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Social Innovation

Center for Social Innovation

Environment

Mary Nichols

Cutting Greenhouse Gas Emissions: Perspectives from California

Mary Nichols, Chair of the California Air Resources Board, discusses California's new carbon cap-and-trade system system and the current thinking around regional and federal policies at the Stanford Graduate School of Business as part of the 2013 Conradin Von Gugelberg Memorial Lecture.
Going Negative: Stanford Scientists Explore New Ways to Remove Atmospheric CO2

Reducing carbon dioxide emissions may not be enough to curb global warming, say Stanford University scientists. The solution could require carbon-negative technologies that actually remove large amounts of CO2 from the atmosphere.

Wind Could Meet Many Times World's Total Power Demand by 2030, Stanford Researchers Say

Adapting a sophisticated climate model, researchers show that there is plenty of wind available to supply half to several times the world's total energy needs within the next two decades.

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Articles : All | News Articles | Stanford Social Innovation Review Articles | Blog Posts
Environment, Social Entrepreneurship
Stanford Business School Conference Makes Case for Socially Responsible and Environmentally Sustainable Supply Chains
[photo - stanford business school conference makes case for socially responsible and environmentally sustainable supply chains]

A conference at the Stanford Graduate School of Business made the business case for environmentally sustainable and socially responsible supply chain networks. The conference gathered executives, academics, NGOs, and government leaders to share best practices and insights. It is one of several new initiatives related to environmental sustainability at the Business School.

Resource: News Article
Environment, Nonprofit Management, Social Entrepreneurship
Green Fire
Cover Image: Winter 2007
Stanford Social Innovation Review: Winter 2007

A Chilean firewood certification program spares both the air and indigenous business. —By Laila Weir

Resource: Stanford Social Innovation Review Article
Environment, Government
Who Should Tell the Global Warming Story?
[photo - who should tell the global warming story]

Global warming and environmental deterioration has not played a major role in the 2008 U.S. presidential campaign. Journalists and environmentalists at a Business School panel discussion debated just why this issue isn’t higher on the national agenda.

Resource: News Article
Environment, Social Entrepreneurship
A Pitch for Deeper Green Thinking from Venture Capitalist John Doerr
[photo - John Doerr]

Venture capitalist John Doerr doesn’t believe the world’s population will change its wasteful ways in time to stop global warming, he told an overflow audience at the Stanford Graduate School of Business. But, ever the optimist, he urged MBA students to make it a priority.

Resource: News Article
Corporate Social Responsibility, Environment, Philanthropy, Responsible Investing
A Tarnish on Green Goods
Cover Image: Winter 2007
Stanford Social Innovation Review: Winter 2007

Why eco-friendly products may be bad for the environment.

Resource: Stanford Social Innovation Review Article
Environment, Government, Leadership
At Stanford, Al Gore Connects Climate Change Inaction to Political Dysfunction
[photo - Al Gore at Stanford]

Speaking to a capacity crowd at Stanford's Memorial Auditorium, former Vice President and Nobel Peace Prize winner Al Gore calls for passionate action to reverse "degraded" state of democracy.

Resource: News Article
Environment
Going Negative: Stanford Scientists Explore New Ways to Remove Atmospheric CO2

Reducing carbon dioxide emissions may not be enough to curb global warming, say Stanford University scientists. The solution could require carbon-negative technologies that actually remove large amounts of CO2 from the atmosphere.

Resource: News Article
Environment
Making Solar Easy
[photo - Solar Panels]

SunRun's Ed Fenster discusses his business and the economics of solar power.

Resource: News Article
Economic Development, Environment
The End of Cheap Oil Calls for a Balanced Approach to Energy Production, Stanford Scientists Say

Weaning America off fossil fuels and investing in renewable energy is the best path for the future, say Stanford researchers.

Resource: News Article
Environment
Offshore wind energy could power entire U.S. East Coast, Stanford scientists say

Adapting a sophisticated climate model, researchers show that there is plenty of wind available to supply half to several times the world's total energy needs within the next two decades.

Resource: News Article
Global Issues, Social Innovations, Environment
Networking for Sustainable Transport
Cover Image: Fall 2011
Stanford Social Innovation Review: Fall 2011

EMBARQ, a network of sustainable transportation experts, has grown quickly, thanks to impressive fundraising and the design of a model program.

Resource: Stanford Social Innovation Review Article
Environment
Research: Spring Water Protection Improves Health
Cover Image: Fall 2011
Stanford Social Innovation Review: Fall 2011

Living near safe drinking water is not the same as drinking safe water.

Resource: Stanford Social Innovation Review Article
Environment, Human Rights
The Problem with Fair Trade Coffee
Cover Image: Summer 2011
Stanford Social Innovation Review: Summer 2011

Fair Trade-certified coffee is growing in consumer familiarity and sales, but strict certification requirements are resulting in uneven economic advantages for coffee growers and lower quality coffee for consumers. By failing to address these problems, industry confidence in Fair Trade coffee is slipping.

Resource: Stanford Social Innovation Review Article
Environment, Government, Nonprofit Management
Research: Virtue or Else
Cover Image: Summer 2011
Stanford Social Innovation Review: Summer 2011

Under the EPA’s Audit Policy, violators who voluntarily report themselves can get certain penalties reduced or waived if they commit to ongoing self-regulation…. But is that promise any more than window dressing?

Resource: Stanford Social Innovation Review Article
Environment
Research: Making the News
Cover Image: Summer 2011
Stanford Social Innovation Review: Summer 2011

The media introduce social movements to the masses, but how do social movements make it into the media?

Resource: Stanford Social Innovation Review Article
Economic Development, Environment, Social Entrepreneurship
MicroEnergy Credits Corporation: Catalyzing Clean Energy for the BoP

Using existing microfinance institutions and recent developments in the carbon credit markets on the supply side to facilitate the adoption of clean energy for the very poor.

Resource: Blog Post
Video/Audio : All | Audio | Video
Environment
Environmental Sustainability Through Recycling
[photo - Photo: Kate White]

Messaging that makes meanings easier to understand leads people to recycle more. That's the conclusion of a study reported on by Canadian Scholar Kate White in this University podcast. White says that negative messages about the dangers of not recycling work best when paired with concrete action steps, showing how to recycle. White spoke at the Stanford Prosocial Briefing.

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Resource: Audio
Environment
Food, Water, and Energy
[photo - Photo: Ann Bartuska]
Our planet will reach nine billion people by 2050. Are we anywhere near ready to feed that many people? In this audio lecture, Dr. Ann Bartuska of the U.S. Department of Agriculture discussed the need to connect food, water, and energy technologies to address our need for sustainable agriculture. Dr. Bartuska spoke as part of the panel "Framing the Challenges: How Can Connection Technologies Support Sustainable Development?" at the USRio+2.0 Conference at Stanford University.

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Resource: Audio
Environment, Nonprofit Management
Sustainable Water Treatment
[photo - Picture: Daniel Smith]
How can a young nonprofit organization make a tangible improvement in people's health through clean water using only the power of gravity? This was the challenge for Daniel Smith and the AguaClara team when they began work to introduce community-level drinking water treatment plants in Honduras. In this audio interview, Sheela Sethuraman learns from the 2011 Intel Environment Award winners about the importance of using local resources and experts to encourage horizontal learning.

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Resource: Audio
Environment, Government
EDF Future of Green Calls
[photo - Daniel Kreeger]

Could it be that Defense takes the lead on climate change initiatives? An important DoD report cited climate change as a top national security concern. On this Future of Green Call, Daniel Kreeger explains how Defense is planning ways to avoid conflict over essential supplies such as clean water, resource consumption and keeping bases safe from predicted coastal flooding. Discussion also includes lessons learned from climate catastrophes and how to respond more quickly and efficiently to crisis.

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Resource: Audio
Corporate Social Responsibility, Environment, Nonprofit Management, Social Entrepreneurship
Sustainable Excellence: The Future of Business in a Fast-Changing World
[photo - Aron Cramer]
Businesses are in the business of business. But they are beginning to be in the business of doing social good as well. As companies shift to incorporate environmental, social, and welfare-based themes into business plans and products, Aron Cramer points out a trend of decreasing poverty and improving the environment as corporations look to increase both profit and human development.

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Resource: Audio
Environment, Government, Leadership
Al Gore: Leaders Must Supply Vision, Values & Goals
[Video-Al Gore: Leaders Must Supply Vision, Values & Goals]

The Stanford Graduate School of Business View from the Top Series hosted former Vice President Al Gore where he spoke to over 600 students on leadership, solutions for the climate crisis, and sustainable capitalism.

Resource: Video
Environment
Cutting Greenhouse Gas Emissions: Perspectives from California
[Video-Cutting Greenhouse Gas Emissions: Perspectives from California]

California, the ninth largest economy in the world, recently launched a new carbon cap-and-trade system to reduce greenhouse gas emissions to 1990 levels by 2020. Mary Nichols, chair of the California Air Resources Board, leads this program that could provide a model to support other regional or national efforts to cut greenhouse gas emissions.

Resource: Video
Environment
US-wide Carbon Policy: Two MBAs' Perspectives
[Video-US-wide Carbon Policy: Two MBAs' Perspectives]

As part of the annual Conradin Von Gugelberg Memorial Lecture on the Environment, Mike Volpe, MBA '13, and Jake Saper, MBA '14, lay out an argument for a US-wide carbon policy.

Resource: Video
Environment
James Sweeney: A Sustainable Energy System
[Video-James Sweeney: A Sustainable Energy System]

James Sweeney, director of Stanford's Precourt Energy Efficiency Center, discusses green cities at a Stanford GSB conference.

Resource: Video
Environment
Kung Wang: Energy and Cross-Strait Relations
[Video-Kung Wang: Energy and Cross-Strait Relations]

Professor Kung Wang of China University of Technology discussed energy and cross-Strait relations at the "Innovations for Smart Green Cities: What's Working, What's Not, What's Next" conference.

 

Resource: Video
Environment
Clean Energy
[Video-Clean Energy]

Speakers on the 2005 Clean Energy Panel discuss how wind, solar, and other renewable energy sources have reached the critical mass to appear at least as recognizable slivers on the pie chart of the U.S. energy portfolio.

Resource: Video
Economic Development, Environment, Social Entrepreneurship
Reducing Global Poverty
[Video-Reducing Global Poverty]

From  disease control to global climate change, innovative business people are designing sustainable solutions to promote international development and reduce global poverty. Hear how this is happening from leaders in the field.

Resource: Video
Corporate Social Responsibility, Environment
Corporate Environmental Footprint
[Video-Corporate Environmental Footprint]

Corporations are beginning to recognize environmental stewardship as an essential part of corporate social responsibility. This panel discussion explores some of the leading corporate initiatives toward environmental sustainability.

Resource: Video
Corporate Social Responsibility, Environment, Social Entrepreneurship
Social Entrepreneurs Invent the Future
[Video-Social Entrepreneurs Invent the Future]

Can businesses deliver strong returns to shareholders while also promoting the health of people and the planet? Gary Hirshberg, the phenomenally successful pioneer of the organic foods industry, utters a resounding yes.

Resource: Video
Environment, Social Entrepreneurship
Tales From the Trenches
[photo - Greg Steltenpohl]

As the founder of Odwalla, Greg Steltenpohl created what has become one of the leading U.S. suppliers of fresh juice and beverages. In this audio lecture, Steltenphohl reminisces about how he started up his company, and reflects on the importance of supporting a new model of capitalism that enriches communities and makes enterprises more socially and environmentally responsible.

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Resource: Audio
Case Studies : All | Academic Cases
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Environment, Nonprofit Management
Wild Salmon Center
[photo - William P. Barnett]

The Wild Salmon Center was created to provide anglers access to excellent fishing in return for funding research and conservation. The case discusses the Center’s efforts to protect the pristine watersheds of the Kamchatka Peninsula by developing ecotourism to raise funds for conservation.

Resource: Academic Case
Corporate Social Responsibility, Environment, Social Entrepreneurship
Gardenburger

The CEO of Gardenburger, a seller of veggie burger products and other food alternatives to meat, considers the company’s advertising strategy. He aims to take the company from the small health-food niche to the consumer mainstream.

Resource: Academic Case
Environment, Social Entrepreneurship
Touring in the Galapagos Islands
[photo - William P. Barnett]

Various economic and environmental issues face the owners of a cruise business in the Galapagos Islands. The case gives special attention to the efforts of locals to preserve and enhance their own ecotourism business prospects.

Resource: Academic Case
Environment
Ma Jun and the IPE: Using Information to Improve China's Environment

The Institute of Public and Environmental Affairs is Chinese environmental non-profit that has single-handedly revolutionized brought pollution standards and compliance to more than 47,000 sites and 22 multinational corporations in China. This case tells the story of the organization and its founder, environmental entrepreneur Ma Jun. 

Resource: Academic Case
Environment
Maria Yee Inc.: Making 'Green' Furniture in China

Maria Yee Inc. occupies a unique position as an environmentally conscious premium household furniture maker with two direct-owned factories in China and distribution through several large U.S. retailers. This case addresses the unique challenges that an entrepreneurial company faces in reaching its full potential as a business while advancing its green strategy.

Resource: Academic Case
Environment
Environmental Enhancements in Road Vehicle Technologies
[photo - Erica L. Plambeck]

In 2007, the issue of global warming brought carbon dioxide emissions to the forefront of Americans’ minds. This paper examines some of the emerging innovations designed to reduce oil consumption.

Resource: Academic Case
Corporate Social Responsibility, Environment
Disclosure Dilemma: Financial Reporting of Contingent and Environmental Liabilities
[photo - Alan D. Jagolinzer]

The case discusses U.S. and international accounting guidance regarding the disclosure of contingent and environmental liabilities.

Resource: Academic Case
Environment
Fuel Economy Standards 2007
[photo - David P. Baron ]

In 2007, Congress was discussing a 40 percent increase in required fuel efficiency. The automobile industry had a choice to fight the ruling., but instead decided to focus on influencing the details of the legislation.

Resource: Academic Case
Environment
Note on Energy
[photo - Dennis M. Rohan]

Entrepreneurs and investors will find in this note a broad overview of the energy sector in 2008, highlighting trends and market dynamics.

Resource: Academic Case
Environment
The Electric Car: The Major Players
[photo - Robert A. Burgelman]

The case covers and analyzes the major players in the electric car industry, including start-up and established automakers, battery makers, retrofitters, utility companies and the government.

Resource: Academic Case
Environment, Nonprofit Management
Wild Salmon Center
[photo - William P. Barnett]

The Wild Salmon Center was created to provide anglers access to excellent fishing in return for funding research and conservation. The case discusses the Center’s efforts to protect the pristine watersheds of the Kamchatka Peninsula by developing ecotourism to raise funds for conservation.

Resource: Academic Case
Corporate Social Responsibility, Environment, Social Entrepreneurship
Gardenburger

The CEO of Gardenburger, a seller of veggie burger products and other food alternatives to meat, considers the company’s advertising strategy. He aims to take the company from the small health-food niche to the consumer mainstream.

Resource: Academic Case
Environment, Social Entrepreneurship
Touring in the Galapagos Islands
[photo - William P. Barnett]

Various economic and environmental issues face the owners of a cruise business in the Galapagos Islands. The case gives special attention to the efforts of locals to preserve and enhance their own ecotourism business prospects.

Resource: Academic Case
Environment
Ma Jun and the IPE: Using Information to Improve China's Environment

The Institute of Public and Environmental Affairs is Chinese environmental non-profit that has single-handedly revolutionized brought pollution standards and compliance to more than 47,000 sites and 22 multinational corporations in China. This case tells the story of the organization and its founder, environmental entrepreneur Ma Jun. 

Resource: Academic Case
Environment
Maria Yee Inc.: Making 'Green' Furniture in China

Maria Yee Inc. occupies a unique position as an environmentally conscious premium household furniture maker with two direct-owned factories in China and distribution through several large U.S. retailers. This case addresses the unique challenges that an entrepreneurial company faces in reaching its full potential as a business while advancing its green strategy.

Resource: Academic Case
Research Papers : All
Business, Socially Responsible Business, Corporate Social Responsibility, Environment
Don't Tweak your Supply Chain - Rethink It End to End

The article examines environmental issues related to supply chains and supply chain management. Attempts to introduce sustainable practices into supply chains often meet with unexpected financial or environmental costs.

Resource: Research Paper
Socially Responsible Business, Corporate Social Responsibility, Environment
Modern Management: Good for the Environment or Just Hot Air?

Establishments in better managed firms are significantly less energy intensive. Better managed firms are also significantly more productive. These results suggest that management practices that are associated with improved productivity are also linked to lower greenhouse gas emissions.

Resource: Research Paper
Environment, Government, Leadership
Would Boycotting BP Do Any Good?
[photo - gulf_oil_spill_source_la_times]

Consumer and environmental groups, angry over the spreading oil disaster in the Gulf of Mexico, are calling for a boycott of BP, the oil giant that owns the well gushing oil onto beaches and marshes. According to research by Phillip Leslie and Larry Chavis, boycotts do in fact work and they're something businesses should be concerned about.

Resource: Research Paper
Environment
A Room with a Viewpoint

Managers and marketers can motivate consumers to participate in environmental conservation programs by telling them how the majority of other people behaved in the same situation. Researchers specifically studied how to ask hotel guests whether or not they wanted to reuse their towels during the course of a stay. The study highlights the benefits of employing social science research and theory—rather than business communicators’ hunches, lay theories, or best guesses—in crafting persuasive messages. Guests given a description : "the majority guests in this hotel asked to reuse their towels," were 9% more likely to make the same decision than guests who were simply asked to "help save the environment" with no information on comparative behavior. Guests were motivated even further when the description matched their social demographic even more closely. They were even more likely to reuse their towels when told the majority of people staying in their room in the past had done so.

Resource: Research Paper
Environment
Slowing Introductions of New Electronic Products Reduces E-Waste

Some types of regulations governing disposal of electronic waste can reduce the world's mountains of devices waiting to be recycled, and also slow the rate of new product introductions says Stanford Graduate School of Business Professor Erica Plambeck.

Resource: Research Paper
Courses : All
Environment
Environmental Science for Managers and Policy Makers - advanced: OIT 339
[photo - Erica Plambeck]

Designed for students with strong modeling/optimization/simulation skills, this course allocates more time to environmental and energy science and its implications for management and policy, and less time to the basics of modeling/optimization/simulation. Students apply spreadsheet modeling, optimization, and Monte Carlo simulation to resource management and environmental policy.

Resource: MBA Course
Environment
Environmental Science for Managers and Policy Makers: OIT 338
[photo - Erica Plambeck]

This course explores the fundamental science of ecosystems, climate, and energy. Students learn to apply spreadsheet modeling, optimization, and Monte Carlo simulation to resource management and environmental policy.

Resource: MBA Course
Environment
Initiating, Sustaining, and Monetizing Green Marketing: MKTG 551
[photo - Sridhar Narayanan]

This course addresses numerous questions about how to initiate and sustain green marketing. It also explores what technological and marketing innovations are likely to arise in the future.

Resource: MBA Course
Environment
Business and Environmental Issues: GSBGEN 547
[photo - Erica Plambeck]

This speaker seminar examines the overlap and synergies between the business and environmental fields. Weekly speakers include leaders from both the for-profit and nonprofit sectors.

Resource: MBA Course
Environment
Environmental Entrepreneurship: GSBGEN 339
[photo - Erica Plambeck]

Markets have tremendous potential for solving environmental problems. Through case analysis, guest speakers, and the creation of business plans in environmental entrepreneurship, students will learn to apply core business principles of finance, marketing, economics, operations, accounting, and more to the provision of environmental goods and services.

Resource: MBA Course
Innovators : All
Environment
Water World
[photo - Robyn Beavers]

Leading a Social Innovation Study Trip lands Robyn Beavers, MBA '10, in a new industry.

Resource: Alumni
Environment
Jeremy Sokulsky, MBA '04
[photo - Jeremy Sokulsky]

Jeremy Sokulsky, MBA '04, President, Environmental Incentives, discusses how he's drawing upon the tools and training he received from the GSB to help make a difference.

Resource: Alumni
Economic Development, Environment
How Growth Can Be Green
[photo - Katie Hill]

A Stanford GSB student looks at the value of renewable energy in the developing world. 

Resource: Student
Environment
Jack May (MBA '84)

Jack shares his unexpected adventures on Kangaroo Island, Australia, and how his discovery in habitat restoration has become an international example.

Resource: Alumni
Environment
Frank Gibson Myers (MBA '66)

"Gib" shares his passion for America’s Great Plains and the possibility and promise of creating a prairie wildlife reserve of three million acres, and the hope it represents.

Resource: Alumni
Environment
Sell the Wind
Cover Image: Winter 2010
Stanford Social Innovation Review: Winter 2010

Many social changes hinge on good marketing. But what are social marketers to do when their target audience couldn’t care less about—or even despises—the change they want to make? Here’s how one group got everyday people to care about alternative energy.

Resource: Stanford Social Innovation Review Article
Environment
Investing in Green Tech
[Video-Investing in Green Tech]

Kleiner Perkins is greening its portfolio with an alternative energy fund.

Resource: Video
Environment
Environmental Sustainability and Global Warming
[photo - Al Gore]
Promoting environmental sustainability is the responsibility of every world citizen, says Nobel Laureate and former Vice President Al Gore in this audio lecture. Speaking at the 2009 Tech Awards, he urges his audience to consider how they may make changes and press for policies that will address global warming. He asks Westerners, in particular, to consider how the consequences of their own actions may be causing suffering for millions displaced by climate change.

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Resource: Audio
Environment
A Room with a Viewpoint

Managers and marketers can motivate consumers to participate in environmental conservation programs by telling them how the majority of other people behaved in the same situation. Researchers specifically studied how to ask hotel guests whether or not they wanted to reuse their towels during the course of a stay. The study highlights the benefits of employing social science research and theory—rather than business communicators’ hunches, lay theories, or best guesses—in crafting persuasive messages. Guests given a description : "the majority guests in this hotel asked to reuse their towels," were 9% more likely to make the same decision than guests who were simply asked to "help save the environment" with no information on comparative behavior. Guests were motivated even further when the description matched their social demographic even more closely. They were even more likely to reuse their towels when told the majority of people staying in their room in the past had done so.

Resource: Research Paper
Environment
Second Chances and a Third Bottom Line
Cover Image: Winter 2010
Stanford Social Innovation Review: Winter 2010

Recycla Chile, Latin America’s first e-waste recycling company, reclaims value from discarded electronics and marginalized people.

Resource: Stanford Social Innovation Review Article
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