10:51 p.m. September 6th, 2007 Sitting at Atlantic Ave waiting for a train home from Manhattan to Brooklyn.

Stuck in my mind is a conversation that I had with Toby from Corporate Knights. Corporate Knights is a media channels based out of Toronto, Canada. While discussing a collaboration with Toby, he gave me an unexpected reminder on the urgency of the issue of Climate Change. He pointed out that there is a lot of discussion on the issue, by not enough mass action on real solutions to slow, halt, or even reverse climate change. Toby offered a document on Option 13 outlining a proposed solution: http://www.rethos.com/news/view/167-Option-13-Corporate-Kinghts.

He timing was ironic. A few members of our team had just come back from being invited to present at a conference at the UN: over 2,000 non-profit organizations had gathered to discuss the issues of global climate change. I was disappointed by the general disorganization of the event, the ‘star studded’ red carpet atmosphere, and the general lack of collective action – even amongst the world leading organizations at the UN, the issue was still being haggled over.

“Something has to be done, how will rethos contribute towards solutions?” Toby asked. Rethos.com is not an end in itself – it is a platform that has the potential to unite millions on solutions to pressing issues, which if left unsolved may extinct man. In particular, I explained, the ability to have millions of consumers ally with corporations committed to corporate social responsibility will be a key driver of social and environmental solutions on rethos.com.

It is no secret that the corporation is the all-powerful institution today. Multinational corporations influence government decisions, citizen thought, and non-profit mandates. By uniting consumers and driving them to demand, via their spending, that these corporations champion solutions to social and environmental issues, they will force these institutions to be their collective voice – and move as the collective action of consumers to implement these solutions.

Toby’s frankness took me aback at the time, but left a lasting impression. The rgency in his vision and the courage to challenge the ‘discussion fluff’ exemplifies rethos for me.