Welcome to the placid year of the rabbit

Pulling a rabbit out of a hat, breeding like rabbits, white rabbits – all rabbit images from the West – but to the Chinese followers of fashion and custom the world over, as they welcome in the Year of the Rabbit (commencing 3 February), the humble, playful and very edible rabbit is seen somewhat differently. Here’s one view on the year ahead:  

“A placid year, very much welcomed and needed after the ferocious year of the Tiger. We should go off to some quiet spot to lick our wounds and get some rest after all the battles of the previous year.
Good taste and refinement will shine on everything and people will acknowledge that persuasion is better than force. A congenial time in which diplomacy, international relations and politics will be given a front seat again. We will act with discretion and make reasonable concessions without too much difficulty. A time to watch out that we do not become too indulgent. The influence of the Rabbit tends to spoil those who like too much comfort and thus impair their effectiveness and sense of duty.”

And as the year has started for many with very wet feet – even in Singapore – an umbrella will come in handy! So we go very international in this issue, with reports from Washington and Davos, with John Elkington looking kindly on Singapore and water as a ongoing issue. Water conservation is in the news in China, while Australia’s flood tax is creating a storm of a different sort. Wellington will host this year climate change and business conference, while Australians of the Year get the attention they deserve. Coral bleaching gets in National Geographic’s focus and News Limited attains carbon neutral status.  Find out what’s meant by “Green Ops for PE” and look again at bamboo for its sustainability in a material world. Pandas and rabbits unite! – Ken Hickson