Sustainability
The Colorado River Is Overdrawn, and a Corporate Reckoning Is Imminent
For decades, the Colorado River has delivered less water than allocated, with shrinking reservoirs making up the difference. Yale SOM’s Todd Cort argues that companies across the West have yet to account for this imbalance.
Where should our trash go?
There's a recycling bin on every doorstep, as cities push to recycle as much solid waste as possible. But Lanny Hickman, the former executive director of the Solid Waste Association of North America, says that we should think of recycling as just one more way to remove solid waste, with its own costs and benefits. He argues that we waste an opportunity by not converting more of our garbage into electricity.
What does sustainability mean at Yale?
Yale University is striving to integrate sustainability into the institution's operations, as well as its educational and research functions. Julie Newman, the director of Yale's office of sustainability, discusses the efforts at Yale and across higher education.
Can solar bring power to India’s rural poor?
Harish Hande is the founder of SELCO, a social enterprise established in 1995. The company provides sustainable energy solutions and services to under-served households and businesses in rural parts of Karnataka and Gujarat. Can this "open-source organization" provide a model for powering economic development without devastating the environment?
So you want to work in sustainability?
As more and more companies integrate environmental concerns in their business functions, the role for sustainability professionals has grown. The founder of Sustainability Recruiting comments on this developing field and provides advice for people interested in working in the area.
How does sustainability work at Dow Chemical?
The Dow Chemical Company provides raw materials for almost every industry, making the international giant part of the supply chain for countless products. The company's chief sustainability officer talks about its efforts to reduce its environmental impact.
Alumni Forum
Yale SOM alumni from around the globe weigh in on the question "Can we afford sustainability?"
What is ecological economics?
Robert Costanza is one of the founders of a trans-disciplinary effort to understand how economics is embedded in the broader ecosystem that supports all human activity. From this perspective, he sees both limits for economic growth and opportunities to improve long-term human well- being.
Can the planet handle nine billion people?
Relentless population and economic growth is pressuring the systems that support human life. The head of a leading environmental advocacy organization talks about balancing ideals, such as the conservation of natural treasures, with the pragmatic steps and alliances necessary to get the planet on a sustainable path.
Can we afford sustainability?
If sustainability is understood as the continuation of human life on earth, there is no alternative. Whatever the cost, we have to bear it. But how do we determine the right price to pay right now to ensure survival in the distant future?
Does sustainability matter to consumers?
From laundry detergent to automobiles, more and more businesses are presenting their products — and themselves — as green. How effective is green marketing? Will it have a meaningful impact on the planet?
