SFI participated in Fortune magazine’s Brainstorm Green conference this week in California. I spoke on a panel about traceability and supply chains. The organizers of the event call this “a crucial time of transformation for companies and the sustainability movement” and invited CEOs, thought leaders and environmentalists to discuss the opportunities, risks and impact of environmental issues on business and the economy. President Bill Clinton and Bill Ford of the Ford Motor Company were among the speakers. I was excited to attend and be a part of the discussions. It was a hectic, yet extremely informative conference.
Along with blog entries, we’ll post some video and podcast interviews conducted by SFI with some other attendees and thought leaders so you can hear, first-hand, their perspectives.
The first interview was with Chuck Leavell. He’s the Director of Environmental Affairs for a new website, Mother Nature Network, MNN.com (the environmental website “not designed for scientists or experts,” but for “the rest of us, the regular person who wants information written and created in a way that everyone can understand”). Chuck is also a tree farmer and keyboardist for the Rolling Stones. He’s attended Brainstorm Green in the past, and had some interesting things to say about why he’s back, sustainability in general and his new website. I especially like his comments about forest certification and the need for “mutual recognition” by the various standards.
Day 1 began with a panel discussion on the Obama Administration’s climate plan. Panelists included Fred Krupp from the Environmental Defense Fund, David Krone from NRG Energy, Bill Bumpers from Baker Botts in Washington, DC, Michael Splinter from Applied Materials and Jim Rogers from Duke Energy. The discussion ranged from cap and trade to solar & wind vs. fossil fuels to the most recent stimulus package.
