Tag: Climate Change

If Supply Costs Increase…

Some costs,
due to climate change,
war, government changes,
other factors,
have increased by 100%
or more
compared to last year’s costs.

That level of increase,
if not offset,
will decimate the profits
of many businesses.

What are the possible offsets?

Passing the cost increase
along to the customer
i.e. increasing our prices
by at least
the same amount.

Or
having a deal
with our suppliers
that lock in prices
for a certain length
of time.

Or
being able to switch
to a lower cost input
or a lower cost supplier.

And there are other offsets.

Ensure you have a plan
for increasing supply costs.

Watch Wet Bulb Temperatures

News programs normally report
on dry bulb temperatures.

That isn’t the temperature
that kills people.

Wet bulb temperatures
kill people.

Wet bulbs temperatures
factor in
humidity.

Anything above 35C/95F
is dangerous
for humans.

Our perspiration doesn’t
evaporate.
Our cooling systems
break down.

It doesn’t matter
if we’re super fit
or young
or wearing sunscreen.

We could die.
Our employees could die.
Our customers could die.

If your business
is outside-based,
watch the wet bulb temperatures.

(That is sometimes
reported on
as the ‘feels like’ temperature.)

Take action
if the temperatures
reach the danger zone.

When Your Resources Expand

We installed solar
in our home.

Which means…
electricity
i.e. power
no longer
has any additional cost.

Our resources, our access
have greatly
expanded.

And I’m thinking of
all the opportunities that come
with that.

I can install more grow stations
for my vegetables,
as one small example.

I can run more business devices
(like multiple screens).
More systems can be automated.

When your resources expand,
your opportunities expand.
Re-evaluate your possibilities.

Wildfire ‘Season’

It is wildfire season
in my part of the world.

We didn’t have
wildfire ‘seasons’
20 years ago.

There were rare wildfires
but definitely no season of them.

That has changed.

Wildfires are
no longer rare
anywhere on the planet.

As business builders,
we should plan for them.

We should upgrade
ventilation systems
in our stores, our offices,
our homes
to deal with the smoke.

We should have a plan
for our businesses, our homes,
our employees, ourselves
if we have to evacuate
in a hurry.

We should have masks
and other gear
for employees working outside
(this includes delivery people).

Wildfire ‘seasons’ are here
to stay.
Plan for them.

An Early Last Frost Date

The last frost date
in my part of the world
was, at least,
2 full weeks earlier
than expected.

The seed company
I ordered from
sent their spring bulbs and roots
two weeks late.

When the bulbs and roots arrived,
the ground was already warm and dry
which means those bulbs and roots,
the seed company’s products,
are at high risk of dying
or failing.

Product failures result
in either
customers wanting a refund
or
being VERY unhappy with the company.

The situation for
commercial food production
is worse.

Some farmers didn’t have their seed
to plant.

If they DID have their seed
to plant,
they likely didn’t have the workers
to plant those seeds
on site.

If they DID have the seed
and the workers,
the farmers likely won’t have
the processing system,
the delivery system
and the selling system
available to them
when the crops are harvested
two weeks early.

Farmers, farm workers,
processing plants/hub, truckers, grocery stores
and eventually consumers
will be impacted.

It is a mess.
And all that was caused
by the last frost date being moved up
by two weeks.

Is your system flexible enough
to deal with a shift
of two weeks or more
in timelines?

Try It Before You Need It To Work

I started gardening
because I know food shortages
are coming
and anything I can do to help
will…help.

I started gardening NOW
because I also know
it often takes multiple tries
to get something to work.

I don’t want to be
learning
how to garden
and making those dumba$$ mistakes
when I desperately need
the garden to produce food.

You might not need
the income from a small business
now
but start now.

Because you WILL make
dumba$$ mistakes
and it WILL likely take
multiple tries
to get your product/service right.

Give yourself that time
before you desperately need
the income from the business.

What To Expect Now With Business Travel

I fly quite a bit.

And I’ve noticed
two things that have happened
on 90% of the flights
I’ve taken.

There’s a medical emergency
during the flight.

What this means
for other flyers is
there WILL be
a delay getting off the plane
as medical personnel
transport
the afflicted person.

Factor that
into your schedule.

There will also be
turbulence.

What this means
for other flyers is
there will likely be
interrupted or cancelled
drink and/or meal service.

Take your own water
and your own snacks.

I refill a water bottle
after I go through security.

Business travel is often necessary.
Take steps to ensure
it is as comfortable as possible.

If A New Level Is Needed

A new level
has been added
to the heat risk system
– Magenta.

It warns of
“Very High Risk
for the entire population,
due to long duration heat
with little or no relief overnight.”

When a new level is added
to anything,
warning systems,
rating systems,
response systems,
it tells the world
the situation has changed.

The situation has changed so drastically
the notification system had to change.

And if that notification system
had to change,
other systems usually have to change
also.

I go through my business systems
and evaluate if the new level
i.e. the significant change
impacts them.

In this case,
for example,
our businesses will need policies
for when the heat is so high
it is dangerous for anyone
to be outside.

Do employees go to the office?
Do we deliver products
to our customers?
What happens if someone
has a heat-related health emergency
on our premises?
Etc.

New levels indicate
a new situation.

Do your business systems and policies
cover this new situation?

Disconnecting From Reality

My Boomer Mom carefully curates
everything she sees and hears.

She doesn’t want unhappy news
so she deliberately
filters it out.

She lives in
a happy alternative world
where war and pandemics
and climate change
aren’t threats.

She is vaguely aware they exist
but she doesn’t believe
they will impact her
and she doesn’t want
to hear about them.

She’s not alone
in doing this.

As the world becomes
more and more challenging,
more people will try
to disconnect from it.

As business builders,
we don’t have that luxury.

Remaining connected
to the world
and to reality
will be key
to our success.

Resist the urge
to disconnect from reality.

Opportunities In Disaster

In my part of the planet,
we usually have a lot of snow
over winter.

This year,
we had snow stay on the ground
for less than a week
and that snow didn’t reach
the top of my running shoes.

This is a climate disaster.
Spring crops will struggle
due to lack of snow pack.
Vegetation and animals
will suffer.
Owners of ski resorts
are in financial distress.

But we’re business builders.
Of course, you and I
also
see the many opportunities
in having no snow
over winters.

There are ALWAYS opportunities
in disasters.
The house that burned in a wildfire
has to be rebuilt.
People displaced by a flood
have to eat.

But we should also remember
that it IS a disaster.
People are scared, sad, mourning.

Approach the opportunities
with empathy and tact.