Joel Makower
Encyclopedia
Joel Makower is an entrepreneur, writer, and strategist on sustainable business
, clean technology
, and green marketing
. For more than twenty years, he has been a respected voice on these topics, through books, websites, blogs, articles, and speeches. His work has focused on three principal topics: how companies of all sizes and sectors are integrating environmental thinking into their operations in a way that produces business value; the creation of new companies and markets for clean energy, clean water, and advanced materials; and the strategies and tactics companies use to communicate and market their environmental efforts and leadership, especially to consumers.
, inadequate lighting, poorly designed computers and furniture, and other ails of the modern office workspace. At the time, companies had been sealing up buildings and scaling back ventilation systems to save energy. Many companies simultaneously were introducing open-plan office cubicles, desktop computers and, in some cases, machine-paced office work. The combined effect of discomfort and stress, Makower argued, was creating a host of health problems for office workers, from headaches to heart attacks.
Makower has written more than a dozen other books, including The Map Catalog, an award-winning reference guide to maps, and an oral history
of the Woodstock music festival of 1969, published in both book (Doubleday) and audiocassette (Bantam Audio) formats. Its publication in 1989 coincided with the festival’s 20th anniversary. The 40th Anniversary Edition (Excelsior Editions
) is now available in time for the 40th anniversary of the festival. It has a new foreword by Michael Lang and Joel Rosenman, two of the original coproducers of the festival, plus current information on others involved in making the event happen.
Since 1990, Makower’s writing has focused exclusively on the world of green and clean business. In 1990, he wrote the U.S. edition of a British bestseller, “The Green Consumer Guide” (issued in the U.S. as simply “The Green Consumer”). Its publication, during the frenzy of Earth Day
1990, helped make the book a bestseller and led soon thereafter to a weekly syndicated newspaper column on the topic. In 1991, he launched “The Green Business Letter,” a monthly newsletter on corporate environmental topics, which continued publication until 2005. Other books by Makower include The E-Factor: The Bottom-Line Approach to Environmentally Responsible Business (Random House, 1992) and Beyond the Bottom Line: Putting Social Responsibility to Work for Your Business and the World (Simon and Schuster, 1994). He also writes and speaks on the environmental impact of consumerism.
In 2008, Makower authored "Strategies for the Green Economy" (McGraw Hill), with an appendix by social marketing expert Cara Pike.
Makower also writes a blog on these topics, “Two Steps Forward,” and contributes to Worldchanging
and other blogs on progressive business topics.
In 2001, Makower co-founded Clean Edge
, a publishing and research firm focusing on clean technology. He also serves as a senior consultant to GreenOrder, a sustainability strategy firm.
He is an adviser or board member of several nonprofit organizations, including the Biomimicry Institute, Climate Counts, and United Roots.
In 2006 he was named a Batten Fellow at the University of Virginia
’s Darden Graduate School of Business Administration
.
Sustainable business
Sustainable business, or green business, is enterprise that has no negative impact on the global or local environment, community, society, or economy—a business that strives to meet the triple bottom line. Often, sustainable businesses have progressive environmental and human rights policies...
, clean technology
Clean technology
Clean technology includes recycling, renewable energy , information technology, green transportation, electric motors, green chemistry, lighting, Greywater, and many other appliances that are now more energy efficient. It is a means to create electricity and fuels, with a smaller environmental...
, and green marketing
Green marketing
According to the American Marketing Association, green marketing is the marketing of products that are presumed to be environmentally safe. Thus green marketing incorporates a broad range of activities, including product modification, changes to the production process, packaging changes, as well as...
. For more than twenty years, he has been a respected voice on these topics, through books, websites, blogs, articles, and speeches. His work has focused on three principal topics: how companies of all sizes and sectors are integrating environmental thinking into their operations in a way that produces business value; the creation of new companies and markets for clean energy, clean water, and advanced materials; and the strategies and tactics companies use to communicate and market their environmental efforts and leadership, especially to consumers.
Writing
Makower graduated from the journalism department at the University of California at Berkeley in 1975 and became a freelance magazine writer, focusing on consumer and business issues. Of particular interest were topics at the intersection of business, technology, and society. His first book, in 1981, “Office Hazards: How Your Job Can Make You Sick,” was on the health effects of office environments -- the synergistic impacts of poor indoor air qualityIndoor air quality
Indoor air quality is a term referring to the air quality within and around buildings and structures, especially as it relates to the health and comfort of building occupants....
, inadequate lighting, poorly designed computers and furniture, and other ails of the modern office workspace. At the time, companies had been sealing up buildings and scaling back ventilation systems to save energy. Many companies simultaneously were introducing open-plan office cubicles, desktop computers and, in some cases, machine-paced office work. The combined effect of discomfort and stress, Makower argued, was creating a host of health problems for office workers, from headaches to heart attacks.
Makower has written more than a dozen other books, including The Map Catalog, an award-winning reference guide to maps, and an oral history
Oral history
Oral history is the collection and study of historical information about individuals, families, important events, or everyday life using audiotapes, videotapes, or transcriptions of planned interviews...
of the Woodstock music festival of 1969, published in both book (Doubleday) and audiocassette (Bantam Audio) formats. Its publication in 1989 coincided with the festival’s 20th anniversary. The 40th Anniversary Edition (Excelsior Editions
Excelsior Editions
Excelsior Editions is a trade imprint of SUNY Press that was started in 2008. It is located in Albany, New York.-About the Imprint:The name Excelsior Editions was chosen to signify the imprint's connection to the peoples, histories, and natural beauty of New York State...
) is now available in time for the 40th anniversary of the festival. It has a new foreword by Michael Lang and Joel Rosenman, two of the original coproducers of the festival, plus current information on others involved in making the event happen.
Since 1990, Makower’s writing has focused exclusively on the world of green and clean business. In 1990, he wrote the U.S. edition of a British bestseller, “The Green Consumer Guide” (issued in the U.S. as simply “The Green Consumer”). Its publication, during the frenzy of Earth Day
Earth Day
Earth Day is a day that is intended to inspire awareness and appreciation for the Earth's natural environment. The name and concept of Earth Day was allegedly pioneered by John McConnell in 1969 at a UNESCO Conference in San Francisco. The first Proclamation of Earth Day was by San Francisco, the...
1990, helped make the book a bestseller and led soon thereafter to a weekly syndicated newspaper column on the topic. In 1991, he launched “The Green Business Letter,” a monthly newsletter on corporate environmental topics, which continued publication until 2005. Other books by Makower include The E-Factor: The Bottom-Line Approach to Environmentally Responsible Business (Random House, 1992) and Beyond the Bottom Line: Putting Social Responsibility to Work for Your Business and the World (Simon and Schuster, 1994). He also writes and speaks on the environmental impact of consumerism.
In 2008, Makower authored "Strategies for the Green Economy" (McGraw Hill), with an appendix by social marketing expert Cara Pike.
Makower also writes a blog on these topics, “Two Steps Forward,” and contributes to Worldchanging
Worldchanging
Worldchanging is an American non-profit online magazine and blog about sustainability and social innovation. At 19/09/2011, it was taken over by Architecture for Humanity....
and other blogs on progressive business topics.
Business
In 1999, he founded Green Business Network, a nonprofit organization dedicated to educating companies about green business. GreenBiz.com was launched in 2000, followed by ClimateBiz.com, GreenerBuildings.com, and other sites. In 2006, the sites turned into a for-profit company, Greener World Media, of which Makower is chairman and executive editor. In 2010, the company changed its name to GreenBiz Group Inc.In 2001, Makower co-founded Clean Edge
Clean Edge
Clean Edge is a leading U.S. research and publishing firm that helps companies, investors, and policymakers understand and profit from clean technologies...
, a publishing and research firm focusing on clean technology. He also serves as a senior consultant to GreenOrder, a sustainability strategy firm.
He is an adviser or board member of several nonprofit organizations, including the Biomimicry Institute, Climate Counts, and United Roots.
In 2006 he was named a Batten Fellow at the University of Virginia
University of Virginia
The University of Virginia is a public research university located in Charlottesville, Virginia, United States, founded by Thomas Jefferson...
’s Darden Graduate School of Business Administration
Darden Graduate School of Business Administration
The University of Virginia Darden School of Business is the graduate business school associated with the University of Virginia in Charlottesville, Virginia. The Darden School is one of the world's leading business schools, offering MBA, Ph.D. and Executive Education programs...
.