GRAND RAPIDS, MICH. – October 13, 2016 – West Michigan Sustainable Business Forum named Aquinas College its 2016 West Michigan Sustainable Business at its Third Annual Triple Bottom Line Bash.
The Sustainable Business of the Year Award is selected annually by a vote of the WMSBF membership, honoring the local company that best represents the values of the triple-bottom line. Read more
West Michigan Sustainable Business Forum presented a luncheon on sustainable food management and organic waste on Monday, February 8 at Aquinas College.
Featured speaker was Susan Mooney, Chief of the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency’s Region 5 Municipal and Industrial Materials Section. Other speakers included Janine Oberstadt, Sustainability Director for Creative Dining Services, Marla Poterack, Director of Campus Dining for Aquinas College, and Aquina College Dining Services Chef Andy Schultz.
Available presentations are below.
Susan Mooney: Sustainable Food Management
Aquinas College Dining Services
West Michigan Sustainable Business Forum will honor local sustainability practitioners and businesses at its Second Annual Triple Bottom Line Bash on Thursday, November 5.
The forum announced that four professionals will be inducted into its Sustainable Business Hall of Fame. Chosen by a vote of the forum membership, the 2015 class includes Renae Hesselink of Nichols, David Rinard of Steelcase, Rich Vanderveen of Mackinaw Power and designer Tom Newhouse. A lifetime achievement award, the Hall of Fame honors individual practitioners that have made the greatest contribution to sustainable business in West Michigan.
Nominees for the West Michigan Sustainable Business of the Year include Aquinas College, BIFMA, Brewery Vivant, Busy Bea’s, Clothing Matters, Direct Trade Coffee Club, Goodwill of Greater Grand Rapids, Habitat for Humanity of Kent County, Herman Miller, Steelcase. The winner will be announced at the event.
Nominees were chosen by a committee comprised of past Hall of Fame honorees George Heartwell and Bill Stough, past WMSBF presidents Gabe Wing, Carol Parsaca, Su Paauwe, and Jennifer Wammack, and WMSBF Director Daniel Schoonmaker. Other nominees included Guy Bazzani, Norm Christopher, Gayle DeBruyn, Deb Steketee and Keith Winn.
Tickets for the award gala are now for sale at wmsbf.org/bash. The Triple Bottom Line Bash will also feature The Green Family Feud, a show hosted by local comedian Dave Dyer.
The September monthly WMSBF meeting featured a retrospective on 20 years of sustainable business in West Michigan on Monday, September 8 at the Grand Rapids Public Library Main Branch, part of the forum’s 20th Anniversary Celebration.
Some notable comments:
“We need to work collaboratively with designers to work towards our goals. There are many elements to the sustainability issue—social, economic, and other problems. Being able to measure attributes and metrics is extremely important to this. … As we look at the challenges ahead, we need to look at this situation toward the future: We have to beware of complacency.”
Keith Winn, President, Catalyst Partners
“In regards to the long view I think one danger is to reach a point where we just stay the course. We’re comfortable with the same old sustainable design programs, with the standard environmental programs. Everyone’s designing green buildings, everyone’s designing green programs. We’ve reached a point of diminishing returns and yet there’s a community out there that’s designing better environmental buildings, producing more energy with less waste—and I think that’s a great challenge for us as a community and as an organization of companies to work together to aspire to greatness, and innovation.”
Mark Lacroix, Executive Vice President, Business Development, The Carbon Neutral Company
“Simplify the focus. That’s what’s been really successful for us in the energy field.”
Tom Fehsenfeld, President, Crystal Flash
“Two words: Be fearless.”
Deb Steketee, Associate Professor of Sustainable Business, Aquinas College
“Change happens in small increments, when you turn around after going down this path for some time you will realize how far we’ve come. Don’t be disheartened. In the business forum, we think closely together. There are 4 billion people in the world that are aspiring to our lifestyle, and it can’t happen in the same way. I believe there is a moral and ethical responsibility to address the people throughout the world, and especially those that are affected by climate change and the water issues associated with that—the people least responsible for causing those problems and the least prepared for dealing with them.”
Bill Stough, President/CEO Sustainable Research Group
WMSBF monthly meetings often foster spirited conversation between member representatives. The April Monthly Meeting and Future Green Leaders Competition, however, put table talk at the forefront of the meeting with a sustainability charrette focused on enhancing ArtPrize‘s sustainability efforts.
Sponsored by Odom Re-Use Co, the CarbonNeutral Company, and Busy Bea’s Services, Inc, the luncheon charrette focused on several different subject areas, including health and wellness, climate, food systems, social equity, waste, and transportation. Environmental and area-specific professionals led discussions with WMSBF member representatives and guests providing feedback, ideas and potential solutions to issues highlighted in ArtPrize’s sustainability plans.
Suggestions from each group, presented at the end of the charrette session, were as varied and innovative as the discussion topics. Ideas ranged from using art to promote local food and healthy eating and designing interest-specific ArtPrize maps to utilizing the event to promote eco-tourism and working with local community groups.
Continue reading about WMSBF’s Art Pize Sustainability Charrette results and the Future Green Leaders scholarship recipients here.
The Future Green Leaders Scholarship Competition will honor local students that have demonstrated innovative and inspirational approach to promoting sustainability within their organizations, families or peer groups. The three finalists will compete for the title of 2014 West Michigan Sustainable Business Fellow by defending their ideas to a panel of sustainability experts and forum members at the WMSBF Annual Meeting on Monday, April 14.
Each of the finalists will receive a $1,000 scholarship. The winner will receive an additional $3,000 scholarship.
Finalists
Jamie Sansone
Aquinas College
Senior
Major: Sustainable Business
Jamie will share her experiences creating the Aquinas beekeeping club and educating the community about the importance of honey bees and their current vulnerabilities.
Kirk Rasmussen
Grand Valley State University
Senior
Majors: Documentary Film Production and Environmental Studies
Kirk will discuss how he intends to use his film production skills to promote sustainability issues.
Youssef Darwich
Grand Valley State University
Senior
Major: Natural Resource Management and Plant Biology
Youssef will share his experience creating a nursery as part the GVSU Sustainable Agriculture Project, and how sustainable landscapes draw people to sustainability.
Learn more about the WMSBF April Meeting here.
