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Prior
Overview
Mon.,
Nov 14, 2005
Cradle
to Cradle™
Design In Practice
EcoEffective
Products and Business Strategy as if the Earth Matters
-
Steve
Gerrish, based in Seattle, WA, represents Michael Braungart's
firm, EPEA Internationale
Umweltforschung GmbH (partners in McDonough Braungart Design
Chemistry, www.mbdc.com),
will speak about Cradle to Cradle design & certification
and touch on C2C business principles and benefits.
-
Jeremiah Ridenour, president of WISE
Directions LLC, a petroleum replacement company that sells
a complete line of high-performance, biodegradable lubricants,
corrosion inhibitors, bio-based cleaners and more, recapturing
used oils and remaking them into lubricant products when it
makes sense.
-
Daniel Robin, Managing Director, Integrated Investments
Int'l (www.in3inc.com),
a venture catalyst and investment firm commercializing sustainable
technologies, including renewable energy, bio-based materials,
and other "clean technologies."
Panelists
will provide an overview of the current state of Cradle to Cradle
(C2C) designs, from products to "closed loop" business
models that turn products into "products of service"
in continuous never-ending loops. We will also explore the issues
and opportunities, including standards and design criteria as
drivers to reaching mainstream acceptance of C2C solutions in
the marketplace.
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Program
Agenda:
NETWORKING
AND ARRIVALS; 6-6:30p; Speaker presentations will be followed by
an interactive discussion of the main issues, technologies, potential
solutions and opportunities.
-
Daniel
Robin moderates: Introductions and Themes: "Cradle
to Cradle" (C2C) product design, business models, and Certification.
-
Steve Gerrish - what is Cradle to Cradle Design and how
does it work in practice?
NETWORKING BREAK, 7:30-7:45p (approximate)
-
Jeremiah Ridenour will introduce WISE Directions and discuss
what problems it solves, why the company uses non-GM material,
and what the company stands for.
FURTHER
DISCUSSION / Q&A
Time permitting, those who attended will share highlights and
observations from Co-op America's Green
Business Conference and Green Festival in San Francisco,
and from a C2C materials conference, "Commercializing Bioresins
2005," held recently in Atlanta, GA (www.intertechusa.com/bioresins),
where companies from all over the world told their stories about
the long and winding road to commercial acceptance of biodegradable
plastics, and how C2C designs bring strong economic and competitive
advantages.
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Themes
and Discussion Questions:
(1)
What's new here? What's the "big deal" of thinking and
designing "Cradle to Cradle" (vs. Cradle to Grave)?
(2)
How do C2C designs help create a sustainable economy? What's the
potential for "doing well by doing good" (making money
while reducing or eliminating environmental and health risks)? Does
it have economic advantage, or does it, like many "environmental"
approaches, cost money to be green?
(3)
What's the difference between a C2C product design (built with "environmental
intelligence") and C2C business models (where technical and
natural "nutrients" are recirculated in a virtuous cycle,
where there is no waste)?
(4)
What is the status of the MBDC work as perceived by the mainstream?
Is there a bridge built between the "business as usual"
mainstream and the more progressive, conscious business world? What
would it take to build one?
(5)
What has helped businesspeople to shift from linear, "cradle-to-grave"
thinking into the cyclical cradle-to-cradle approach? What works,
what doesn't work?
(6) How
can we eliminate our dependence on imported oil and usher in a new
era of energy independence and security?
(7)
What can we do to make a difference and promote the advantages of
biolubricants and C2C designs?
What
are your interests? CSN
is structured as a self-organizing system, so your views and interests
will help shape this and future sessions.
Contact us with
your ideas!
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Useful
Links and Resources:
If you're unfamiliar with "Cradle to Cradle" business,
which has the potential to become a truly sustainable form of capitalism,
check out
Speaker
and Presenting Company Backgrounds
Steve
Gerrish is responsible for identifying industries and organizations
suitable for Cradle to Cradle Design™ project opportunities,
and for project management. Steve has a background in business
development, marketing and sales. For EPEA, Steve is a satellite
representative of EPEA Internationale Umweltforschung GmbH, Michael
Braungart's* science, chemistry, and design based company consulting
with North American customers to develop products and manufacturing
processes that are safe for human health, the environment, and
the customers economic health. Duties include the identification
of industries and organizations suitable for Cradle to Cradle
Design™ opportunities, and project management. Prior to EPEA,
Steve was business development manager for Schober, Inc where
he managed product development, website, advertising, sales and
marketing for a new venture product line called Lumicor (www.lumicor.com,
which encapsulates textiles, metals, natural foliages, wood veneers
and imagination into high performance resins). Steve was responsible
for identifying and managing strategic partnerships including
90+ outside sales representatives, developing international network
of material distributors, trade show and event management, developing
fabrication, specification, product testing data, sales training,
and marketing literature for international product launch. During
his time at Schober, he helped increase sales from $0 to $4+ million
annually. Steve is based in Seattle, WA.
*
Michael Braungart is co-founder and principal in MBDC McDonough
Braungart Design Chemistry, L.L.C. and co-author, with
green architect William McDonugh, of Cradle
to Cradle: Remaking the Way we Make Things
(2002). MBDC works with major industrial producers, such as Nike,
Shaw, and Ford on issues of materials assessment, waste and energy
balances, life-cycle design, and designing for disassembly. He
is also active in designing new products, and was instrumental
in the creation of the compostable fabric line Climatex® Lifecycle™.
If you haven't already seen it, be sure to view the 55 minute
film The
Next Industrial Revolution.
Jeremiah
Ridenour, CEO & Founder of WISE Directions, is an experienced
entrepreneur and brand-builder. Jeremiah is one of the founders
of Wildwood Natural Foods Inc., where he was named CEO in 1993.
Jeremiah brings deep business operations experience, selling and
negotiation skills, as well as knowledge of contracting for large-scale
specialty agricultural crops. With this strong background in the
natural products industry, Jeremiah brings a keen awareness of
the preferences and attitudes of channel partners, distributors,
brokers and retailers. Throughout Wildwood's 20-year history,
he has successfully demonstrated his ability to envision and execute
complex development plans, including the design and construction
of manufacturing facilities. Mr. Ridenour has a BS in Mechanical
Engineering from Eastern Michigan University and resides in Corralitos,
California.
Daniel
Robin, CSN co-founder and executive director, brings more
than 20 years Board leadership, financial and venture development
experience to clients. Daniel is principal of Daniel Robin &
Associates, a leadership consulting and training firm established
in 1985 (www.abetterworkplace.com),
and managing director of Integrated Investments International
(www.in3inc.com).
Daniel is also partner in SustainabilityWorks
with Sharon Sarris and Gam Dias, specializing in sustainability
reporting systems and training. Daniel received his bachelors
in Computer & Information Science from University of California
at Santa Cruz, completed advanced studies in Marketing and International
Business (UC Berkeley), and earned certificates in coaching and
conflict resolution, with master's level/trainer certificates
in NeuroLinguistic Programming (NLP) and public speaking.
Integrated
Investments Int'l (In3) is a "venture catalyst network,"
specializing in clean and sustainable technology, product and
service commercialization. In3 assists investors and companies
with reaching their goals through market trends and strategy
consulting, investment match making, team development, training
and coaching.
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