Is the Paradigm Shifting? Food Revolution and Eco-Minded Vehicles

Is the paradigm shifting?

We think it is.

Last week in this blog we introduced our newest series THE BIG SHFT. In it, we train our camera on 10 people who are changing the way we live today. They inspire us in the way they're moving the universe forward a notch or two with an eye towards the environment.

Last week we featured the young entrepreneur Tom Szaky and the green jobs pioneer Van Jones. This week, we're rolling out two heavy hitters: the food pioneer Alice Waters and the environmental industrialist Bill Ford.

Both of these trailblazers were prescient in their view that there was a better way to do things. Both have seen the tide rise to (finally) catch up with them.

Since founding the Berkeley eatery Chez Panisse 40 years ago, Alice Waters has helped inspire nothing short of a culinary revolution. These days, she's busy heading up the Chez Panisse Foundation , a non-profit organization that funds The Edible Schoolyard Project , where students at public schools learn to harvest and grow ingredients that are then used in their lunches.

Bill Ford spearheaded a sustainability report for the company his great-grandfather founded nearly a century earlier. At the time, these green ideas were not well-received. Today, they are at the center of Ford Motor Company's strategy for success. Introducing eco-minded vehicles like hybrids, plug-in hybrids, and EVs, and improving energy efficiency at the factory level, Bill has radically transformed the way his company operates and the cars it produces.

So, if you're in need of a little inspiration, check out these episodes of THE BIG SHFT and let us know what you think. We'll respond on Facebook and Twitter .

Alice Waters, Food Revolutionary

Bill Ford, Environmental Industrialist

SHFT.COM is a cultural media platform, founded by Actor/Filmmaker Adrian Grenier and Film Producer Peter Glatzer offering original video series, curated shopping, and a host of resources that speak to an inspirationally conscious lifestyle.