Ty's Profile

Great post and comments. I’m also very supportive of continuing to develop telemedicine given the magnitude of benefits, especially in rural and other under-served regions. However, I see the real value-add from digital in the medical field as a means to prevent the need for the most expensive forms of healthcare, that is, emergency care. I imagine a world where digital solutions help us to live a healthy lifestyle (informaiton, data capture, motivation, reminders, routine, stickiness, etc.) but also can predict when and what type of care we need. In this situation, I could envisage a greater role for telemedicine as their would be increased data and earlier identification, enabling a greater proportion of treatments to be administered via telemedicine/homecare.

Great post and comments – thanks all! I find this topic incredibly interesting and have firsthand benefited from Sweden’s progressiveness towards building a cashless economy – I didn’t handle any Swedish Krona during my year living there. I agree that culture plays a huge role, especially regarding a country’s perception and stance on tax evasion. To your question, Shezaad, I think reduction in tax evasion is a huge benefit of going cashless and it also provides banks with a vast amount of spending data – I see both pros and cons to this. Personally, I’m a huge advocate for digital but I think there is a long way to go in both willingness and regulation.

Really interesting post and business! I think the potential applications for HD cameras are huge, as you listed in the post. Zooming in on drones for a second, I’m undecided on how to think about privacy and the required regulation to safely and effectively govern the use of drones for personal and commercial use. There are some obvious no-no’s around looking into people’s homes without their permission but I find the lines quickly become blurry. Especially given the constant development in HD camera technology, which is providing cleaner imaging from further distance – I know this something Australia is currently grappling with –> http://www.news.com.au/technology/gadgets/australia-drone-laws-to-be-relaxed-this-year-but-experts-warn-of-safety-threat/news-story/293de111202282e4a7c35533a12b397d

Really interesting post and comments – I share a similar concern, CF. It is becoming increasingly apparent that our “personalized” news feeds are presenting us with content that is very similar to what we usually consume. Consequently, in order to broaden our knowledge and perspectives, we have to go searching for content that is “unpersonalized” to our usual media consumption. Recently, I have tried to do this more regularly but truth be told, I often very quickly slide back to “personalized” content as I quickly skim fast news in between and around our busy schedules.

A really interesting post! I agree with Pete on the importance of trust in the doctor-patient relationship but I would love to see AI in healthcare continue to develop in two broad areas. Firstly, by playing an increasing support role for MDs through Learn > Analyze > Evaluate > Decide. Secondly, by building the capacity to execute in order to give patients the option of choosing a human vs. machine MD. That is, for W price you can have a human MD who has an X% success rate for this particular procedure or for Y price you can have a machine MD who has a Z% success rate for the procedure.

A very thought provoking post, COG – its great to see the Southern Hemisphere getting some airtime on these important issues. I agree with you that Fonterra has taken steps forward but the real question is have they done enough? Or more broadly, what is enough? As such a large company that is so important to the NZ economy (directly and indirectly), I don’t think this question should be posed lightly. Fonterra have a real opportunity to act as an architect and a beacon in driving not only NZ forward but also all agricultural companies globally, however they need to ensure that they do it profitably. Personally, I would like Fonterra to be more bold and look to make investments in more sustainable alternatives to dairy, such as soy or almond milk.

A really interesting post, Steve. I definitely agree with the challenges ahead that you laid out. Gaining scale will be difficult but I think if they can gain a strong beachhead market where consumers tend to be more sustainability-focused (potentially certain US cities or forward thinking European locations, e.g. Scandinavia and the Netherlands) from which they can improve operations and grow, I think over time they can address this. On the consumer preferences point, I think effectively creating this shift comes down to four factors: price, taste, convenience and time (to change perceptions). If Impossible Foods can achieve this then hallelujah… they would have achieved something many believe (not me) is impossible.

A very interesting post! As a keen skier this is something that is close to my heart. I really like the way you’re thinking about extending the operating window to not only include the typical winter snow season (which is shortening). I agree with you that a clear push in this direction requires not only one time events but a continuous flow of travelers to ensure a more consistent revenue stream is generated. I would like to see ski resorts, such as Squaw Valley, to increase their sustainability educational activities for consumers. As ski resort consumers, we could become strong advocates and help to drive a more sustainable tomorrow as we are so motivated to do so given our heavy reliance on mother nature’s good health. I also think summer, spring, autumn presents a great opportunity to inspire typically less active people to get out and enjoy the great outdoors while the temperatures are less extreme. There is also the benefit of lift infrastructure for those who may be unable to traverse uneven, hilly terrain but still want to experience the views and fresh air.

A very interesting post. While I’m not one to typically wager my opinions on fashion-related issues, my connection to Sweden and my recent rendezvous on the runway has opened my eyes and ears somewhat. I really liked the way you laid out the current practices that H&M has initiated as well as your recommended actions, which I really agree with. In line with your view, I see H&M’s required actions as three-fold:

1) Set ambitious sustainability goals and then provide in-depth tracking and performance reporting
2) Educate consumers on the environmental impact of their business and what people can do to help
3) Help the entire supply chain to profitably improve their sustainability, including creating more sustainable products and end-of-life options (e.g. recycling)

Great post, Bhargav and a very interesting reply – I’m also curious about the environmental impact of soy and traditional dairy milk. I’m yet to come across “almost milk”, Cathal, however I’m always open to trying new, sustainable alternatives. I’m curious as to why almond production has remained so concentrated in California over the years and where alternative growing locations may be found that can efficiently and sustainably shift the needle of supply.