Fifteen years ago, Greenleaf Communities was established to advance a healthy and sustainable world through sound scientific research and solutions oriented towards the health and well-being of society. It is an affiliate of Greenleaf Advisors which was established earlier in 2002 as a consultancy to bridge enterprises for a healthy and sustainable world. Greenleaf Communities and Greenleaf Advisors have brought together researchers, practitioners, policymakers, business leaders, and capital partners to advance a healthier, more sustainable world by tackling challenges across climate, water, energy, materials, and soil health. This would not have been possible without the involvement of our supportive community.
On Thursday, October 29th, we hosted an evening of celebration, collaboration, and conversation with our board and partners to reflect on the road we’ve traveled together and shape the path ahead.
At Greenleaf Communities, our work continues to:
Navigate environmental risk and opportunities for sustainable value.
Our series with the Global Finance Journal convenes businesses, finance, research, and policy experts on investing in our future. Board Member, Keyvan Arjomand, today moderated the practitioner panel during the CSR Conference in Düsseldorf. Read more about our Sustainable Finance series.
Provide climate intelligence to strengthen community and infrastructure resilience.
Climate is the overarching governor of earth’s resources that enable and sustain our lives. We inform policy and practices (clean energy, green infrastructure, natural resources) with sound science to mitigate and adapt to a changing climate. Read more.
Advance regenerative agriculture in Ethiopia.
We convene and engage researchers, producers and government agencies to adopt policies and practices for sustainable results and are now bridging to Bethel Agricultural Association, a nonprofit developing an agricultural technical degree program and analytical lab in Ethiopia to ‘Train a Farmer, Feed a Nation.’ Read more about BAA.
Promote measurable conservation outcomes and sustainable development.
Nature Outcome Agreement Areas with Daniel Kraus (U of Waterloo) and Environment and Climate Change Canada, is an iterative framework for measurable conservation outcomes and sustainable development, co-led by Indigenous Peoples and local communities. Read more about Nature Outcome Agreement Areas.
At Greenleaf Advisors, we:
Bring sustainable solutions for land, water, energy, materials and climate resources to corporations, governments, communities and investors with consulting and transaction advisory services including strategy, market enablement, outreach, and enterprise development.
The clean energy transition.
- Intelligent Generation which optimizes energy storage solutions for grid service revenues, energy savings, and operational resilience. Read more.
- Continental Energy Solutions, who design and build solar + storage projects and offer financing options.
- Solarge, which produces fully recyclable, lightweight solar panels in the Netherlands (with planned US-based manufacturing).
- Energy Transition Forum, which facilitates fact-based, open “off-the-record” dialogue with industry executives to addresses the critical obstacles and strategic pathways necessary for a secure, cost-effective, and sustainable energy landscape.
Uptake of bio-based products.
Sustainable product design strategies, including use of safe materials, design for cyclability, and stewardship of resources, as well the commercialization and market development of their products. We are working with Illinois Soybean Association to assist the commercialization of bio-based alternatives to traditional fossil-fuel based products.
Climate and environmental risk forecasting.
Earth Knowledge is a global planetary intelligence platform that informs climate and nature risk so that corporations, investors, and governments can act to protect their interests and report accordingly. Earth Knowledge has enabled the state of California to manage its fire and water risks with high-resolution predictive modeling.
Our contributions with our partners include:
Protected Great Lakes Lands and Waters
Conservation of 2,500 acres and 13 miles of coastline at Trout Bay on Lake Superior’s north shore and 600 acres at Swimming Bear in Wisconsin as an addition to the Chequamegon-Nicolet National Forest. These lands provide critical habitat for Canada lynx, black bears, gray wolves, peregrine falcons, and migratory birds.
Shaped the Chicago Area Waterway System strategy
Analyzed options for separating the Great Lakes and Mississippi watersheds to prevent the spread of invasive species, which could cause major economic and environmental impacts.
Established national standard that reduces nutrient runoff
Established an NRCS national conservation practice standard for gypsum, a soil amendment that cut nutrient runoff, a major contributor to harmful algal blooms in Lake Erie, by 50% in Midwestern demonstrations.
Informed climate policy
Led economic research with Professors Roy Wehrle (former senior economist for President Kennedy and professor emeritus at University of Illinois-Springfield) and Don Wuebbles (leading climate scientist and professor emeritus at University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign) to address the urgency in addressing climate change and to inform carbon pricing discussions.
Addressed climate change and urban stresses
With Don Wuebbles, helped set up the University of Illinois’ Center for Urban and Rural Environmental Sustainability to address the complexities of urban sustainability and shared proven solutions applicable to Illinois municipalities.
Advised regional planning efforts
Co-organized an economic water roundtable with Resources for the Future on Chicago water challenges. Contributed to the Chicago Metropolitan Agency for Planning’s comprehensive assessments on regional water management.
