Monthly Feature: How Much Can We Give...?

"In America, there are powerful marketing devices to sell products like Coca-Cola and hamburgers. All I want to sell is good eyesight and there are millions of people who need it."
    — Dr. Govindappa Venkataswamy

Asked throughout the design process, a question like "How much can I give?" guides entrepreneurs toward products, facilities and business models that grow ecological and social revenue while generating economic health. The goal is good growth for all. In this month's feature story, Bill McDonough describes some of the potential of hopeful new entrepreneurial models.

Read this month's feature story at MBDC.com.

http://www.mbdc.com

Herman Miller's New Chair Developed Using Cradle-to-Cradle Methods

At ED7, Herman Miller unveiled its newest office chair, the Mirra. The Mirra is the first chair designed from the ground-up using Herman Miller's stringent Design for the Environment (DfE) protocols, which MBDC helped the furniture maker develop, which focus on creating economic value while simultaneously valuing the environment. According to Bill McDonough, "Herman Miller's Mirra chair represents the most advanced and complete application of the cradle-to-cradle design protocols among any manufacturer to date."

Read Herman Miller's press release: http://www.hermanmiller.com/CDA/SSA/News/Story/0,1585,a10-c407-n238,00.html

Summer 2003: Executive Education at UVA's Darden School of Business

Linking Products and Service: Transcending Sustainability
16-20 June 2003
Darden Graduate School of Business Administration
University of Virginia
Charlottesville, Virginia

This program, new for 2003, will explore how businesses are being held increasingly accountable for the economic, social, and environmental consequences of their activities, and opportunities to address these issues strategically and profitably. Bill McDonough and Michael Braungart, with assistance from other MBDC staff, will contribute to this program, which also includes other well known presenters. The program is organized and run by Darden faculty Dick Brownlee and Andrea Larson.

Learn more at http://exed.darden.virginia.edu/exec_POS.htm

Free MBDC Workshop for Packaging Professionals

The May 2003 Packaging World magazine cover story, "Cradle to Cradle: The Next Packaging Paradigm?", explores the potential for cradle-to-cradle principles for that industry.

In response to the recent interest—the Packaging World article and the EPA-sponsored packaging design challenge, among other things—MBDC will host a free 1-day workshop and discussion on the cradle-to-cradle design strategy and its potential for application to packaging.

Read the Packaging World article online at http://www.packworld.com.

Learn more about the workshop and discussion on our website: http://www.mbdc.com/packaging, or contact MBDC's Anne White, anne.white@mbdc.com, to reserve your spot at the event.

Launch of GreenBlue

ED7 provided an opportunity for attendees to learn more about a new non-profit, GreenBlue, whose mission is to inspire a transformation in the design of human industry, based on principles found in the productive systems of nature, making commercial activity an ecologically and socially regenerative force. GreenBlue is an independent organization that grew out of research and other projects at MBDC.

Visit GreenBlue's website to learn about the new organization.

http://www.greenblue.org

EnvironDesign Report

EnvironDesign7, held in Washington DC April 30-May 2, was a success, providing a unique opportunity to discuss progress and next steps in sustainable design with other leaders in the field.

For MBDC, the conference began with our pre-conference workshop, "Introduction to Cradle to Cradle Design." Over 80 participants from business, government, and non-profit sectors attended the workshop. Participants engaged in interactive exercises to begin to articulate how cradle-to-cradle principles could be applied to the design of computers, packaging, water management systems, and buildings.

On Thursday morning, Dr.Michael Braungart presented a keynote on intelligent materials pooling followed by a panel discussion with Steve Bradfield of Shaw Contract Carpets, Peter Senge of MIT and the Society for Organizational Learning, and Gabe Wing of Herman Miller. The keynote and panel discussed current best practices and ways companies can collaborate to select and leverage demand of healthy materials, and recycle them at their highest level of value.

On Friday morning, Bill McDonough presented a keynote followed by a panel discussion that included Ashoka Fellow Anil Chitrakar, Dianne Dillon-Ridgeley of the Network for Sustainable Development, and Jason Pearson, Director of Strategy and Development for GreenBlue. Both the keynote and panel discussed new models of social entrepreneurship, using business to benefit the world both socially and environmentally.

Thanks for staying in touch with MBDC.

Phil

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Phil Storey
MBDC, Manager of Communications
phil.storey@mbdc.com