9:00 - 9:45 a.m.
CORPORATE TRACK: RAY ANDERSON, FOUNDER OF INTERFACE

Ray Anderson is founder and chairman of Interface, Inc, the world’s largest manufacturer of modular carpet for commercial and residential applications and a leading producer of commercial broadloom and commercial fabrics. Since 1995, he has reduced Interface’s waste by a third, and plans to make the company sustainable by 2020. Anderson is featured in the documentaries The Corporation and The 11th Hour.

Because the commitment Interface has made is so unique, the community has embraced the company and lauded its efforts. Today, Ray is recognized as one of the world’s most environmentally progressive leaders on sustainable commerce, having served as co-chairman of the President’s Council on Sustainable Development during the Clinton administration; being recognized by Mikhail Gorbachev with a Millennium Award from Global Green in September 1996; receiving in 1996 the Ernst & Young Entrepreneur of Year for the Southeast Region and being named in 1997 as the Georgia Conservancy’s Conservationist of the Year.

9:45 - 10:30 a.m.
GOVERNMENT TRACK: MAYOR GEORGE HEARTWELL, MAYOR OF GRAND RAPIDS, MICHIGAN

Now serving in his second term as mayor of Grand Rapids, Michigan, Mayor George Heartwell took office on January 1, 2004. During his tenure, City government has “gone green”, implementing a variety of environmental measures including purchase of renewable energy, use of alternative fuels in City vehicles, continued attention to water quality in the Grand River, and widespread implementation of energy conservation measures. In January of 2007, the United Nations recognized Grand Rapids as a “Center of Expertise” in sustainability. The Mayor has overseen a period of rapid economic development in Grand Rapids, even during an extended downturn in the Michigan economy.

11:00 - 11:45 a.m.
EDUCATION TRACK: LEITH SHARP, DIRECTOR, HARVARD GREEN CAMPUS INITIATIVE

Leith Sharp established the Harvard Green Campus Initiative in March of 2000, and is its Director. Leith also co-instructs the Harvard Extension School course, Sustainability - The Challenge of Changing Our Institutions. Leith has a Bachelors degree in Environmental Engineering from the University of New South Wales, Australia and a Master of Education in Human Development and Psychology from Harvard University. Leith has worked with universities for the last 10 years to achieve organizational change in the pursuit of environmental sustainability. In 1998, Leith was awarded Young Australian of the Year, NSW Environment Category, for her work in establishing the Environmental Management Program at the University of New South Wales, Australia. In 1999, she was awarded a Churchill Fellowship to research best practice in university environmental management throughout Europe and the USA. In 2002, Leith was awarded most outstanding paper for her contribution to the International Journal of Sustainability in Higher Education.

11:45 a.m. - 12:30 p.m.
GREEN COMMUNITIES TRACK: JAIME LERNER, FORMER GOVERNOR OF PARANA, BRAZIL

Jaime Lerner is an architect and urban planner. As a three-time mayor of Curitiba, Brazil, Lerner led the urban revolution that made the city renowned for urban planning, mainly in public transportation, environment, and social programs. Lerner also was governor of Parana State twice, and conducted an economic and social transformation that greatly improved the quality of life in the cities and in the country. Lerner has received several international awards, including the highest United Nations Environmental Award (1990), Child and Peace Award from UNICEF (1996), the 2001 World Technology Award for Transportation and the 2002 Sir Robert Mathew Prize for the Improvement of Quality of Human Settlements by the International Union of Architects. He has also lectured at important conferences including the 53rd Annual United Nations Conference (2000). When not in public office, Jaime Lerner is intensely engaged in architecture and urban planning work.