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John Grant literally wrote the book on meaningful green marketing with his 2008 The Green Marketing Manifesto. But how does the 43-year-old co-founder of St. Luke’s advertising agency and author of three previous books live a sustainable lifestyle in his own North London home? Grant took time out from advising clients like BBC, Cisco, IKEA, and Lego to talk about skipping air travel and morning walks with his 5-year-old son, Cosmo.
What keeps you up at night?
I get very upset about species loss but try to take a holistic view on everything: that we are running out of planet, options, and time.
What has been your biggest lifestyle change?
I have stopped flying long haul and reduced flying overall wherever possible. I have turned down 14 invitations [to speak at international conferences] in Brazil, USA, China, and New Zealand in the last 12 months. (Several recently have accepted my offer to speak instead by videophone.) I miss my family horribly, so it hasn’t exactly been a sacrifice to say no to all that.
What has been your smallest lifestyle change?
We are growing our own tomatoes. Not sure that’s making much impact on climate change but we thought it was important for our son to get used to the idea of growing food, as it’s quite likely to become the norm in his lifetime.
What's your favorite eco item in your closet?
My walking/playing-in-the-park shoes are 12 years old and still going strong. More “sustained” than sustainable but I think that treasuring things and extending their lifetimes still counts. I also like my Zipee organic T-shirt ... I’d quite like to get one of their bikes too, but I am probably a bit too scatty for four wheels.
What's your not-so-green guilty pleasure?
Vintage synthesizers. And our music studio overall.
John Grant
Green Marketing Consultant and Author
"I am probably a bit too scatty for four wheels."
What's your little green secret?
I walk loads with my son and we have talked about everything from mortality to why shadows are long in the morning. Today he was wondering: What if he never got his new teeth?
If you could snap your fingers and create a green product or service that doesn't exist yet, what would it be?
A new spirituality. Seriously: something combining the peaceful, minimal, mindful living of Buddhism with the intellectual adventurousness of Ancient Greece and the political creativity of Mahatma Ghandhi. I don’t think products and services are enough. Although we have to keep trying, because at least it’s a start.
"We need to say 'sorry' in advance."
If you had five minutes in the Oval Office, what would you say?
Gee, what a funny shaped office? I’ve been to the equivalent in the UK (10 Downing Street) and amongst other things I suggested they should consider banning junk mail.
What do you hope to pass down to your children?
If they can hack the Prius to work without oil, that might be a contender — like the cars in Cuba that lasted 50 plus years. (Although the way things are going, they might end up being horse-drawn!) ... Also, we need to say “sorry” in advance.
