Economic Developers Can Retain Young Workers With Green, 'Good Vibe' Communities

“Capitalism has produced enormous wealth, but in part that’s because it has been able to treat nature as self-replenishing, hyper-abundant and free,” according to Andrew Zolli, the 'chief impact officer' of Planet.

That will not be so easy anymore. Planet's 200 satellites are now enabling us to put 'natural capital' on every company and community’s balance sheet. Today's P&L will not take account of just your business profits and losses, but all of your impacts on the environment as well.

The pinpoint accuracy of Planet’s satellites (many no bigger than a loaf of bread) has already enabled the Brazilian government to vastly increase the number of cease-and-desist citations against illegal loggers.

Accountability reigns…finally.

These satellites can track farmlands and smokestack emissions with incredible precision — down to three meters — and provide transparency to show which communities are violating their carbon dioxide emissions promises. That data can then be used — in theory —to stimulate investment in the community protecting its natural resources. (Take note, mayors and economic developers.)

This brings us to UrbaNatural™ communities and neighborhoods. The appeal of UrbaNatural buildings (often-but-not-always located downtown) is not just neuro-aesthetics (eye appeal and the stimulation of dopamine in the human brain based on 'high-contrast' visual imagery on the outside and inside of buildings), but also the cultural values that underscore the UrbaNatural™ name, the people it attracts and the healthy and responsible lifestyle it promotes.

Young professionals want environmental accountability in their homes and offices. They have the income to live and work in select, 'environmentally-friendly' neighborhoods. Cities that want to attract and retain these skilled, well paid workers can increase their competitiveness by differentiating themselves; specifically, they can succeed by touting the neighborhoods in their city that wear the UrbaNatural™ label.

This is the next level of economic development. It's a fusion of Elon Musk-style science, design/construction, community-building, collective wellness and branding/marketing.

It takes time to organize and construct environmentally-sensitive neighborhoods and rehab a deteriorating urban core. But the UrbaNatural workers (there are 50 million of them, nationally) we want in our cities have a different view of time. As children, they were raised to expect near-instant gratification. They are now embracing 'meta,' Facebook's blend of virtual reality, augmented reality and video where users "live" within a flexible and fluid digital universe. These digital tools intensify the feeling of 'nowness.'

Nebraskans have a tendency to wait until things shake out. They prefer to watch and see if others embrace innovative concepts and then, follow the herd. Unfortunately, that may be why Nebraska is not even being considered as a place to live by the next generation of workers. In so many ways, Nebraska has forgotten its pioneering, risk-taking, entrepreneurial heritage. It may be time to accelerate - to strive to lead the crowd instead of following the crowd.

*Author and speaker, Lynn Hinderaker (UrbaNatural America), acknowledges Thomas Friedman, columnist for the New York Times, who inspired parts of this essay, titled "Want to Save the Earth? We Need a Lot More Elon Musks." (11/17/2021)