Social Issues - Articles

Podcast

Amory Lovins - Energy Efficiency in Industry - Part 1

In this audio lecture, Amory Lovins discusses conservation and efficiency strategies that enable industry to eliminate waste, achieve cost savings, lower capital outlays, identify additional capacity, and increase profit. A simple commitment to new energy policies, combined with innovative design strategies and the implementation of cheaper, more powerful, and readily available technologies can provide manufacturing enterprises with a wide array of material and financial benefits.

Podcast

Fazle H. Abed - Achieving the Millennium Development Goals

Fazle Abed explains in this audio lecture how the Bangladesh Rural Advancement Committee (BRAC) is leading grassroots efforts to achieve the eight U.N. Millennium Development Goals in Bangladesh. He describes a multipronged strategy aimed at education, gender equality, health, environmental, economic, and political progress.

Podcast

Amory Lovins - Energy Efficiency in Buildings - Part 2

Well-designed buildings not only conserve energy and reduce costs but also create conditions for better health and wellness. In this audio lecture, Amory Lovins uses several examples to show how the right mix of materials, resources, and expertise can create structures that celebrate living.

Podcast

Amory Lovins - Energy Efficient Design For Buildings - Part 1

Buildings represent an ideal opportunity for reducing energy use through clever design. In this audio lecture, Amory Lovins explores the many possibilities that building design offers us to "think outside of the box" in order to save energy. He shares numerous examples of effective design and even a few cases where smart energy design actually costs less to build, not more.

Podcast

Oded Grajew - Another World Is Possible

The annual World Social Forum is the centerpiece of an international effort to promote globalization based on peace, sustainability, and solidarity. In this audio lecture, Founder Oded Grajew describes the early planning and growth of WSF, and explains the core ideals that led to positive change and strengthened his belief that a better world is possible.

THIRST: Fighting the Corporate Theft of Our Water Alan Snitow & Deborah Kaufman with Michael Fox
Review

Review: Thirst

Review By John D. Donahue

Should water be turned into a commodity that only "haves" can pay for?

Fall 2007

Podcast

Fazle H. Abed - Thinking Big and Scaling Up

Solving the world's big problems takes large-scale solutions, says Fazle H. Abed, founder of Building Resources Across Communities in Bangladesh. In this audio lecture, Abed outlines the development and market perspectives that have enabled his organization to expand and meet his country's needs in key areas, including microfinance, agriculture, and education.

Podcast

Bill Drayton - Global Social Entrepreneur

Ashoka's founder, Bill Drayton, believes that everyone can be a changemaker. In this audio lecture, he reflects on many of the early influences that helped him understand how to advance true social progress. From these beginnings, he traces his own path in public service, and describes the founding of Ashoka, which has grown into a flourishing network of social entrepreneurs who can serve as role models for further progress in promoting social justice around the globe.

Podcast

Dr Muhammad Yunus - Reaching the Full Potential of Microfinance

Microfinance, the extension of small loans to entrepreneurs too poor to qualify for traditional bank loans, has proved to be an effective strategy for raising millions of families from poverty worldwide. Nobel Laureate Muhammad Yunus, who pioneered the microloan revolution in Bangladesh, explains in this audio lecture how he saw rural poor and women struggle against deeply institutionalized economic systems, and realized the massive change that small loans could provide.