by Michael Potts
Well, the world is finally waking up to the need for the efficient and restorative use of natural resources. In the past few months, every major magazine has run a cover story on energy and the environment. Journalist Elizabeth Kolbert recently profiled Amory in The New Yorker (Mr. Green: Environmentalism’s Most Optimistic Guru). The U.N. climate change study group has released three ground-breaking reports. An Inconvenient Truth even won an Oscar! Green has come into the mainstream (at least for a while).
This is terrific news. Our research efforts are gaining traction, and demand for our services is greater than ever. Clients are showing an increased dedication to follow through on projects, motivated not only by profit but also by a sincere desire to make the world safer and more sustainable. Many of the pivotal concepts that RMI has long advocated — natural capitalism, vehicle light-weighting, micro-power generation, green building — are gaining wide and enthusiastic acceptance.
Now that demand for our solutions has increased, we are working to simultaneously expand our capacity, and to focus our efforts on the projects that will have the greatest impact. RMI’s unique “entrepreneurial non-profit” model — where we leverage philanthropy to support research and outreach, then use client funding to support implementation — is amplifying our efforts in numerous industries. These successes are attracting more engagements as well as talented practitioners who relish the opportunity to make a bigger difference with the help of RMI. As a result, our research and consulting team roughly doubled in size in the last twelve months.
More attention, more resources, more impact, more talent — these are the makings of a virtuous cycle that can create the changes we all have worked so long to effect. We are faced with a huge opportunity and an awesome responsibility to future generations. We at RMI — our staff, our clients, our supporters — must be prepared to rise to the occasion.
It was this imperative that motivated me, personally, to join RMI full-time. As an active RMI trustee, I had been inspired by the mission and the accomplishments of the RMI team. At the same time, my entrepreneurial experience had taught me all too well the challenges that our current rate of growth would bring. As CEO, I can use my experience and energy to serve this important work, and I’m immensely grateful to Amory and the Trustees for this opportunity. Two months in, I’m busier than I have ever been, and having more fun.
The world is waking up, and you might want to consider how you can deepen your own commitment to make the world more secure, just, prosperous, and life-sustaining. If you’re reading this newsletter, you’ve demonstrated sustained commitment to the mission of RMI. This might be the right time to take some extra steps. Come to RMI25 (RMI25: Celebrating Solutions). Increase your support (Donate on-line). Call me up with a new idea (Contact RMI). Each of us has his or her own way to contribute, but one thing is sure: now is the time.
