CSA

Since my 2014 was started with some resolutions, I have been accomplishing daily, weekly, monthly tasks to step up to my future goals. Because one of my dreams is to influence environmentally/economically sustainable societies through my businesses, I put volunteer activities for local farming business in my resolutions in this year. A couple weekends ago, I started a volunteering at Santa Monica farmers' market which is one of the biggest farmers markets in California. I'm also now interested in CSA, Community Supported Agriculture to acquire more updates about local food distributions.


CSA is originally from Japan called "teikei", and this system is to mean a direct connection between farmers and consumers so that farmers can get more financial advantage and consumers can have more fresh vegetables. Through this flow, a society can encourage healthier/more delicious foods as well as more active economic activities. Instead of stuff from oversea or more than 100 miles away, I hope I can create stronger local food distributions in the US.





Here is some online farmers market including online CSA web pages. http://www.babble.com/best-recipes/online-farmers-market-organic-buy-local/online-farmers-market-organic-buy-local-1/

Greenhouse techonology

Having decided to write about Green, Local, and Sustainable topic on my blog, food production/distribution is always a key topic. Expecially free trade agreements between nations accelerate its border free movement in food industry, US agricultural imports have been increased more than twice in 2013 compared to 2003. I believe all nature products to be consumed in local as much as possible, and it's quite unusual that people eat stuff that is grown in the other side of world only because of it's price. 


Also, I have visited an urban farm business in Detroit (Hantz Farm:http://www.hantzfarmsdetroit.com/). The president advised me that people still make their decision on price/quality when they buy foods although the movement of local product consumer are getting bigeger. Friend of mine who purchases a locally delivered boxes of vegetables told me that they buy local because of its quality and price as well as the fact that they can contribute to the local business. 


Japan has been trying to develop its IT on agricultural production, and one TV program broadcasted Netherlands greenhouse techonology。Netherland now is the second largest agriculture country in the World, and the main reason is their sustainable greenhouse technologies. Although the size of land they own to produce that amount of product is not as big as their production, their technology has brought enormous technology advantage in the competitive free trade market. (http://dc.the-netherlands.org/you-and-the-netherlands/you-and-the-netherlands%5B2%5D/about-the-netherlands/agriculture/sustainable-greenhouse-technology.html)




People have been trying to purchase local products, but I think there are millions of opportunities for business to acquire this market by developing its productivity for its price and quality. I think the greenhouse technology will be one of big game changeable item sometime really soon. 


Go for it,

My resolutions, 2014

Spending three weeks in Japan, I am totally refreshed and ready to start my 2014. It's been already almost a month, but I would like to share my resolutions in 2014. Resolutions/goals are always to be achieved, I can't to see me having achieving all of my goals. Categories are Career, Society, Exercise, Private, and Education. 

Career
>Current Job

• Since I have different goals in every three months at my current company, I don't write technical words, but basic view is that I need to be a successful sales in addition to leading my sales team as successful as I am. I believe there will be always ingredients for my future success whenever I get successful results for my boss. 

>Start up

• Business plan: Write 1 business idea in three month
• Network: Attend 1 sustainable business related network a month
• Entrepreneur: Visit 1 sustainable business related entrepreneur a month

Society

• Volunteer: Start 1 volunteer activity from February 

Exercise

• Marathon: Sub 3:30 (4:00 in March, 3:30 in October) 
• Yoga: Attend 1 yoga session a month. Need to be sustain my physical/mental health to change the world. 
• 1 more exercise: Find one more exercise by March with specific goals. 

Private

• Family&Friend: Talk to them in Japan 1 time a week
• Update list: Update my life for my friends, professor, and mentors, and find things I can contribute to them as well. 

Education

• Books: Read 2 books a month (How to books are excluded)
• Art: Enjoy 1 new art a month

Also in this blog, I will write about green, local , and sustainable business information.


All the best for your 2014.


Go for it!! Chuji.