The Sustainability Symbol

Who: Philip McMaster, AKA Professor P!
What: Introducing DragonTHINK, PlanetPenPal and StopStart
When / Where: August 23-27 (Montreal), Aug. 29-Sept.14 (Winnipeg), September 16-29 (Vancouver), October 1-10 (Hong Kong), Oct. 11-20 (Beijing)
How: DragonTHINK, PlanetPenPal and Stop/Start
Why: Save the Planet, with the help of friends.
Web: www.Dragonpreneur.com

Canadian “Johnny Appleseed” of ethical entrepreneurship in China returns (briefly) to combat Global Warming - with only 3 fingers.

Montreal, August 23, 2007 - Philip McMaster, a teacher-adventurer-photographer originally from the Laurentian mountains of Quebec, has been educating Chinese students in the art of merging Western-style business ethics into the Asian economic boom.

Known in Hong Kong and Beijing as Professor P!, McMaster is in Canada, performing his DragonTHINK TEST, collecting comments and speaking to students and average Canadian citizens about addressing the urgent needs of Society, the Environment and the Economy. The history, photos and video of DragonTHINK in action are viewable at www.Dragonpreneur.com

After viewing “An Inconvenient Truth” and realizing his students in Asia lacked certain thinking tools, McMaster introduced the three finger symbol [AUDIO] (representing balanced care for Society, the Environment and the Economy) to Chinese politicians and members of the Hong Kong Environmental Protection Association in February 2007. [AUDIO2]

A modern-day Johnny Appleseed of sustainable enterprise, Professor P! is currently traveling across Canada from the Gaspe to Montreal, Winnipeg and then Vancouver, speaking to individuals and groups like the Dunany Community Association* and matching Canadians, pen-pal-style, with his students and concerned citizens in China.

Hosted by supporters and citizen groups at each stop, McMaster is passionate about sharing the 5 belt Dragonpreneur.com training program he developed while teaching entrepreneurship and coaching MBA students at the Chinese University of Hong Kong.

Cutting through the complexity and politics of Global Warming and Climate Change, Professor P! keeps things simple. DragonTHINK, PlanetPenPal and Stop/Start are three of his simplest creations to encourage global citizens to think, communicate and become part of the solution to Global Warming and Climate Change.

As school approaches, Professor P! is happy to introduce DoGood the Dragon and share “An Optimistic Truth” planting the seeds of creative thinking with Canadians who want to be part of the solution, (and not the problem) and are willing to share their ideas with the rest of the world.

Teachers materials are also available.

Please contact: Philip McMaster at philipmcmaster /at/ gmail /dot/com or through www.Dragonpreneur.com

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Bio

Philip McMaster (Professor P!) was the founder of the UpNorth News, Cool to be Canadian, AucunOrdiPerdu (Computer Recycling) and numerous other social and environmental efforts to inspire people to help themselves over the years. McMaster has been teaching business in China and has developed an ethical entrepreneurship program called Dragonpreneur, based on the martial arts.
Professor P! lectures in university MBA programs in China and Canada, coaches undergraduate students in social entrepreneurship, makes presentations to grade-school students and consults to organizations interested in developing grass-roots Corporate Social Responsibility.

Q&A’s

Why the name “Professor P!”? – “Two reasons - my Scottish-Canadian name is hard to pronounce, so some Chinese students call me Professor “P”, and others call me Professor Planet.”

What is the TEST? - The TEST is how I get people thinking responsibly like a dragon. It’s also a human thinking virus or meme. See the video at www.Dragonpreneur.com

What is PlanetPenPal? – “ Planet Pen Pal is self-explanatory – pen pals learn from each other and foster peace, understanding and cooperation through communicating. These pen pals start with a common attitude – DragonTHINK - and then share ideas on how to have fun in the process of doing positive things for themselves, their friends and the planet.”

How will we understand? - “There are around 176 million Chinese studying English and 20 million of them becoming proficient in the 2nd language each year – there are many, many caring Chinese who would love to communicate with you about something meaningful. French and other languages are also very popular with students in China.”

What is STOP START? – “In one of my classes at the Chinese University of Hong Kong, discussing Corporate Social Responsibilty (CSR) and World Sustainability (WS), students were encouraged to make a list, using DragonTHINK, of what they would like to STOP doing and what they wanted to START doing to help the planet heal itself. The ideas were brilliant, and because the students came up with them themselves, it was a lasting, powerful exercise. STOPSTART.WS

Why ‘An Optimistic Truth’? – “After seeing the depressing but powerful film ‘An Inconvenient Truth’ and reflecting on my own experiences around the world; I thought about how optimistic the Chinese are about the future, and decided to adopt a positive outlook and encourage a positive vision of how we can act now to prevent the disasters ‘An Inconvenient Truth’ so powerfully predicts. Growth is inevitable, however sustainable growth is critical”

“One of my presentations to school children called ‘Your Future’s so Bright you gotta wear shades” is intentionally designed to reduce their worries about their future, and invite kids to actively envision and participate in a positive Society, optimistically help the Environment and participate in a sustainable Economy.”

“In my presentations, whether it is to corporate groups, students in junior schools, high schools or university, I notice that people respond to the call for action, and understand the meaning of the 3 fingers much quicker if there is hope and optimism… something that will make space for their actions to make an impact.”

Professor P! is making the English-Language material available to teachers for free.

Previous Radio Interviews can be heard below:

Introducing DragonTHINK to delegates at the International Conference on Climate Change http://www.dragonpreneur.com/audio/pmcmaster_hk_iccc.mp3

ABC - Holding Up Three fingers (February 12 2007)
http://www.dragonpreneur.com/audio/dragonpreneurABC12feb07.mp3

Introducing the DragonTHINK symbol at the Environmental Protection Association:

http://www.dragonpreneur.com/audio/pmcmasterEPA020207.mp3

Australian Broadcasting Company (October 16 2006) http://www.dragonpreneur.com/audio/dragonpreneurABCoct16.mp3

http://www.atimes.com/atimes/South_Asia/HI15Df01.html
“China made English compulsory in primary schools from Grade 3 in 2001, while big cities such as Beijing and Shanghai have already introduced English at Grade 1. According to Graddol’s research, an estimated 176.7 million Chinese were studying English in 2005 within the formal education sector.” David Graddol, a British linguist and author of a new study called “English Next” commissioned by the British Council,

I’m back from Asia, in Canada doing a “cross continent” campaign to introduce the new “symbol of sustainability” to North America, (you’ll see the symbol on the website www.Dragonpreneur.com)

3 Cities 3 Fingers 3 Goals -

We started near Perce (Gaspe) Quebec, now in Montreal (until Aug 27), next Winnipeg (Until Sept. 15), then Vancouver (Until Sept.30).

In each place we’re speaking to “regular people” taking their photo and learning their thoughts on sustainable Society, Environment and Economy.

In October we’ll be back in Hong Kong (where Professor P introduced the campaign and symbol to the Hong Kong Environmental Association February 1, 2007) and then up to Beijing to participate in Stan Cottrell’s U.S./China Friendship Run (Oct. 20th) from the Great Wall to Beijing and back to Hong Kong. (Philip is only doing the Beijing section).

After that it’s off to Tibet to prepare / acclimatize for a climbing event in Nepal (Spring 2008) that can be discussed later if people are interested in following the evolution of the story.

Then, of course, is the 2008 Beijing Olympics, with the hope that between the global DragonTHINK sustainability awareness campaign and its friends in North America, China and he rest of the sporting world, we’ll reveal the true spirit of sustainability and show the peaceful and harmonious intentions of all nationalities interested in a healthy, balanced world.

“A different world cannot be built by indifferent people”

Here’s the video, shot and edited by the talented guys at Velvet Panda (www.VelvetPanda.com ) during the Montreal Jazz Festival. This very informal video was captured during a relaxed conversation on the media terrace of the Hyatt Hotel, overlooking Place des Arts and the Jazz stages. Great environment, great tunes and great conversation.

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“Be Part of the Solution, Not the Problem” begins the cover story by Remo Notarianni.
DoGood the dragon has a dream; to live on Earth. However, he’s worried that the precious green and blue planet is unwell. Professor P from the McMaster Institute of Sustainable Commerce tells DoGood how to make the Earth better.

DoGood Dragon - “Professor P, what is happening to the environment?”

Professor P - “People have forgotten that the Earth doesn’t belong TO us, we belong ON Earth. So, if we do things that hurt it, we actually hurt ourselves!”

DoGood Dragon - “So what happens if we make the Earth sick?

Professor P - “Just think about what happens to you: you get sick, you can’t play with your friends, you get weak, you feel bad, and you get mad and feel grumpy”

DoGood Dragon - “What can we do?”

Professor P - “There are many things, but the first thing we need to do is change our attitude. DragonTHINK is a way of thinking that can help us heal ourselves and planet Earth

DoGood Dragon - “What is DragonTHINK? What is the meaning of the Three Fingers?”

Professor P - “When we want to help other people understand how to become part of the solution, we show them the “Hand of Gaia”. The three fingers represent DragonTHINK - respecting SOCIETY, the ENVIRONMENT and the ECONOMY.”

DoGood Dragon - “What is the Sustain-o-Meter how will this help me to live on the planet Earth?”

Professor P - “The Sustain-o-Meter is a magical instrument that measures ‘Dragon Breath’. This shows how sustainable an idea, an attitude, a machine, a building or anything in the world is.

Can you help DoGood the Dragon find the answers to sustainability in your community? DoGood is waiting for your ideas and comments below!