Current Innovations: A Lack of True Innovation

If you have been engaged in addressing systemic challenges—issues like climate change, human well-being, or what is often referred to as the “poly-crisis”—you might be feeling skeptical right now. You may have observed that even those at the forefront of prominent institutions, equipped with substantial budgets and reputations, are failing to resolve these issues. Time and again, we see promising innovations arise, only to leave behind a trail of unmet needs. New technologies, interdisciplinary educational programs, multi-stakeholder discussions, downloadable applications, and more are emerging.

We are witnessing a flurry of exciting innovations as the problems intensify.

I understand your concern. This skepticism is a significant reason I distanced myself from conventional sustainability consulting. There was too much emphasis on “innovation” without a corresponding commitment to altering our approaches.

This is precisely why I continuously turn to this hidden innovation. I want to share it with you as clearly as possible right now.

To illustrate this invisible innovation, I will utilize a metaphor, as simply naming it is insufficient. I will also demonstrate its manifestation in real-life scenarios where individuals are employing this innovation, leading to increasingly visible, powerful, and positive outcomes.

A Closer Look at an Acorn

For my metaphor, I will use an acorn, the seed of an oak tree. This tiny entity weighs about 5 grams (1/5 oz), while a fully grown oak tree can weigh approximately 36,000 times more and possesses a vastly different form.

If I were to land on Earth from another planet and someone asked me to categorize various life forms, I would never connect the diminutive acorn with the towering oak tree. I would perceive the acorn as something I could easily toss aside.

In contrast, the mature oak would stand before me as a formidable structure, one I could scarcely embrace. Moving it would require heavy machinery, let alone tossing it aside.

If I were an extraterrestrial, I would entirely overlook the fact that the acorn and the oak tree are, in fact, the same species.

Perhaps, after observing the cycle of acorns dropping over several seasons, I might grasp a hint of their connection. Still, I might mistakenly associate the acorn with something like an apricot and miss the oak's evolution altogether.

Since I am not from outer space—though some feedback may suggest otherwise—I can learn from the acorn and perceive innovation on a deeper level.

Do not dismiss this as overly simplistic; it is profoundly significant.

The connection between the acorn and the oak is so well recognized that we intuitively understand it, even though decades may separate them. We inherently recognize that this single seed contains the blueprint and the potential to transform itself repeatedly over time and space into a vastly different entity. I am not the first to make this observation; for instance, Buckminster Fuller has addressed similar concepts in Leyla Acaroglu’s timeless work.

And this lesson is not limited to oak trees; virtually any tree can impart this extraordinary insight repeatedly, alongside numerous other life forms.

The Lessons Trees Impart

Trees serve as exceptional teachers of this innovation. Throughout their lifetimes, they generously provide shade, fruit, bark, wood, and more. Most importantly, they teach us the importance of continuous transformation in profound and impactful ways.

They reveal possibilities long before they materialize.

This understanding differs significantly from merely crafting an ambitious “vision.” While visions can inspire and shape our direction, they often stray too far from what is feasible, desirable, and necessary. An acorn will never morph into a towering sequoia.

Be cautious of the tendency to impose our existing industrial frameworks onto this innovation for personal gain.

This is not about enforcing a harmful, growth-oriented, extractive agenda on the natural world while hoarding benefits for a select few at the expense of many. Although this innovation is indeed a powerful tool, it embodies elegance, generosity, and mutualism.

This innovation does not stem from a series of decisions or agreements reached in meetings. The emergence of an oak from an acorn is not dictated by external commands.

It is embedded in the very essence of its existence.

This is the innovation—the inherent code, spanning time and stages. Its existence is already established.

We often overlook this transformation because we lack the ability to perceive such gradual changes (most humans struggle to grasp time in this manner). Though it occurs right in front of us, it remains effectively invisible.

Even if we understand that an acorn is destined to become an oak, most fail to see it—unless they choose to. It requires a willingness to perceive and learn from it.

Who is Harnessing This Remarkable Innovation?

Naturally, many individuals actively applying this innovation are those who work with trees. These are often the individuals I encounter in my pursuit of evidence for the emergent, life-affirming economy I aim to cultivate.

Here are a couple of truly innovative solutions providers tackling the world’s poly-crises through their work with trees. I’m not referring to typical “tree-planting efforts,” which I have previously criticized for their lack of sustainability.

Instead, I mean transformative projects that unfold at a forest's pace (over decades), intertwining the contributions of various stakeholders within diverse human communities.

One example is the work of Miriam Prochnow and her team at Apremavi in Brazil. For over 30 years, they have collaborated with local farmers, indigenous communities, and school groups to restore the Atlantic Forest using native species. This initiative is highly integrated and dynamic, far exceeding the conventional notion of “tree planting.”

I had the privilege of spending time with Miriam and her team a few years ago and witnessed firsthand the impact of their work. As we savored delicious araucaria nuts during a working dinner filled with locally sourced foods, their innovative efforts became an embodied experience.

Another example, which I have detailed further, involves Brazilian landscape architect Ricardo Cardim and his initiatives to reintroduce the Atlantic Forest within the urban landscape of São Paulo. As a city dweller, I find this particularly inspiring, as it entails removing pavement to restore native species. Seed by seed, Ricardo is gradually making this vision a reality, benefiting local wildlife and humans alike.

While these examples emphasize trees, we should not limit ourselves to amazing individuals in the field. Anyone can harness this innovation, and I am undoubtedly overlooking countless others who are doing so.

Your Thoughts on This Innovation

You might be thinking, "I’m not leading an award-winning ecological team like Miriam Prochnow, nor am I a landscape architect like Ricardo Cardim, nor even a former sustainability advocate like myself. How can I apply this extraordinary innovation?"

Ah, that's an excellent question! While I cannot dictate what you do in your daily life, I can share a few ideas to consider.

If you work for a for-profit company, why not explore the various life-affirming business models available? You might use the Flourishing Business Co-lab toolkit or review economist Marjorie Kelly’s extensive case studies on ownership models. (Don’t tell me your company is too large; tell it to the acorn.)

If you’re with a non-profit organization, the resources mentioned above may also prove beneficial. Additionally, adrienne maree brown’s Emergent Strategies offers another fertile starting point.

For those inclined toward grassroots mobilization, I highly recommend Peter Gelderloos’ The Solutions Are Already Here, followed by Derek Jensen’s End Game.

The options are virtually limitless. The goal is for you to recognize the existing code within something small and help it reach its full potential.

Implementing This Innovation

I don’t have all the answers, but I am actively nurturing a few seeds of the future I envision. My focus is on healing global industries to cease perpetuating harm and instead align with the mutualistic life on Earth. I aim to eliminate elements that do not belong in that future, particularly the harmful practices of certain companies.

This journey began modestly with a few discussions and simple presentations. It has since evolved into a concept called Matereality, which encompasses focused data and dialogue within the Matereal World, as well as numerous industry discussions (some publicly accessible, others behind the scenes).

I cannot evaluate every company, nor do I seek to dictate actions and thoughts. Thankfully, that is not my role.

My purpose is to cultivate conditions conducive to the most mutualistic industrial practices possible. Perhaps Matereality will support larger, more influential entities within the new economic landscape, enabling them to achieve far more than I could. Perhaps we will collaborate with other similarly sized organizations. Or perhaps something entirely different will unfold.

My priority is to deploy this innovation—nothing more, nothing less.

Is This Innovation Difficult to Utilize?

One of the most valuable lessons I’ve learned from acorns and other powerful innovators is that concepts like “hard” or “easy” are human constructs.

Seeds don’t gauge their actions based on a “hard-o-meter” to determine whether to proceed. There is no such dichotomy; there is only what makes sense, what is innately true, and what follows next.

“Hard” is not a factor in decision-making; it’s merely a human stall tactic. Seeds can break through concrete.

Thus, this innovation is as straightforward as recognizing that all life begins with the inherent code to thrive, even when the transformations seem unimaginable or intimidating. Not only are these changes possible, but they are also the most probable outcome if we create conditions that foster life-affirming transformations.

Now you, too, possess one of the most powerful innovation tools known not only to humanity but to all life on Earth.

I would love to hear how you choose to utilize this tool.

> Elements of this article first appeared in a piece from 2016 titled, Acorn as Innovation Instructor.

If you resonate with the notion that simply increasing corporate sustainability targets and ESG initiatives is not the answer, and despite industries pouring billions into such efforts, we are experiencing more waste, inequality, and biodiversity loss, consider subscribing to my newsletter. Here, I challenge conventional thinking about fundamentally transforming the industrial model and offer practical insights and tools to realize my vision of a life-serving economy.

If you’re prepared for in-depth, data-driven discussions on ESG, join the deep dives in the Matereal World substack, where I assist former clients, collaborators, and passionate sustainability professionals in becoming serious about "being the change."

Lastly, if you haven’t already, be sure to follow and subscribe to all my Medium stories here, where I share a variety of articles, interviews, book reviews, and other adventures along the path toward Industrial Healing.