Leading Sustainability at Scale

 

There’s no debating the fact that clean air and clean water are essential to human life. But these resources are becoming increasingly scarce, particularly in impoverished areas of the world. As America begins to feel the effects of climate change, people-focused solutions arise, like sustainable building design. “Build For Impact,” explores how the sector of sustainable construction has evolved in the last few decades with special guest John Harrison, LEED Fellow and founder of GreenSlate Sustainability. Harrison’s work with companies like REI and Starbucks has been influential in leading the momentum to adopt big change on mass.

Harrison recounts his start in sustainable design with the outdoor recreation company, REI (Recreational Equipment Inc.) Designing REI’s flagship store in Seattle presented Harrison with the opportunity to engineer for efficiency and build using sustainable and recycled materials. Since then, Harrison has seen the sustainability design space take off. He says, “The next generation isn’t going to buy or deal with companies that aren’t doing the right thing.”

A sense of healthy competition and a driving urgency to enact meaningful change continues to fuel sustainable design. Harrison, though worried about future climate changes is optimistic about developments, citing a communal sense of working toward the same goal, “…ultimately people in the sustainability space work together when given the opportunity.”

Listen To Previous Episodes of Build for Impact Right Here!

Follow us on social media for the latest updates in B2B!

Image

Latest

future-ready workforce
Building a Future-Ready Workforce: Disrupting Outdated Education with Employer-Driven, Community-Powered, Practical Skills Training
July 28, 2025

Workforce training is undergoing a radical transformation as industries face critical talent shortages and rapid technological change. Building a future-ready workforce requires rethinking traditional higher education models. These models emphasize broad academic development over targeted skill-building and struggle to keep pace with employer demands. According to the World Economic Forum’s Future of Jobs Report…

Read More
The Silent Health Crisis: Indoor Air Quality in Long-Term Care
July 28, 2025

The Silent Health Crisis: Indoor Air Quality in Long-Term Care Most nursing homes have infection control down to a science. They’ve got medication protocols that would make a hospital jealous. Fall prevention? They track every risk factor. But ask them about their air quality and you’ll likely get a puzzled look. That’s a problem, because…

Read More
educators
JUST THINKING… About Bringing out the Best in Educators and Learners with Ross Kimball
July 25, 2025

As the educational landscape rapidly evolves—shaped by advances in communication technology, growing mental health awareness, and post-pandemic classroom dynamics—one key question persists: How can we better connect with and empower both educators and students in the classroom? The stakes are high: studies show that teacher-student relationships directly impact student motivation, academic success, and long-term…

Read More
community
Bringing Community into the Transformation of K-12 Schools: The Impact of Mentors, Local Voices, and Student Entrepreneurs
July 24, 2025

As K-12 schools across the U.S. struggle to recover from the learning loss and emotional fallout of the pandemic, a deeper reckoning is underway—one that challenges the very foundation of who’s responsible for educating our children. Despite billions in federal relief, a third of U.S. students are not even reading at a basic level…

Read More