Teaching Environmental Sustainability to Businesses at the Case Weatherhead School of Management

It’s no secret that one of the biggest emerging trends for business in the 21^st century is environmental sustainability. Social consciousness will be a new asset that many businesses will pursue. And none of this seems lost on environmental sustainability university programs like the one at Case Western Reserve’s Weatherhead School of Management.

The Weatherhead School is taking environmental sustainability seriously, with programs and courses of study that will focus on how companies can create an environmental sustainability business model that benefits both the Earth and the company’s bottom line.

But what does environmental sustainability mean in the world of business? It means that companies must see the challenges of our time as opportunities for innovation. By committing itself to the use of things like renewable resources and fostering a corporate culture that holds itself responsible for the environmental and human rights effects of its policies, businesses can thrive in this new climate of social responsibility.

Specifically, The Weatherhead School focuses on research strategies like appreciative inquiry, a process developed at Case Western Reserve University that’s centered on asking incisive questions with the goal of finding ways to heighten the positive potential of things like business plans and corporate policies. This means doing more than just constructing a PR campaign that shows an environmentally-friendly face. It means making sustainability a factor in every action a company takes.

Some businesses that The Weatherhead School has already worked with concerning environmental sustainability are Fairmount Minerals, Wal-Mart and Green Mountain Coffee Roasters.

Cleveland Turns onto Green with Projects in Environmental Sustainability

Instead of cheering on the Browns, Cleveland’s reputation is turning green to increasing its environmental sustainability projects. According to an article featured in The Plain Dealer (Sunday Sept. 28, 2008), Cleveland has recently initiated eight major projects for environmental sustainability. Cleveland is gaining rank on SustainLane’s annual survey as the 16th most sustainable city in the U.S. Andrew Watterson, Cleveland’s sustainability director, says Cleveland is moving toward more environmental sustainability. Portland, Oregon ranks number one for the most sustainable city in America and Cleveland is climbing the ladder to be Portland’s top competitor.

Environmental sustainability means that human activity only uses nature’s resources at a rate at which they can be replenished naturally. In order to develop and maintain successful environmental sustainability, communities must work together including city government, local businesses, foundations and neighborhoods. What environmental sustainability projects has Cleveland implemented?

Eight Environmental Sustainability Projects Started Throughout Cleveland

1.  Wind Turbines – windmills which generate electricity
2.  Rain Barrels & Rain Gardens – barrels to collect rainwater and plots of land to divert rainwater from storm sewers (see previous blog here)
3.  LEED Neighborhoods – Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design standards so that declining neighborhoods are revived through environmental sustainability
4.  Green Teams – resident volunteers who suggest environmental sustainability solutions in the community
5.  Deconstruction – dismantling condemned or vacant homes and buildings and reusing materials instead of demolition and filling landfills with debris
6.  EcoVillage – a community of businesses and resident living with close proximity to public transportation; revitalizes empty lots or dilapidated neighborhoods using environmental sustainability such as solar panels and green transit
7.  Green Banks – helping young fish on their way to Lake Erie by hanging aquatic plants along the banks of the Cuyahoga River and shipping channels
8.  Grow & Buy Local Food – encouraging neighborhoods to plant gardens and local farmers to contribute to Cleveland’s various farmers’ markets to help environmental sustainability by reducing transportation costs. Grants are also available to people who grow and contribute produce to local markets.

To learn more about sustainability and environmental sustainability in the Cleveland area, you can read the full article in The Plain Dealer here. If you are a green eco friendly business and would like to further promote your Web site, contact Fair Green Trade today.

Rain Barrels and Rain Gardens are Key to Creating a Sustainable Environment

Teenagers in Cleveland, Ohio, are helping the city’s environment and the Northwest Ohio Regional Sewer district by installing rain barrels and creating a sustainable environment through rain gardens. According to an article from EarthWatch Ohio, teens had the opportunity to create, deliver and set up over 200 rain barrels in city neighborhoods throughout the Cleveland area this summer.

Creating a sustainable environment through the use of rain barrels reduces the amount of stormwater going down the city’s sewers. Through the use of rain barrels the city reduces the amount of raw sewage flowing into the rivers and lakes from stormwater overflow. Rain barrels are constructed from large plastic containers, which fit under a homeowner’s water spout to collect rainwater. At the bottom of the barrel is a spigot that fits a garden hose and then can be used to water the homeowner’s garden or lawn, thus reducing their water bills. By installing and using rain barrels, citizens are creating a sustainable environment using nature’s resources without harmful counter effects.

Teens who volunteered with the non-profit group, Youth Opportunities Unlimited (Y.O.U.), were taught how to create four rain gardens on city property throughout Cleveland. By creating a sustainable environment with rain gardens, water is filtered through layers of rock and mulch into the soil which reduces the amount of stormwater entering the sewers.

Be sure to ask your city’s government how they are creating a sustainable environment for your community!