 |
Radio Call-In Show: Building a Sustainable Future
June 18, 2003 @ 9:00 - 10:00 AM on 90.3
If you knew
that you could run your business so that it helps your community,
doesn’t harm the environment and increases profits, would you do
it? Would you endorse laws that place restrictions on building and
zoning codes-if you knew they would boost the region’s economy and
generally increase your standard of living? Good Morning, I’m Shula
Neuman and those are just some of the questions we’ll explore today
on this special Making Change: Reinventing
our Economy call in show-Building a Sustainable Future.
We’ll be talking with advocates of sustainability-a concept they
say can help improve our economy, environment and quality of life-if
it’s implemented correctly. We also want to hear from you with your
ideas and questions about sustainability…So stay tuned for Building
a Sustainable Community-- coming up, after the news.
 
Good morning and
thanks for tuning in to this special 9 o’clock show. Today’s program,
Building a Sustainable Future, is part of a four-day Making Change;
Reinventing our Economy extravaganza. Yesterday we aired a radio documentary
that explored the concept of sustainability and how it’s already at
play in Northeast Ohio’s economy. Today, we’re going to pick up on
the sustainability theme and explore its applications. We’re going
to talk with a some sustainability supporters AND we want to talk
with you as well. We’ll be opening the phone lines later-and we always
welcome your comments and questions via e-mail at makingchange@wcpn.org.
My guests today are Holly Harlan, co-founder of Entrepreneurs for
Sustainability-a kind of support group and source of inspiration for
entrepreneurs. Bill Doty is president of Doty & Miller Architects,
and Paul Alsenas is director of the Cuyahoga County Planning Commission.
Welcome!
 |
Live Discussion
Holly Harlan, Co-founder of
Entrepreneurs for Sustainability
Bill Doty, President of
Doty & Miller Architects
Paul Alsenas, Director of
the Cuyahoga County Planning Commission
Featured Documentary
Contagious but Good for You: Sustainability
and NE Ohio's Economy [View
Transcript]
Businesses always have to worry about the bottom line...but
many businesses today are thinking about their Triple Bottom
Line: profits, planet and people. It's the business application
of sustainability. As companies make a profit, they have to
account for the cost of their business to the planet and to
the people who are stakeholders in the company. It may sound
complicated but those companies that apply sustainable principals
to their businesses are generally more successful financially
than comparable firms who don't consider the triple-bottom line.
ideastream's Shula Neuman looks at what local businesses large
and small are doing to be sustainable...and how their practices
could benefit all of Northeast Ohio. |
What do you think? Do we have a trend toward sustainability developing
here in Northeast Ohio? Is this a great idea or is it completely unrealistic?
Is Cleveland really ready for this?
If you were not able to be a part of our discussion, but would like
to share your opinion on this topic please go to the Speak
Up! section of our website and let us hear your comments!
Related Stories:
Resources:
- Entrepreneurs
for Sustainability
Entrepreneurs for Sustainability is an organization whose mission
is to support a community of entrepreneurs who will implement
sustainability principles in their new or existing businesses
and encourages new ventures...
- Sustainable
Cleveland
The Sustainable Cleveland Partnership will 1) develop and
implement a replicable model environmental information access
system in several Cleveland neighborhoods to help citizens create
positive environmental change in their communities, and, 2) develop
collaborations between community residents, organizations, universities
and regulators. This model will be disseminated to other Cleveland
and Great Lakes region neighborhoods to assist others in improving
information access in their communities.
- The CATO Institute
The Cato Institute seeks to broaden the parameters of public policy
debate to allow consideration of the traditional American principles
of limited government, individual liberty, free markets and peace.
Portions of this organizations present reasons for opposing sustainability.
- Sustainability Institute
A think-do tank dedicated to sustainable resource use, sustainable
economics, and sustainable community.
- Smart Communities
Network: Creating Smart Communities
It is a project of the US Department of Energy on how to implement
Smart Growth. It has links to further information about green
buildings, transportation, energy among other topics. Also has
information on how to find money to implement sustainable principles.
- Rocky Mountain Institute
Rocky Mountain Institute is an entrepreneurial nonprofit organization that fosters the efficient and restorative use of natural, human and other capital to make the world more secure, just, prosperous, and life sustaining.
- World Business Council
for Sustainable Development
International organization of companies with a commitment to sustainable
development via the three pillars of economic growth, ecological
balance and social progress. The web site provides resources for
businesses to incorporate sustainability principals into their
practices and it describes the activities the organization engages
in to spread the word.
- United
Nations Division for Sustainable Development
The Division for Sustainable Development serves as the substantive
secretariat responsible for servicing the Commission on Sustainable
Development
- Education
for Sustainable Communities in Ohio
The Ohio State University Extension’s web site that links directly
to the community development’s section on sustainability. Find
out what’s happening in other counties and cities around the state
and what you can do to initiate sustainability in your neighborhood.
|
