The Office of the Provost will host a webcast entitled “Finding the Competitive Edge: The Financial Benefits of Creating a Sustainable Campus,” on Tuesday, February 28, from 1 to 3 p.m. in the Clark Lounge of the Campus Center. The campus community is invited to attend and learn. Hunter Lovins, co-author of "Natural Capitalism', will demonstrate how to increase profitability and efficiency while becoming more environmentally and socially responsible.
Natural Capitalism helps institutions manage an “integrated bottom line,” combining profitability, environmental awareness and social responsibility, while fostering greater levels of operational effectiveness. By implementing a whole-systems approach, organizations can increase core business value. Using resources more productively and operating in ways that are restorative of people and the planet can deliver increased profitability and greater competitive advantage.
Natural Capitalism is a managerial philosophy put into action with a commitment to using our natural resources and human capital in a way that increases profit and quality of life. The Natural Capitalism Principles used are:
1. Radical Resource Efficiency: Radically increase the productivity with which all resources are used, including energy, water, materials and people. The growing number of profitable solutions to environmental challenges can buy the time needed to implement measures that will attain true sustainability.
2. Design for Sustainability: Such innovative design processes as Biomimicry, Cradle to Cradle and other forms of green design enable businesses to harness nature's wisdom to drive innovation. These approaches allow us to create systems that eliminate waste and toxics while delivering superior products and service.
3. Manage for Prosperity and Sustainability: Employ the emerging practice of Sustainable Management to restore, enhance and sustain the natural and human capital needed for continuing financial prosperity. Effective Sustainable Management enables companies and communities to enhance core business value and reinforce competitive advantage.
A worldwide recognized leader in helping companies and communities profit from more sustainable practices, Hunter Lovins has authored and co-authored numerous books, including Brittle Power (1982), Energy Unbound (1986), Factor Four – Doubling Wealth, Halving Resource Use (1997), Green Development (1998), Natural Capitalism (1999), and hundreds of papers and articles. She was named Time magazine Hero for the Planet in 2000. Hunter has consulted for government agencies and the private sector, briefing senior management at such groups as Interface, Mitsubishi, Bank of America, Royal Dutch/Shell Group, and numerous utility companies. She is a founding Professor of Business at Presidio World College.
