On Thurs., Jan. 26, influential environmentalist, entrepreneur and author Paul Hawken will be at the Baghdad Theater to participate in the “Sustainability: Portland’s Opportunity to Re/Build & Lead” summit. Sustainability leaders from the Portland community will also participate in the discussion.
The forum begins at 6 p.m. and is free and open to the public, though there is a limited amount of space in the theater’s auditorium.
The mayoral campaign for Eileen Brady, who co-founded the New Seasons grocery chain in Portland, is sponsoring the event.
According to the Eileen Brady for Mayor website, Hawken and other presenters will discuss how Portland can create jobs, promote social justice and rebuild the local economy through sustainability.
Paul Hawken is a key player in the sustainability movement, according to the Eileen Brady for Mayor campaign. Hawken and Brady met while working for Ecotrust, a conservation organization headquartered here in Portland. Brady invited Hawken to speak at the event because of their shared views on sustainability and the power of the local economy.
“Hawken is a leader in the area of business sustainability,” said David Ervin, professor of environmental management and economics at Portland State. Ervin hopes to attend the event and will be encouraging students to attend, especially those in his Economics of Sustainability course.
Jenny DuVander, communications director of PSU’s Institute for Sustainable Solutions, said that “Paul Hawken is a celebrated environmentalist” and noted that Hawken is an associate editor of Solutions, a journal housed in PSU’s Institute for Sustainable Solutions.
Hawken’s resume is extensive; he has given talks throughout the world, founded and co-founded multiple companies. and has worked as a consultant. He is the author of seven books including the four bestsellers: The Next Economy, Growing a Business, The Ecology of Commerce and Blessed Unrest. He has written numerous articles and papers that have appeared in the Wall Street Journal, the Harvard Business Review and others.
Since 1983, Hawken has lectured, led workshops and keynoted conferences on various sustainability and environmental issues. As stated on his website, he has given more than 1,000 talks about the environment.
In 1966, Hawken established Erewhon Trading Company—the first natural foods company in the United States. Erewhon stores carried organic fruits, vegetables, dairy products, beans, juices and condiments.
Hawken then went on to create Smith & Hawken, a catalog and retail company that focused on garden and horticultural products. The company introduced America to European tools, techniques and literature.
Currently, Hawken is the CEO of OneSun,z LLC, a company specializing in manufacturing low-cost photovoltaic technology. He is also the founder and executive director of the Natural Capital Institute, which is concerned with helping institutions and individuals understand the principles and practices that lead to social justice and environmental restoration.
As a consultant, Hawken worked with governments and corporations all over the world on economic development, industrial ecology and environmental policy.
Event seating is limited. Those interested can reserve tickets by visiting www.eileenformayor.com/events/2012/01/26/Believe-in-local-Hawken/.