April 2008: Sustainability Month at Smith

April was recognized as Sustainability Month this year at campuses around the country. The Smith School held a number of events for both the students and community to participate in that focused on sustainability and going green in recognition of the month. The events were focused around not only bringing about awareness of environmental issues to participants they were also designed to show how individuals can build companies around sustainability and the environment.

In College Park, students had the opportunity to listen to the CEO of Honest Tea, Seth Goldman, speak about the company and running a responsible business. They also had the opportunity to listen to the creator of a new videosharing Web site and content aggregator for everything green, emPivot. At the Second Annual CEO Conference in Shady Grove, students and entrepreneurs alike had the chance at to learn about Entrepreneurship and the Environmental Renaissance, where the main topic of the day was going green and being environmental in your approach to starting a new business. Net Impact brought together students to talk about current ethical implications in today’s society and the effects that globalization is having on the way we run our businesses.

The month of April allowed Smith MBA students to take a look at how the growing concern for the environment is affecting the way businesses are run and changing consumer trends. It was a chance to bring together current events and classroom education to better inform everyone of the world they will be working in upon graduation.

▓ Loretta Goodridge, MBA Candidate 2008, Smith Media Group