An Interview With Monica Sanders
Conversely, we need to focus on the big stuff. I remember a few years ago there was a big push to ban plastic straws. Plastic straws are a minor problem compared to plastic bottles, plastic bags and Styrofoam containers. Of the 400 million tons of plastic waste produced in the United States, plastic straws are a drop in the bucket.
According to the University of Colorado, “Those who are most affected and have the fewest resources to adapt to climate change are also the least responsible for the greenhouse gas emissions — both globally and within the United States.” Promoting climate justice is an incredibly important environmental responsibility that is slowly becoming more and more recognized. In this interview series, we are talking to leaders who are helping to promote sustainability and climate justice. As part of this series, we had the pleasure of interviewing Andrew Clarke.
Andrew Clarke is President of Ground Floor Partners https://groundfloorpartners.com/about-us/
Over the past twenty years he has advised hundreds of small businesses, on strategy, marketing, real estate, and finance. He is passionate about small business, social and environmental justice, and is a proud member of the American Sustainable Business Network, Food and Water Watch, Green America, Food Consultants Group, and the American Planning Association.
Thank you so much for doing this with us! Before we dig in, our readers would like to get to know you a bit. Can you tell us a bit about how you grew up?
I grew up in Providence, Rhode Island, on the East Side. Both of my parents were professors, one in Fashion Design at Rhode Island School of Design and the other in Engineering at Brown. My mother (the designer) loved art and music and was very concerned about women’s and minorities’ rights and social justice. My father loved mechanical engineering and science and was more conservative politically. I definitely favor my mother’s politics and love of art, but also have a strong interest in science and engineering.
Rhode Island has great food, great beaches, and lots of beautiful parks. So I spent much of my teens riding my bike, hiking, swimming and fishing. Our family often took trips up north where I got even more exposure to nature, hiking in the White Mountains in New Hampshire and the forests in Maine.
Everyone has a cataclysmic moment or marker in their life which propels them to take certain actions, a “why”. What is your why?
When I was a kid we used to fish in Narragansett Bay for flounder, striped bass and bluefish. The bay was pretty clean, and the fishing was good. After I left for college the fish populations collapsed because of overfishing and pollution from coal fired power plants and other sources. The fish populations have partially recovered due to the efforts of Save the Bay and other groups, but they are still nothing like what they were before. Seeing how fragile the ecology of Narragansett Bay was really woke me up.
You are currently leading an organization that is making a difference for our planet. Can you tell us a bit about what you and your organization are trying to change?
I work with small organizations with limited resources and budgets, so most of my clients focus almost all their efforts and resources into staying afloat. I try to work with organizations that care about social and environmental justice. Sometimes that just means paying people right and treating employees with respect. But it also includes selecting vendors and supply chain partners who care about the environment and walk the walk rather than just talking the talk. I try to educate people about the consequences of their choices with regard to packaging, waste, travel, water and energy use, etc.
Can you share the most interesting story that happened to you since you began leading your company or organization?
Years ago I was on the board of a small non-profit called Local First Chicago. We were incredibly passionate about sustainability, social justice and small businesses, but we were not very good at fundraising, so we eventually shut down. My crowning achievement was to organize a forum on Climate Change and its effects in the Midwest. Local business owners, a representative from the American Sustainable Business Network, and Illinois Representative Jan Schakowsky gave presentations.
None of us can be successful without some help along the way. Did you have mentors or cheerleaders who helped you to succeed? Can you tell us a story about their influence?
I have several close friends who have really inspired me and helped me keep going when times were tough. I was in a lunch networking group for several years with Dan Kreutzer, author of the book “Put the Win Back in Your Sales.” Dan was a tremendous salesman and coach. He always told me to get rid of my “head trash” — — that little voice in the back of your head telling you you’re not good enough and can’t succeed.” I have a lot less head trash today than I did 10 years ago thanks to Dan.
Thank you for that. Let’s now move to the central part of our discussion. Let’s start with a basic definition of terms so that everyone is on the same page. What does climate justice mean to you? How do we operationalize it?
To me, climate justice means three things:
- The large organizations that contribute the most to climate change (think fossil fuel companies, big banks, etc.) should face financial and legal consequences for past and ongoing bad acts.
- On the other hand, organizations that are having a net positive effect on climate should be rewarded.
- Poor, underserved communities and groups must be protected from, or at least reasonably compensated for, damage from extreme conditions caused by climate change.
There are no easy answers here, and the worse climate change gets, the more complicated things will be. The best solution is to get off fossil fuels as quickly as possible. The only thing stopping this is a lack of political will, not a lack of technological solutions.
Science is telling us that we have 7–10 years to make critical decisions about climate change. What are three things you or your organization are doing to help?
Speak up: I write letters to the editor and to my elected representatives about environmental issues and climate change.
Support: I support companies and non-profits that value the planet and people at least as much as they value profits.
Act: I do my best to recycle, minimize energy usage, and use public transportation and my feet instead of a car. I encourage my clients and everyone I meet to do the same.
Are there three things the community, society, or politicians can do to help you in your mission?
There are a lot more than three things, but we can start there. Listening to climate scientists with an open mind would be a real positive. I am not going to hold my breath, but it would be nice if more politicians would pay more attention to environmental and social justice groups and less attention to corporate lobbyists. There was recently an article in the media about how governments and environmental groups are using many of the same lobbyists as the fossil fuel companies. That is outrageous. I don’t want environmental groups to get off the hook with this one — — they need to clean up their act too.
How would you articulate how a business can become more profitable by being more sustainable and more environmentally conscious? Can you share a story or example?
This is complicated because there are so many factors. Every company and every industry has unique elements. The first step is an assessment. This requires looking at every aspect of your business — — supply chain, products and services, marketing and sales, customer service, shipping, etc. — — to see what the effects on the environment and society are. In many cases there are one or two obvious candidates for positive change. Commercial office buildings can switch from fluorescent lighting to LEDs. This saves on labor (longer time between replacements) and electricity costs (lower wattage). Restaurants can reduce food waste by redesigning menus and portion sizes. They can reduce plastic and paper waste in takeout and delivery by only handing out plastic utensils and paper napkins when people specifically request them. Farmers can move away from herbicides, pesticides and petroleum-based fertilizers toward more sustainable, natural agricultural practices and then charge more for their products by promoting their sustainable practices. None of these things are necessarily easy or quick, and most of them come with upfront costs, but over a period of years they can yield significant business benefits.
This is the signature question we ask in most of our interviews. What are your “5 things I wish someone told me when I first started promoting sustainability and climate justice” and why?
1 . It’s a marathon not a sprint. The first Earth Day was in 1970. That was over 50 years ago. We’ve made some progress since then, but there has been even more backsliding. It is very similar to the civil rights movement, which started in the 1950’s and is still ongoing. They are both incredibly important; the difference is that climate change is an existential threat to all of humanity and thousands of other species.
2 . Baby steps are important too. A lot of people seem to think you have to be “all in” or you aren’t doing anything. That is not true. In my experience, once people start learning about sustainability and climate issues, their commitment naturally increases over time.
3 . Conversely, we need to focus on the big stuff. I remember a few years ago there was a big push to ban plastic straws. Plastic straws are a minor problem compared to plastic bottles, plastic bags and Styrofoam containers. Of the 400 million tons of plastic waste produced in the United States, plastic straws are a drop in the bucket.
4 . Be skeptical. Big corporations are incredibly skilled at greenwashing and spin. They know how to make it seem like they are on your side, and like they really care. Some of them do, but most corporations are a lot more concerned about their bottom line than they are about your well-being. When some of the worst polluters in the world receive high ESG rankings, you know there is something fishy going on.
5 . Don’t give up. Every environmental group that I know of is ringing alarm bells. We are destroying our planet at a rapid pace. Instead of accepting reality and working together toward realistic solutions we are dithering and backsliding. It is easy to get discouraged, throw your hands up and just say it’s hopeless. But it isn’t. If we keep pushing for equitable solutions, work together, and hold organizations, politicians and corporate executives accountable, we can begin repairing the damage from centuries of pollution and environmental destruction. It’s a marathon, not sprint.
Is there a person in the world, or in the US with whom you would like to have a private breakfast or lunch with, and why? He or she might just see this, especially if we tag them. 🙂
Greta Thunberg. She has done an amazing job at raising awareness and holding politicians, bankers and corporations accountable.
How can our readers continue to follow your work online?
I am writing more articles and doing more interviews. My company website is https://groundfloorpartners.com You can also find me on Linkedin at https://www.linkedin.com/in/andrewclarkechicago/ and https://www.linkedin.com/company/ground-floor-partners/
This was very meaningful, thank you so much. We wish you only continued success on your great work!
About the Interviewer: Monica Sanders JD, LL.M, is the founder of “The Undivide Project”, an organization dedicated to creating climate resilience in underserved communities using good tech and the power of the Internet. She holds faculty roles at the Georgetown University Law Center and the Tulane University Disaster Resilience Leadership Academy. Professor Sanders also serves on several UN agency working groups. As an attorney, Monica has held senior roles in all three branches of government, private industry, and nonprofits. In her previous life, she was a journalist for seven years and the recipient of several awards, including an Emmy. Now the New Orleans native spends her time in solidarity with and championing change for those on the frontlines of climate change and digital divestment. Learn more about how to join her at: www.theundivideproject.org.
How Andrew Clarke Of Ground Floor Partners Is Helping to Promote Sustainability and Climate Justice was originally published in Authority Magazine on Medium, where people are continuing the conversation by highlighting and responding to this story.