This is one in a series of documents that follow my UCLA winter 2010 course titled Cradle to Cradle: Closed Loop Systems. This interdisciplinary course contributes to the school's Certificate of Global Sustainability.

1. UCLAx class 7 1
UCLAx Cradle to Cradle: class 7
For our seventh class, I again turned over lecture duties to the students. As I mentioned in
an earlier post, the students will do three profile projects - one about materials and/or
resources, one about companies and/or people, and one about certifications and/or labels.
Last week they selected a company or person to research and investigate. This week, they
presented their findings. It’s easy to quickly list a few sustainable visionaries or luminaries.
Unfortunately that’s because the list is much smaller than it really should be. Former Vice
President Al Gore, or other such as Ray C. Anderson and his company Interface, William
McDonough and his book Cradle to Cradle, and Paul Hawken and his many books leap to
mind. Or even some of the more recently famous eco-celebrities like Leonardo DiCaprio or
Brad Pitt. It’s difficult to read a book about sustainable strategies without being told about
method, Stonyfield Farms, or Seventh Generation. Their stories are almost commonplace.
But do just a little digging and you’ll uncover many companies and individuals who are
doing great work without getting significant attention. I encouraged my students to find
those stories and tell them. I gave them a list of potential suggestions, but they really
surprised me with some of their choices. Here are the companies and people they chose
to profile:
• 3M - formerly known as the Minnesota Mining and Manufacturing Company makes
many products including Post-it Notes, Scotch Tape, Bondo, and many other
adhesive and abrasives. In 2002, the company ranked 70th on the Political
Economy Research Institute’s list of top 100 US corporations emitting airborne
pollutants. Through aggressive efforts, they are no longer listed.
• HOK - is one of the largest architecture firms in the world is also one with the
greatest commitment to sustainable design with 40% of all employees being LEED
accredited professionals.
• Herman Miller - is an American modern furniture manufacturer known for being the
creator of the cubicle also helped fund the start of the US Green Building Council
and one of their buildings is the very first LEED certified projects.
• Anthrologogie - is an American retailer owned by Urban Outfitters who operate 90
stores in 24 states. Their stores are known for their attention to materials and
fantastic window displays. Their head buyer is Keith Johnson who has a wonderful
show on the Sundance Channel called Man Shops Globe.
www.threadcollaborative.com
➜ threadcollaborative
11250 morrison street no. 201, north hollywood ca 91601

2. UCLAx class 7 2
• Theodore Payne Foundation - is an organization dedicated to teaching people
about California native plants and operated the largest nursery in Los Angeles that
offers more than 500 native California species.
• Dr. Arthur Rosenfeld - is a former Commissioner of the California Energy
Commission and is largely responsible for the exceptionally small per capita energy
use of California since 1973, which many have coined the Rosenfeld Effect.
• R. Buckminster Fuller - is a world famous American architect, author, designer,
inventor, and futurist responsible for the expression Spaceship Earth and was the
inventor of the geodesic dome.
• Celestial Seasonings -is an American all-natural and certified organic tea maker best
known for their herbal teas. Many sustainable initiatives have led to significant
reduction in waste.
• Aveda - is an American hair care, cosmetic, skin care, and perfume company with a
long history of working to develop products through ecologically favorable means
that aid local indigenous cultures.
• Green Depot - is a New York City based retail store that specializes in sustainable
building materials.
• Friedensreich Hundertwasser - is an Austrian artist and architect known for very
unusual, sometimes controversial, designs that have no straight lines, where no two
windows or door handles are the same, and blend into their surroundings as they
get totally overgrown by vegetation over time.
• Mike Reynolds - is a Santa Fe architect and proponent of radically sustainable living.
• Walmart - a global giant that really needs no introduction, but many are unfamiliar
with their remarkable sustainable efforts. They alone have the financial might to
rewrite the way retailers and suppliers do business.
• REI - Recreational Equipment Inc. is an American consumers cooperative that
specializes in outdoor recreational gear and clothing. Many of their stores are well
known for their indoor climbing walls and rustic design.
• Serious Materials - is an American manufacturer of energy efficient building
materials. Their two primary products are Ecorock, an environmentally favorable
alternative to drywall panels, and Serious Windows.
• Pangea Organics - is an American soap, skin cream, and cosmetic company with
deep roots in sustainability that includes the recent complete redesign of all their
www.threadcollaborative.com
➜ threadcollaborative
11250 morrison street no. 201, north hollywood ca 91601

3. UCLAx class 7 3
packaging to new environmental standards that are far and above all their
competitors.
• Michael Pollan - is an American author, journalist, and activist who focuses on food.
His many famous works include the Omnivore’s Dilemma, In Defense of Food, and
his most recent Food Rules.
I think we all learned a great deal. Some of the names are familiar, but many were new to
me and the students.
www.threadcollaborative.com
➜ threadcollaborative
11250 morrison street no. 201, north hollywood ca 91601