Posted March 24, 2008

‘Going green’ without going in the red

Social Entrepreneurship Conference asks if 'green investing' will change the world

“Going green” has become a concern for mainstream corporations. Everyone is getting involved in helping humans reduce their adverse effects on the environment. According to The Wall Street Journal, venture capital firms invested $2.6 billion into the green industry during the first three quarters of 2007.

But the questions on many people’s minds are “Will green investments really help change the world? Are making money and helping the environment reconcilable goals?” These questions will be explored at the third annual Social Entrepreneurship Conference in April. The conference is sponsored by the Fox School of Business, the College of Liberal Arts and the School of Social Administration.

The keynote address will be given by Bart Houlahan, co-founder of And 1, a basketball apparel company, and B Corporation, a company that certifies businesses that work for public benefit as well as for profit. The conference will feature two panel discussions, one on managing the tension between financial results and sustainability, and a second on corporate investing for sustainability. Select panelists include Nadia Adawi, CEO of FryoDiesel, which produces cleaner burning fuel made from waste grease, and Clayton Lane, deputy executive director of PhillyCarShare, a car-sharing service in Philadelphia.

The conference will take place April 9, 8:30–11:30 a.m. in the Howard Gittis Student Center, room 200. Participants can register online at www.fox.temple.edu/iei/calendar.html or by calling 215-204-3082. Admission is free.

 

Anonymous