West Michigan Sustainable Business Forum

November 12, 2012; 12:00 noon – 2:00 p.m.
WMSBF Monthly Meeting
Kentwood Office Furniture
3063 Breton SE, Grand Rapids

The WMSBF Energy Committee, supported by the Tools & Resources Committee, will be introducing the Energy Assessment Guide (EAG), a complement to the Primary Self Assessment Guide (SAG) completed by many of you on the Chalk & Wire web-based tool. This is the next phase of our DEQ grant supported pollution prevention project. The SAG included a section on Energy but this guide provides a much more comprehensive approach to evaluating knowledge and integration of energy efficency/conservation practices. It is intended to be a valuable tool to a range of business sizes and sectors. Following background on the process and a look at the final product, there will be table top dicussions to elicit member input. Stay tuned for information on upcoming Waste and Corporate Social Responsibility Assessment Guide roll-outs…

If you would like to attend this meeting, you must register by email to llocke@wmsbf.org (mailto:llocke@wmsbf.org) by Thursday, November 8. Cost of attending is $10 for members/$15 for non-members. Payment may be made by cash or check at the event or by credit card in advance through the home page of our website, Programs & Events/Monthly Meetings on the top menu, http://www.wmsbf.org. A $1 additional processing charge is included for credit card payments.

Dirck Lyon thanking guest speaker, Jim Musial

October 8, around 130 people from around West Michigan gathered at Amway Corporation to hear corporate philosophies, candid insights and creative examples of local CSR projects, practices, and partnerships.

The event was hosted by Amway Corporation, Cascade Engineering, Community Sustainability Partnership, and West Michigan Sustainable Business Forum.

Following welcomes from the hosts, Mayor George Heartwell offered opening reflections. Jim Musial, Vice President of CSR for Wolverine Worldwide, presented on Linking the (WWW) CSR Strategies of Tomorrow to the Legacy of our Past.  Throughout the day, participants were challenged to expand their understandings of the Ethical and strategic meanings of Shared Value;  evaluate their own Corporate Citizenship; pursue Partnerships for Social Impact; and address the Wicked nature of the CSR-related problems we all face.

Bonnie Nawara, Grand Rapids Opportunities for Women; Kyle Whyte, MSU; Jim Musial, Wolverine Worldwide

In fact, Wicked Problems, raised by Kyle Whyte, Assistant Professor of Philosophy at MSU, became the buzz phrase of the day; referring to serious, observable, persistent problems that are difficult to clearly define, predict, measure, or address, much less find consensus on. All the more reason for commanding our most focused, visionnary, and respectful attention.

Operations in Your Water Cycle; Operations to Social Good

Neil Hawkin, Vice President Sustainability & EH&S, Dow Chemical, presented on The Science of Shared Value and Dow’s Four Pillars of Sustainability. Panels addressed social entrepreneurship, water and carbon management, and leveraging core competencies in your business to positively impact human health and well-being and the natural environmental. Dr. Thomas Haas, GVSU President, offered some closing reflections.

We want to express special thanks to our sponsors who all contributed to make this such a successful event: Brewery Vivant, Fifth Third Bank, Lambert, Edwards & Associates, MiBiz & The Right Place. Special thanks also to Amway for providing a wonderful setting and luncheon.

The conversations and charge for new creative initiatives will continue. We’ll keep you informed and engaged in this community challenge.

The West Michigan Sustainable Business Forum met at the Wealthy Theatre in September to discuss the 25 x 25 ballot initiative, which would amend Michigan’s state constitution to raise the Renewable Portfolio Standard from the current 10 percent by 2015 to 25 percent by 2025.

Speaking in favor of the amendment, Rich VanderVeen, the founder and president of Mackinaw Power, advocated for this action as the only way to ingrain this renewable energy idea into this and future state legislatures.

Steve Transeth, senior energy policy advisor for Clean Affordable Renewable Energy for Michigan spoke in opposition to the amendment, deeming it too restrictive.

Both speakers shared a vision of a Michigan with high renewable energy standards, but the real debate was over the correct course of action.

Following the discussion on the ballot initiative, Habitat for Humanity’s Mary Buikema, Chris Hall, Brandyn Deckinga, and Jon Hankins led a walking tour of Habitat for Humanity of Kent County’s current projects in the Wealthy Heights district. Showcasing the unique work of building and renovating in an historic area, while incorporating green building practices, this neighborhood tour presented some of Habitat for Humanity’s most ambitious projects.

September 10, 2012; 12:00-2:00 p.m.
WMSBF Monthly Luncheon Meeting
Community Media Center
1130 Wealthy SE, Grand Rapids
 
“Team Habitat” – Mary Buikema, Chris Hall, Brandyn Deckinga, & Jon Hankins – will present: “The Wealthy Heights Partnership Project, Habitat for Humanity of Kent County’s most ambitious project to date. After three years of effort, construction is now underway on the bulk of the homes. Join us for a walking tour. See what an over-100 year-old green rehab looks like; hear how Habitat builds new, green homes in an historic setting; and experience their 100th LEED project, 319 Freyling Place SE.

We will also hear a brief discussion of the upcoming ballot initiative to raise the Renewable Portfolio Standard from the current 10% by 2015 to 25% by 2025. Rich VanderVeen, Founder and President of Mackinaw Power, and Stanley “Skip” Pruss, a principal in 5 Lakes Energy LLC will present the supporting position. Ken Sikkema, a senior policy fellow at Public Sector Consultants, will present the opposing position.

Free parking on-street and directly behind the Wealthy Theatre and Annex, with entrances off Wealthy, Barth, and Sigsbee.

If you would like to attend this meeting, you must register by email to llocke@wmsbf.org by Thursday, September 6. Cost of attending is $10 for members/$15 for non-members. Payment may be made by cash or check at the event or by credit card in advance through the home page of our website, Monthly Meeting Payment on the left hand menu, http://www.wmsbf.org.  A $1 additional processing charge is included for credit card payments.