The Meek School of Journalism and New Media will be hosting the panel “Sustainability in Business and Everyday Life” from 6-7 p.m. today at the Overby Center. It is free and open to the public.
The panel will feature leading corporate sustainability supporters experienced in the principle and practice of sustainability who will explain how concern for the natural environment can be good for business. They will share how their companies view sustainability, what sustainability initiatives are underway and how employees and other stakeholders are carrying out these initiatives.
Becky West, the person responsible for bringing the event to Ole Miss, said the purpose of the panel is to raise awareness about sustainability and how it works in practice.
“We want to show what all of these different corporations, like International Paper and FedEx and even the Office of Sustainability at The University of Mississippi, what they’re doing so people will realize how important sustainability is and how it impacts their everyday lives,” West said.
Moderated by Meek School Assistant Dean Charles Mitchell, the panel will feature Kyle Margolis, Sustainability Communications, International Paper; Karen Ellis, managing director, Global Environment Management, FedEx; Max Shilstone, director, Business Development, Clean Line Energy; and Ian Banner, director of the Office of Sustainability at the university.
West cited Clean Line Energy as a great sustainable company. Clean Line is based in the Midwest and takes wind energy using wind turbines and sends it 800 miles to both the East and West coasts to be used as convertible energy. According to West, this energy is, on average, five to six cents less than the standard energy and is the first interstate project of its kind.
Although serious strides have been made to find sustainable energy, West said we as humans and members of the Ole Miss community still have work to do.
“There’s much more that needs to be done,” she said. “Ole Miss is taking strides and has taken a leading role in this area, but they will also be the first to admit the school still has a long way to go.”
