Although the world entered into a global recession in 2008, there is much to be thankful for in 2008. To dovetail with the Reuters video above, I’ve put together a top ten list of the things had the most positive impact. This is, by no means, a comprehensive list, so please feel free to add any events missing in the comments area.

1) The United States elected its first minority President when it elected Barack Obama.  Some might even call Obama the U.S.’s first “green” President as fighting climate change is a top priority.  (Just 5 years ago, Americans would have scoffed at the idea of a President championing “green” initiatives.  Oh, we’ve made much progress!)

2) The 2008 Olympics occurred without major incident, proving that the world can come together to celebrate life and sport in a developing country and a Communist regime.  It also marked the arrival of China as a world economic power.

3) The world financial community has come together to combat what is considered the worst economic downturn since the Great Depression.

4) A record amount of investment has been made in the clean technology industry and it does not seem to be ending anytime soon.

5) The United States auto industry received a harsh wake up call and now must focus on selling what the market is demanding, fuel-efficient vehicles.

The list continues after the jump!

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Friends, it seems that Randy could no longer bless us with his presence. He passed today from complications with cancer. Although I am sad to see him leave us, he has touched and inspired millions through his teachings, his last lecture, and his book, “The Last Lecture”.

I don’t believe he would want any of us to despair. Rather, he wants all of us to make the most of our lives and to focus on living a life that pursues our dreams.

Some of my favorite quotes from Randy are:

“We cannot change the cards we are dealt, just how we play the hand.”

“Enabling the dreams of others is even more fun [than achieving your own dreams].”

“The inspiration and permission to dream is HUGE.”

“The brick walls are not there to keep us out. The brick walls are there to give us a chance to show how badly we want something.”

“Have something to bring to the table, because that will make you feel more welcome.”

“Experience is what you get when you don’t get want you wanted.”

“We don’t beat the [grim reaper] by living longer, we beat the reaper by living well.”

“It is not the things we do in life that we regret on our deathbed, but it is the things we do NOT do that we regret.”

“Find your passion and follow it. You will not find that passion in things or in money and you will never be happy if these things are your passion.”

What are your favorite quotes from Randy? (If you have any, please list them in the comments area below.) If you feel inclined to donate money in honor of Randy, the family suggests that you donate to the Pancreatic Cancer Action Network or you can donate to the Randy Pausch Memorial Fund. You can read more about Randy’s accomplishments on our various posts about Randy or on Carnegie Mellon’s page for his contributions.

If I were to have a conversation with Randy in person, I can imagine it right now. He would say to me, “What are your dreams and what are you doing to achieve them?”

This competition just came to my attention. Net Impact is hosting its second annual “Green Challenge” global competition which recognizes students and professionals who make a positive environmental impact on campus and in companies. The press release is listed below.

Net Impact’s Second Annual “Green Challenge” Global Competition
Contest Recognizes and Supports Students and Professionals Who Make Positive Environmental Impact on Campus and in Companies

San Francisco, CA, February 6, 2008 - Net Impact’s 2008 “Green Challenge” has launched to accelerate the greening of campuses and businesses around the world. This competition measures the positive impact created by teams of students and professionals dedicated to using business to produce positive environmental change.

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Lights out San Francisco was a tremendous success! You can view a few photos of San Francisco during the “lights out” event. Read the original post about this event.

If you missed the opportunity to turn off your lights on 10/20, you can join America in turning off their lights on March 29.

Disclosure: At the time of the writing of this post, I have no financial relationships with any of the organizations mentioned.
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About the Author

Jonathan Chang is interested in new technologies which help individuals and organizations make a positive impact on society and the environment. He is also a proponent of long term thinking, supports the creation of renewable resources, and is an ardent advocate of social entrepreneurship. He is involved with and a member of Net Impact and the Commonwealth Club. (Net Impact is an international nonprofit organization whose mission is to make a positive impact on society by growing and strengthening a community of new leaders who use business to improve the world. The Commonwealth Club is the nation’s oldest and largest public affairs forum which organizes events on topics ranging across politics, culture, society and the economy.) Jon received his MBA from Babson College and his BA from Columbia University.