation of location-variable costs.

    “WalMart will continue to thrive because what WalMart does – is OUT COMPETE their competitors.”

    Sorry that is an illusion. I hope you do not base your Household buying pratices on that assumtion.

    “… Wal*Mart is no different than … a Regional Medical Center or a large airport…”

    I read somewhere that “The anals of psyconalalysis…”

    Keep dry

    EMR

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