Jonathan WiitaMichigan State University

USA

Bridging the Gap to Create Innovative Thinking for Global Sustainability

• Face the Facts• Identify a current global crisis

• Technology and Methodology • Share and connect current innovative problem

solving

• Establish a Vision• Shift from who created the problem to who is going

to solve it

• Why is water important?

http://www.ibm.com/ibm/gio/media/pdf/ibm_gio_water_report.pdf

http://www.waterfootprint.org/?page=files/WaterFootprints

Average National Water Footprint

• Ogallala Aquifer• Supports one fifth of total

U.S. agricultural harvest• 90% of water pumped is

used to irrigate crops

http://pubs.usgs.gov/fs/FS078-03/pdf/FS078-03.pdf

• Key Global Issues• Access to potable water• Disease and contamination

http://www.ibm.com/ibm/gio/media/pdf/ibm_gio_water_report.pdf

• Solutions from Past and Present• Municipal water systems• Redistribution

• Technological Innovation• Driven by humans’ wants and needs• A tool not a solution• Powerful change catalyst

• Methodology• Theories, concepts, and ideas • Related to discipline or field of Inquiry

Q: How is this Connected to Water?A:

• Dialogue to utilize Innovation• Rise in environmental awareness• Sustainable solutions now

• Building A Smarter Planet• Green Sigma• Lean/6-Sigmawater

• 6-Sigma• Motorola and General Electric• Application of statistical tools to find root

causes• Produce metrics to develop systems and

processes• Lean• Toyota Production System• Way to boost productivity, facilitate organization,

and change culture• Do more with less

www.ibm.com

• Approach to business• The Goal• Manage and reduce water/energy

usage and inefficiencies• Part of the big picture

water

Storage

Farm to ForkHarvest

Field Shuttle

PrecoolingTransportFinal Delivery

1.Non-Traditional

Application of Knowledge and Skills

5 Steps

2.

Continue Research and Development

3.

Utilize multiple Industries and

Disciplines

4.

Build Community

5.

Lead

• This vision is partially executed• Time never stops• We are interconnected and interdependent• Start the new conversation• Introspective look• Identify you skills and abilities• Share

Japan どうもありがとう

China 謝謝您

Canada Thank you

Thailand อบคุ�ณ Tiawan 谢谢 Mexico Gracias

Peru Gracias

Brazil muito obrigado

Argentina GraciasRussia благодарю Вас

Ukraine благодарю Вас

France Merci

Germany Danke

Netherlands Dank u wel

S. Korea 감사합니다

Malaysia Terima Kasih

Vietnam Cam on Indonesia Terima Kasih

Mongolia Bayarlalaa

Philippines Salamat

Thank You!