Podcast appearances and mentions of Ray C Anderson

It's easy to think that business interests are diametrically opposed to environmental progress - and in many cases, you wouldn't be wrong. However, meaningful evidence suggests that many businesses would actually improve their bottom line if they adopted more sustainable practices. Enter today's guest, David S. Eady, the Director of Industry Engagement at Georgia Tech, a co-appointment from the Ray C. Anderson Center for Sustainable Business and the university's Scheller School of Business. In this role, David establishes relationships with local business leaders in order to help them achieve net zero carbon emissions by 2050, a target set by Drawdown Georgia. In his (limited) spare time, David also serves as the mayor of Oxford, Georgia, where his lifelong career in environmentalism has inspired a number of important sustainability initiatives. In this interview, Monica catches up with David about the power of collective action and partnership, measuring impact over time, and meeting business leaders where they are. Show NotesAbout David EadyDrawdown Georgia Business CompactDrawdown GeorgiaRay C. Anderson Center for Sustainable BusinessOxford GA Official City WebsiteBiophilic Solutions | Shifting to a Green Economy with Edward B. BarbierKey Words: Climate Change, Climate Action, Environmental Issues, Corporate Responsibility, Georgia Tech, GA Tech, David S. Eady, Drawdown, Drawdown GA, Ray C. Anderson, Carbon, Carbon Emissions, Biophilia, Biophilic Design 

Ray C. Anderson Foundation by The Good Works Show

Today is my very first recording from the Himalayas. It's refreshing to be able to see the colors in the mountains, feel the chills on your skin and also the warmth of the winter sun. Hope you too are blending into the Christmas spirit this holiday season. Every time I hit the road, journeying a new path, I've encountered some fabulous strangers, phenomenal humans along the way who leave a mark and inspire me. I'm glad that pattern continued on this trip as well. That's why for today's episode we thought of maintaining a similar theme and check on inspiring change makers from previous gupshups …we initially wanted to make top 3, however curating top 3 was hard, therefore we thought of making two part series covering 3 change makers in each episode. This week, we look at Ray C Anderson from Interface carpets, Ben Smith from Green Wave and May Al Karooni from Globechain. Hope you enjoy this compilation. Let us know your thoughts on this at circularbusinesspodcast.india@gmail.com / info@thecircularcollective.com Keyword : What is a circular economy? Follow our page- (Circular Business Podcast | The Circular Collective) Reach out to us on LinkedIn | Facebook | Instagram | Twitter --- Send in a voice message: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/circular-business-podcast/message Support this podcast: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/circular-business-podcast/support

Interface has some of the most ambitious climate goals in business, and is achieving them by deeply integrating purpose and sustainability throughout the organization. While Interface may not be a company you've heard of, you might step on its products every single day. Founded by Ray C. Anderson in the 1970s, Interface designs and manufactures modular commercial flooring, including a revolutionary carbon-capturing carpet tile. Long before such innovative products, Interface was a “typical” company with a negative impact on the environment. In 1994, after a customer asked Anderson what his company was doing for the environment, the founder developed a task force to come up with the answer. Since then, Interface has achieved its “Mission Zero” commitment to be net zero by 2020 (and did so a year early) and has embarked on Climate Take Back, an initiative to create a climate “fit for life.” To talk about Ray's vision and Interface's radical journey, we welcomed Erin Meezan, VP and Chief Sustainability Officer, to the show.Listen for Erin's insights on: How Interface operationalized Ray's original vision into strategic initiatives that have transformed the way companies approach sustainability. Why and how Interface engages its supply chain partners in achieving sustainability goals. How purpose-driven products and services can mobilize customers under a shared mission. Transformational lessons learned along Interface's sustainability journey. Links & NotesErin Meezan on LinkedInAbout InterfaceRay Anderson ObituaryRay Anderson's Author PageInterface's Lessons for the FutureNew York Times | “Has the Carbontech Revolution Begun?”Interface's Sustainability HistoryClimate Take Back VideoThe Four Pillars of Climate Take BackCarbon Neutral Floors

Interface has some of the most ambitious climate goals in business, and is achieving them by deeply integrating purpose and sustainability throughout the organization. While Interface may not be a company you've heard of, you might step on its products every single day. Founded by Ray C. Anderson in the 1970s, Interface designs and manufactures modular commercial flooring, including a revolutionary carbon-capturing carpet tile. Long before such innovative products, Interface was a “typical” company with a negative impact on the environment. In 1994, after a customer asked Anderson what his company was doing for the environment, the founder developed a task force to come up with the answer. Since then, Interface has achieved its “Mission Zero” commitment to be net zero by 2020 (and did so a year early) and has embarked on Climate Take Back, an initiative to create a climate “fit for life.” To talk about Ray's vision and Interface's radical journey, we welcomed Erin Meezan, VP and Chief Sustainability Officer, to the show. Listen for Erin's insights on: How Interface operationalized Ray's original vision into strategic initiatives that have transformed the way companies approach sustainability. Why and how Interface engages its supply chain partners in achieving sustainability goals. How purpose-driven products and services can mobilize customers under a shared mission. Transformational lessons learned along Interface's sustainability journey. Links & Notes Erin Meezan on LinkedIn About Interface Ray Anderson Obituary Ray Anderson's Author Page Interface's Lessons for the Future New York Times | “Has the Carbontech Revolution Begun?” Interface's Sustainability History Climate Take Back Video The Four Pillars of Climate Take Back Carbon Neutral Floors

In this episode, Allie Kelly of the Ray C. Anderson Sustainable Highway talks about the "living laboratory." This "P-4," as Allie explains, is testing new technologies in their effort to make the highway safe and sustainable. In the 2nd half of the show, James Marlowe talks with Tim and John about effective lobbying and the evolution of solar in Georgia.

In this interview with Blair Beasley and Lisa Lilienthal, we hear their climate stories, talk about how the climate crisis is impacting Georgia today, what Drawdown Georgia is and how they're helping accelerate climate solutions, and advice for anyone who wants to get involved or start a drawdown initiative in their own state!Blair is on the core research team for Drawdown Georgia and is also the Director of Climate Strategies at the Ray C. Anderson Foundation which is funding Drawdown Georgia. Previously, Blair worked on the Georgia Climate Project leadership team, the Bipartisan Policy Center's Energy Project, Resources for the Future, and Net Zero Solutions.Lisa is a Principal leading the Purpose Practice at a company called Dialogue which is an engagement strategy firm for organizations on a mission. Lisa is heavily involved with Drawdown Georgia's content and community and helped bring Drawdown Georgia and Groopit together to launch a crowd-solving platform which I personally am very excited to hear more about.Timeline:0:00 Intro.2:00 Blair's climate story.3:30 Lisa's climate story.7:45 How Drawdown Georgia came to be & how they got involved.9:30 What "drawdown" means and what Project Drawdown is.14:20 How the climate crisis is affecting Georgians today.17:20 The often overlooked social benefits of climate solutions.20:30 Drawdown Georgia's theory of change & menu of solutions.31:00 Exciting initiatives and collaborations so far.33:30 How can Georgians get involved? How is Drawdown Georgia crowd-solving?41:30 Advice for individuals to start a Drawdown initiative for their own city, state, or region.49:15 Setting statewide goals that are ambitious and achievable.53:50 Researchers at GA Tech are building a map to track GHG emissions in real-time for every county in GA.55:30 Favorite solutions?1:00:00 Book and podcast recommendation.1:02:00 Final thoughts and advice for listeners!Links mentioned for Drawdown Georgia!Newsletter sign-up and social media links at the bottom of the homepage! Drawdown GA Research Solutions Take action with Drawdown GA! Crowdsourcing Sustainability links:Sign up for the Crowdsourcing Sustainability newsletter! Website And a huge thank you to Diego Rentsch for editing as always!!Support the show (https://crowdsourcingsustainability.org/donate/)

In this episode, Farmer D and Laura Turner Seydel take a holistic look at what a regenerative society would look like. They reflect on educating and inspiring the next generation of advocates, regenerating landscapes, and moving towards a brighter future through equity and kindness.Join Our Community!Show Notes:Captain Planet FoundationMothers and Others for Clean AirEnvironmental Working GroupChattahoochee RiverkeeperAdditional Resources:Citizen Farmers Resources Citizen Farmers BookCredits:Co-Produced and Recorded by Daron Joffe and Ben BernsteinAudio Editing by Sarah MilliganMusic by Ben BernsteinAbout Farmer D:Farmer D is a nationally recognized biodynamic farmer, designer, speaker, entrepreneur and educator.He is the author of the acclaimed book "Citizen Farmers: The Biodynamic Way to Grow Healthy Food, Build Thriving Communities and Give Back to the Earth" and has spent the past 25 years designing and building community farms and gardens all over the country.Farmer D has worked on a wide range of public and private farm development projects ranging from residential “agrihood” communities like Serenbe and Rancho Mission Viejo to non-profit projects such as Coastal Roots Farm and Camp Twin Lakes.About Laura Turner Seydel:Laura Turner Seydel is an international environmental advocate and eco-living expert dedicated to creating a healthy and sustainable future for our children. Laura is chairperson of the Captain Planet Foundation, which promotes hands-on environmental education projects worldwide. She is a director of and works with the Environmental Working Group to limit the toxic chemicals in food, air, water and consumer products. In 2004, she co-founded and is Board Chair of Mothers and Others for Clean Air, an official program of the American Lung Association Southeastern Region. In 1994, she and her husband co-founded Chattahoochee Riverkeeper. Laura serves on the boards of her family's foundations:  the Turner Foundation, Jane Smith Turner Foundation, the Turner Endangered Species Fund, and Ted's Montana Grill. She is vice chair of the League of Conservation Voters Education Fund and sits on the national boards of the League of Conservation Voters, Defenders of Wildlife, Waterkeeper Alliance and the Carter Center Board of Councilors; she also serves on the advisory board for the Ray C. Anderson Foundation and board of directors of the Rotary Club of Downtown Atlanta.Laura lives with her husband and her three children in Atlanta. Their home, EcoManor, is the first LEED-certified Gold residence in the southeastern United States. Support the show (https://www.citizenfarmers.com/podcast/#podcast-subscribe)

Today we bring to you a phenomenal example --> Interface Inc. Did you know that over ninety percent of all of the carpet made today is made up of synthetic fiber...that is nylon, polypropylene or polyester. Now nylon, polypropylene & polyester are raw materials derived from the oil & gas industry. So you can understand how crucial it is for the world to make this supply chain circular because Oil & Gas is a non-renewable industry. Good news is that an individual & visionary by the name Ray C. Anderson, founder and former chairman of Interface Inc. led his company and people on a path to Mission Zero® with a pledge to reduce their negative impact on the environment in the year 1994. Yes, more than 2 decades ago. He was moved after he read a book by Paul Hawkins. That book affected him so deeply that he went to the office the next day and challenged his senior executives to make their business sustainable! If Ray Anderson can do that in 1995 then our generation has no right to make excuses towards climate action today. Since then Interface carpets have been redesigning and reshaping their processes, their thinking and their whole business to try and achieve sustainability by 2020. Their machine that they like to call “Cool Green” separates the reclaimed materials from used carpets → turns it into pellets→ then homogenized powdered form which then is mixed with Bitumen compounds and recycled limestone to turn it into new carpets! Interface carpets have radically changed entire business practices- influenced the industry by reducing dependency on petro-chemicals and minimized their carbon footprint. Their Cool green technology has evolved over the years and now forms a part of all their factories and business processes around the globe. Their carpets are made from recycled / renewed repurposed yarns, which are manufactured using renewable sources of energy. Just imagine how beautiful and efficient the world will be when you have such well thought & well made carpet floorings across corporate spaces, co-working spaces, hotels, schools and colleges and hospitals! Ooh and they also lease you carpets-as-a-service which totally ups their game in this industry. Since 1996, they've reduced the embodied carbon footprint of their carpet tile product by 74% by changing how they design and make their products through the use of recycled materials, dematerialization and improved manufacturing efficiencies. Then, through their Carbon Neutral Floors programme, they compensate for what they still can't avoid with carbon offsets from renewable energy, fuel switching and reforestation projects. Tune into the episode to learn more; Follow our page- (Circular Business Podcast | The Circular Collective) * Keep the conversation on by commenting on our posts on social media- LinkedIn | Facebook | Twitter * Please rate and review us wherever you listen to your podcast! Keywords : What is a circular economy? ; Circular Economy Podcast ; Circular Business Models ; Circular Design --- Send in a voice message: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/circular-business-podcast/message Support this podcast: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/circular-business-podcast/support

In this episode, UGA's Kevin Kirsche returns to discuss campus sustainability with energy expert John McFarland, Wilson Mallard from Georgia Power discusses the evolution of solar in Georgia, and Allie Kelly of the Ray C. Anderson Foundation returns to talk about the latest technology and future trends in transportation including autonomous cars.

Imagine if your car were powered by solar roads made out of recycled tires? Today we talk with Allie Kelly, the Executive Director of The Ray, a highway that is the future for sustainable roads and transportation. She talks about how her family found Serenbe and Steve challenges listeners with a Serenbe scavenger hunt to find the chair placed in memory of the highway's namesake Ray C. Anderson that features a box with his book hidden inside.In the five years since its conception, Allie has helped The Ray to implement and build nearly a dozen ground-breaking, world-leading technology demonstrations, including the first solar road in the United States and the world’s first public demonstration of a drive-through tire safety station. Allie has over 15 years of experience working in public policy, first as a lobbyist for UPS in Washington, D.C. then founding Georgia Watch in Atlanta, the state’s only consumer watchdog organization. Allie earned a B.A. in Political Science from the University of Georgia.

The scale of the climate crisis requires that companies change the way they operate. Yes, it would be easier to simply purchase carbon offsets and continue to do business as usual. But if we are going to succeed in reversing climate change, companies must take the next step and transform their processes from cradle to gate (or even grave if they can!) So, how does a business get started on the path to sustainability? Erin Meezan is the Vice President and Chief Sustainability Officer at Interface, Inc., a pioneering modular flooring company with a deep commitment to sustainability. Interface is also the recipient of a 2020 UN Global Climate Action Award and the subject of the new documentary Beyond Zero. On this episode of Reversing Climate Change, Erin joins Ross to explain what inspired Interface’s commitment to the environment and how the team approached the sustainability conversation with its investors early on. Erin discusses the company’s recent launch of carbon-negative carpet tiles, walking us through the value associated with doing business more sustainably and the necessity of conducting a full life cycle assessment of a given product. Listen in to understand how Interface is influencing other businesses to make fundamental change and learn how YOUR company might take its first steps to sustainability! Connect with Nori Purchase Nori Carbon Removals Nori Nori on Facebook Nori on Twitter Nori on Patreon Resources Interface, Inc. Erin on LinkedIn Erin on Twitter Interface’s Climate Take Back Mission The Ecology of Commerce: A Declaration of Sustainability by Paul Hawken Paul Hawken FLOR Aquafil Buy Clean California CarbonCure on Reversing Climate Change S2EP16 2020 UN Global Climate Action Awards Beyond Zero Interface’s Lessons Learned Report Confessions of a Radical Industrialist: Profits, People, Purpose—Doing Business by Respecting the Earth by Ray C. Anderson with Robin White --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/reversingclimatechange/message Support this podcast: https://anchor.fm/reversingclimatechange/support

Guest: John LanierIntroduction: As geeks, we can do a lot to help out our environment by doing little things like using less water while brushing our teeth or using reusable bags instead of plastic bags while at the grocery store. But as individuals, it is hard for us to make a large impact on the well-being of the entire globe! That is where businesses and corporations can step in to be leaders in combating climate change! The Ray C. Anderson Foundation is based on the values of creating a better world for tomorrow’s child through encouraging businesses to take action. John Lanier is the Executive Director of RCAF and we are going to talk about his family ties to this wonderful foundation.

John A. Lanier joined the Ray C. Anderson Foundation as Executive Director in May 2013. Serving in this role has been an immense honor, and he feels privileged to work with his family to advance the legacy of Ray, his grandfather. Lanier's passion for environmental stewardship was sparked by Ray's example and story, and he never tires of sharing this story with others. For those that don't know, Ray Anderson was the founder and chairman of Interface. He was a pioneer in building product sustainability and proved how sustainability can make good business sense. Prior to joining the Foundation, John Lanier was an associate attorney with Sutherland, Asbill and Brennan, LLP, specializing in U.S. Federal taxation. He represented the interests of various Atlanta-based nonprofits, gaining experience in nonprofit formations, compliance and applications for recognition of tax-exempt status. During that time, the Ray C. Anderson Foundation was one of his clients. Lanier currently serves as Chair of the Board of Directors for Southface, the southeast's nonprofit leader in the promotion of sustainable homes, workplaces and communities through education, research, advocacy and technical assistance. Lanier was a member of the 2014 class of the Institute for Georgia Environmental Leadership (IGEL). Lanier earned his Juris Doctorate from the University of Virginia School of Law, and he holds Bachelor of Arts Degrees in History and Economics from the University of Virginia. He is an Atlanta native who simply enjoys life. Lanier is blessed to be married to Chantel, a truly wonderful woman, and the two of them have two children, Joseph Ray (J.R.) and Cecilia.   Show Highlights Learn Interface's journey as they climbed mount sustainability  John shares his grandfather's insights on how a company could be profitable and responsible to the planet How business can be a force for good in the world.  John lets you know if the current economic system that has generated more quality of life than any other is sustainable  John explains how Atlanta's soccer club, Atlanta United represents the sustainability movement  Why John says we need a systems level approach to sustainability, a redesign of our economic system   “We need as many people understanding the intricacies, the nuances of what it takes to solve sustainability challenges as possible, and that requires people being willing to read and listen to podcasts like this and go deep on these issues. Becoming experts in as many different areas within sustainability as possible. It's hard work. It takes time, but it's a rewarding journey.”  -John Lanier   Full Transcript GBMS With John Lanier   Show Resources Ray Anderson TED Talk Mid-Course Correction Revisited  Ecocentricity Blog  LinkedIn Twitter Ray C. Anderson Foundation U.S. Chamber of Commerce Foundation   Connect with Charlie Cichetti and GBES Charlie on LinkedIn Green Building Educational Services GBES on Twitter Connect on LinkedIn Like on Facebook Google+ GBES Pinterest Pins GBES on Instagram   GBES is excited our membership community is growing. Consider joining our membership community as members are given access to some of the guests on the podcasts that you can ask project questions. If you are preparing for an exam, there will be more assurance that you will pass your next exam, you will be given cliff notes if you are a member, and so much more. Go to www.gbes.com/join to learn more about the 4 different levels of access to this one-of-a-kind career-advancing green building community! If you truly enjoyed the show, don't forget to leave a positive rating and review on iTunes.  We have prepared more episodes for the upcoming weeks, so come by again next week! Thank you for tuning in to the Green Building Matters Podcast!   Copyright © 2020 GBES

Today's episode features a incredible conversation with John Lanier about turning fear into passion for action, why we have to stop the "take, make and waste" economic model, and the regenerative highway making waves in south Georgia.We also talk about his new book, the reissued "Mid Course Correction" that shares the impact and legacy of his grandfather, Ray Anderson, founder of the sustainable carpet tile company Interface. John shares how Paul Hawken's words drove Ray to tears by showing him the dark side of his industry...how businesses and industry are causing the vast amount of environmental degradation we see across the world AND that those same businesses are ALSO able to solve those environmental problems. Finally, John tells the story of how a simple customer question changed his grandfather, who then changed his company, and how that created a ripple effect on the environment and on Serenbe.People + Organizations MentionedRay C. AndersonSouthfacePaul Hawken's The Ecology of CommerceTomorrow's ChildPatagoniaInn at SerenbeRocky Mountain InstituteGeorgia TechMary Anne LanierHarriet Langford & Phil LangfordThe Ray HighwayJanine BenyusBiomimicry InstituteAndrew WinstonKari PeiProject DrawdownRay Day

Thanks for listening to our first season, where host Monica Olsen and Serenbe Founder Steve Nygren went back to the beginning, in his life and career and in Serenbe's history, to tell the in-depth story about how this community just outside of Atlanta came to be. If you haven't listened yet, now is the time to catch up on all the episodes of Season 1. We are kicking off Season 2 on Monday, January 27th with 14 brand new episodes. You'll hear from many of the people that were integral to Serenbe's creation and development and hear THEIR Serenbe stories. We talk with John Lanier, the Executive Director of The Ray C. Anderson Foundation about how integral his grandfather was to Steve's vision.You'll hear from Richard Louv, bestselling author of Last Child in the Woods, Tom Reed, the Mayor of Chattahoochee Hills, the city that Serenbe sits within, and Dennis Creech, founder of Southface.We'll also have Phill Tabb on, who is Serenbe's site planner, professor and architect, Robert Rausch who Steve met via Ryan Gainey in Atlanta, Col. Mark "Puck" Mykelby, who was a Serenbe Fellow and inspired Steve to create the Biophilic Institute, as well as many more people. Join us for Season 2 on January 27th, and please download and subscribe.

Laura sat down with John Lanier, the Executive Director of the Ray C. Anderson Foundation, at the Sustainable Brands Metrics event in Philadelphia.  The foundation supports and funds projects that ensure future generations inherit a world where healthy and functioning natural systems support all life. John is the grandson of Ray C. Anderson, so he talks about his grandfather's business, the book they wrote, and some of the projects the foundation is currently involved in.   

Today on the Soul Minded Business podcast, host JD Ross talks to Jamie Lanier, a trustee of the Ray C. Anderson foundation.  Jamie and JD talk about Jamie's "spear in the chest" moment, how to find purpose in life, and how to be "aggressively patient." Find out more about JD Ross and Soul Minded Business by visiting us at soulmindedbusiness.com.

Ray C. Anderson Foundation by The Good Works Show

Monica Olsen and Steve Nygren go into detail about the pivotal moment in Steve and Serenbe’s beginning. Steve and his daughter, Garnie, came upon a bulldozer taking out trees while they were running trails on their 300 acres. Steve worried about urban sprawl in their paradise and immediately made calls to land owners in Chattahoochee Hills, asking them to call if they ever decided to sell. The three largest parcels that touched the Nygren farmhouse had to sell for different reasons, and in 5 weeks, Steve had another 600 acres under contract. He’d seen rural land turn to suburban neighborhoods when growing up in Boulder, Colorado, where generations of his family had farmed land. Steve knew he couldn’t keep showing up at real estate closings to keep the same thing from happening to his home, and that there had to be a balance between land preservation and economic return. His close friend Ray C. Anderson connected him with thought leaders and institutions to assemble a charrette on the state of Chattahoochee Hills in 2000. They discussed how global issues could be relevant locally, but realized there was no one in the development world who could come in to figure out how to do what they’d imagined. Environmentalism had not even been a part of the development discussion yet. There was a need for housing after World War II, which spawned the current development model that is not sustainable. He saw examples at Prairie Crossing near Chicago, then quickly realized it was still a magnet for development. There was no countryside outside the community, and no commercial within the community. They had expected everyone around them to develop in the same way, but it didn’t happen that way because people like to put housing next to open fields rather than creating their own open fields. This has created suburban neighborhoods where people have everything inside their homes, which keeps them from each other and from nature, causing all sorts of problems with food systems and health. Steve realized he wasn’t thinking large enough; that he’d have to affect legislation. He then brought 500 Chattahoochee Hill Country landowners together to change the zoning, thus changing how this area would be developed.Questions Asked:What was the pivotal moment that involved a bulldozer? How many acres did you have before you saw the bulldozer? Why did seeing a bulldozer make you think of a housing development and sprawl?How did opening a restaurant in Roswell influence your decision to buy additional land?When you were purchasing Chatt Hills land, did you know what you were going to do with it? Are people’s preconceived notions about how a development works and the traditional constructs of a community development a part of the problem? Why do you think people weren’t developing in an environmentally-friendly way (like Serenbe)?What are some of the global policies developers weren’t thinking about?

Many people wonder “What is Serenbe?” Host Monica Olsen introduces Serenbe founder, developer and CEO Steve Nygren as they sit down to talk about why he created Serenbe, and what Serenbe is today.Questions AskedWhat is Serenbe?What else is here besides people and trees?Who lives here?What drove you to build Serenbe?What should we know about Serenbe's neighborhoods?What is a well-lived life?What can I do here?People/Organizations Mentioned: Steve Nygren, Ray C. Anderson, Hartsfield-Jackson International Airport, Atlanta, Audubon Society, Chattahoochee Hills, Denver, Colorado, Decatur, Georgia, Interface, The White House, Counsel on the Environment, Rocky Mountain Institute, LEED, Blue Zones, Serenbe Stables, Terminus Modern Ballet Theatre, Serenbe Farms, The Farmhouse Restaurant, Serenbe Playhouse, Inn at Serenbe, Pro Bike Repair Serenbe, Forage & Flower

Produce, consume, discard; we all know the routine. Raw materials are extracted, produced into goods, and used – sometimes only once – before turning into waste. And maybe we think that recycling that Starbucks cup or Smartwater bottle is the best we can do for the planet. But that’s the wrong way to think about it, says John Lanier of the Ray C. Anderson Foundation. “Recycling is not the answer or the solution to advancing the circular economy,” Lanier asserts. It's an answer, but actually one of the weakest ones. It’s what we should do as a last result before we throw something in a landfill.” Like his grandfather Ray Anderson, a pioneer in corporate sustainability, Lanier advocates for a mindset in which products are designed and manufactured with a focus on permanence, rather than disposability. “In this vision for the future we become owners of things…not consumers of them,” Lanier explains. “That’s a big and radical shift.” Rethinking our manufacturing methods and energy resources is another key element, says Beth Rattner of the Biomimicry Institute. “When we start talking about pulling carbon out of the air, taking it from source emitters, pulling methane off of farms and creating new kinds of stuff, new kinds of plastic…that’s the recycling story we should be telling.” Finding ways to imitate nature’s most efficient methods, such as structural color, is an exciting new development in product design. “Imagine if everything we made was functionally indistinguishable from nature,” Rattner says. “That's the goal. “Because when you walk into a forest, that whole forest is working toward a single common good, which is the protection of the forest; that is its survival strategy.” And as more and more corporations and consumers embrace the concept of a “circular economy,” it may turn out to be ours as well. Guests John Lanier, co-author, Mid-Course Correction Revisited: The Story and Legacy of a Radical Industrialist and his Quest for Authentic Change (Chelsea Green, 2019) Beth Rattner, executive director, Biomimicry Institute Peter Templeton, president and CEO, Cradle to Cradle Product Innovation Institute Mike Sangiacomo, president and CEO, Recology Related Links: Ray C. Anderson Foundation Biomimicry Institute Cradle to Cradle Products Innovation Institute Recology Nathaniel Stookey's Junkestra: A Symphony of Garbage | The Kennedy Center (Youtube) The Ecology of Commerce: A Declaration of Sustainability (Paul Hawken) This program was recorded in front of a live audience at The Commonwealth Club of California in San Francisco on May 7, 2019

The Ray C. Anderson Center for Sustainable Business at Georgia Tech's Scheller College of Business is a hotbed of innovation for the circular economy. Earth911 talks with the school's Dr. Beril Toktay and Michael Oxman about the application of sustainable practices in business and the future of careers in sustainability. If you are a student or a business owner considering how to turn green intentions into profitable practices, this is an interview that will open your eyes to many possibilities. Start your sustainable business journey with this podcast.

The Ray C. Anderson Center for Sustainable Business at Georgia Tech's Scheller College of Business is a hotbed of innovation for the circular economy. Earth911 talks with the school's Dr. Beril Toktay and Michael Oxman about the application of sustainable practices in business and the future of careers in sustainability. If you are a student or a business owner considering how to turn green intentions into profitable practices, this is an interview that will open your eyes to many possibilities. Start your sustainable business journey with this podcast.

As scientists and companies work on cleaning up cars, there’s also a team developing new technology along a road in rural Georgia in the United States, with the aim of making a truly sustainable highway. The Ray, an 18-mile stretch of road near the Alabama border, is a “living laboratory” where eco-friendly projects are being tested. It’s got pollination gardens, a tyre-monitoring system to help reduce fuel consumption and solar panels embedded in a section of the road. A large solar installation also generates power and revenue, helping to reduce carbon emissions and encourage investment. We meet the team behind the project and explore whether cleaner roads can be rolled out elsewhere in the United States and further afield. Presenter: Harriet Noble Reporter: Nicola Kelly Photo Caption: An electric vehicle’s battery gets charged at a station along The Ray Photo Credit: The Ray C. Anderson Foundation

Allie Kelly is Executive Director of The Ray. A Georgia native, Allie earned a B.A. degree in political science from the University of Georgia. She has worked in public policy for over 15 years, first as a lobbyist for UPS in Washington, D.C., then returning to Atlanta and founding Georgia Watch in 2002, which is the state’s only consumer watchdog organization. In 2009, she left Georgia Watch to join former Lt. Gov. Pierre Howard at the Georgia Conservancy as its senior vice president, and it was there that she met the Trustees of the Ray C. Anderson Foundation, who partnered with the Georgia Conservancy to do a feasibility study for the project that would become The Ray. She was recruited by the Trustees to help found The Ray in 2015, and now serves as its executive director.

The story is now legend; the “spear in the chest” epiphany Ray Anderson experienced when he first read Paul Hawken’s, The Ecology of Commerce seeking inspiration for a speech to an Interface task force on the company’s environmental vision. Fourteen years and a sea change later, Interface, Inc., is approximately 40 percent to it’s target of “Mission Zero,” the journey no one would have imagined for the company, or the petroleum-intensive industry of carpet manufacturing, which has been forever changed by Ray’s vision. The once captain of industry has eschewed a luxury car for a Prius and built an off-the-grid home, authored a book chronicling his journey, and become an unlikely screen hero in the 2004 Canadian documentary, “The Corporation.” He was named one of TIME International’s “Heroes of the Environment” in 2007. He’s a sought after speaker and advisor on all issues eco, including a stint as co-chairman of the President’s Council on Sustainable Development.