An Integrated Approach to Sustainability

Elemental Impact programs take a holographic approach to discovering solutions where all parties, including the environment, benefit.  As Ei's zero waste foundation expands into Toxin-Free Environments and Product Stewardship, health economics is a natural segue to further explore program impact.

According to Wikipedia, health economics is defined as "a branch of economics concerned with issues related to efficiency, effectiveness, value and behavior in the production and consumption of health and health care. In broad terms, health economists study the functioning of the health care systems as well as health-affecting behaviors such as smoking."

Susan Montgomery

Adding health economics to Ei's solid business sense approach is a powerful formula for creating systems where the global community benefits, including the population sector living in impoverished conditions.  Susan Montgomery, Ei program director, is the driving force for the health economics filter within existing and developing programs.

Under Susan's stewardship, Ei plans to work with complementary non-profits and government agencies to determine the health impact and benefits within our program implementation.  Ei will retain the three-tier program foundation structure:

• First, Safety - food, personal, or health safety is maintained or improved.
• Second, Solid business sense - from a holographic standpoint, including tangible and intangible costs | benefits, the end result must improve the bottom line (or least be neutral)  for the individual business and the community as a whole.
• Third, Smooth implementation - business operations may not be disrupted. Thus, program stages and phases let operators implement new procedures with baby steps.

In addition to her excellent organizational skills, Susan has an impressive academic resume. From an educational standpoint, Susan earned a MBA from Boston University with a focus in Environmental Development after her undergraduate studies at Dartmouth College.  Respected among peers in the public health arenas, Susan was a guest lecturer in November, 2011 at Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health  in their program on Global Sustainability and Health.

Susan with posters in Zurcih

In July, 2012 two of Susan's poster presentations were selected for display at the European Health Economics Conference, "Progress in Health Economics:  9th European Conference on Health Economics," held at the University of Zurich.  The poster-style articles presented were:

• "Going Local inFood/Energy/Health:  Methods, Measures & Strategies" 
• " In Praise of theMiddle Class: a New Look at the Multiplier Effect"

When not orchestrating Ei's programs, Susan is busy with her own company, Health Comes First!!!, where health | environmental issues are analyzed via a systems-based approach.  Using the "Cousin Industry Analysis" format, three non-related industries  - food, energy and health - are brought together for simultaneous review. The goal is to reduce illness and climate impacts prior to occurrence. 

While bringing a health perspective to Ei initiatives, Susan plans to encourage health economics professionals to integrate sustainability into their platforms.  The tagline to Ei's Sustainable Food Court Initiative, An Integrated Approach to Sustainability, seems to encapsulate Ei's expanded directions.  Thank you Susan for bringing the health perspective to Ei!

Ei Partner Tours Launch in Indy

In February Elemental Impact announced the sponsorship program evolved into a partnership program.  National and global leaders join Ei to work in unison on creating scenarios where sustainable best operating practices are standard practices as they make sound business sense.  
Ei is a creator and incubator for developing programs within the corporate, government and educational communities.  A common phrase in Ei founder Holly Elmore's speaking engagements summarizes the overall driving force in Ei iniatives:

Ei determines what could be done, that is not being done, and gets it done.  Ei brings the possible out of impossible.

The mini-bus was perfect to
maximize time together

With few to no competitors among the Ei Partners, the synergies are tremendous along with an openness to share internal operations and programs.  An added benefit of Ei Partner participation is the strong business potential among partners.  Selling is not permitted within Ei introductions yet relationship development that segues naturally into business transactions is highly encouraged.

In July Heritage Interactive Services hosted fellow Ei Partners in Indianapolis for the first in a series of Ei Partner Tours.  To facilitate transportation, Interactive hired a mini-bus with flexible seating and tables for the group as two of the tour sites were over an hour from Indy. Thanks to Interactive foresight and hospitality, transportation time was filled with productive business including introductions, networking and bonding.

First on the agenda was the Hilex Poly Plastic Film Recycling Plant in North Vernon, the nation's only plastic film-dedicated recycling plant. Located next to one of their bag manufacturing plants, a significant portion of the post-consumer recycled plastic resin pellets have a zero carbon footprint back into the production process.

For an overview of the plastic film recycling process, see the Ei FB album, 07-01-11 Hilex Poly Tour, that supports the ZWA Blog post, Getting a Handle on Plastic Film Recycling.  Last July Ei Partner Simon Property Group toured the plant in preparation of launching a plastic film recycling program for their malls.  The ZWA Blog post, ACTION - Theme for SFCI Shopping Mall Pilot, announces the plastic film recycling pilot at Concord Mills in Charlotte.

Dinner atThe Mesh on Mass

Interactive hosted a fabulous dinner for their Indy guests at The Mesh on Mass in a perfect atmosphere for new friends to further explore their relationship potentials.

The second day started at the Interactive offices where the group once again loaded into the mini-bus for travel to the Subaru of Indiana Automotive plant in Lafayette, about an hour north of Indy. Working in partnership with Interactive, the Subaru plant achieved 99.9% zero waste in their manufacturing facility. Absolutely amazing, impressive are understatements for the systems developed and implemented.  Even the dust in the welding areas is filtered so valuable metal particles may be sold. 

Entrance to Heritage Environmental
Services offices

After a lovely lunch at a local restaurant the group returned to the Interactive offices.  Bob Zetty, Interactive President, gave a tour of their innovative offices.  It was nice to see the well-used recycling bins in their offices and know Interactive walks their talk behind the scenes.  Creativity is integral to Interactive success - a large corner room with window walls along with comfortable chairs and couches serves at the "think tank room" for strategy sessions.

Last on the formal agenda was a tour of Heritage Research Group's Research & Development Lab. Located in an industrial office park, the lab serves as the backbone to The Heritage Group of 27 companies, 2 IPO's and approximately 4,000 employees. Chief Scientist Sibel Selcuk gave the group an in-depth tour of the outstanding facility. Integrity is woven within the foundation of The Heritage Group. The R&D Lab exemplifies the Heritage commitment of resources to ensure services and operations are substantiated with truth down to the molecular level.

The Heritage Team 

With the formal tours complete, the Ei Partners departed Indy impressed and inspired to cultivate the fertile seeds planted throughout the two-days spent together. To keep the momentum building on the first tour series, a sequel  two-day Ei Partner Tour is slated for New York City in October.  

Bob & Amy outside the
mini-bus

THANK YOU to Bob Zetty for the Interactive investment in hosting your fellow partners for two days in your hometown.  THANK YOU Amy Moreland, Interactive Director of Business & Supplier Development, and Ann Germann for your excellent organizational and planning skills - the entire two activity-filled days flowed with ease, grace and FUN!

For a pictorial recap of the Indy Ei Partner Tour, visit the Ei FB album, July, 2012 Ei Partner Tours in Indy,