Energy

Amory Lovins - Business Solutions to Climate Change

Better design integration and materials innovation can lead to big energy and cost savings, and rapid return on investment, particularly in the automotive and housing industries. Amory Lovins, one of America's most influential energy speakers, offers some profitable business-led solutions to climate, oil, and nuclear proliferation problems in this Stanford Center for Social Innovation sponsored audio lecture. Lovins offers strategies to reduce US oil dependence through a menu of renewable and fossil fuel types.

Foundations

Laura Arrillaga - Philanthropy Today

Venture philanthropy and other new products and trends indicate that philanthropy has changed dramatically over the past 10 years. Donors are younger than ever before and foundations have become increasingly professionalized. In this audio interview, sponsored by the Stanford Center for Social Innovation, philanthropy expert Peter Hero interviews Laura Arrillaga, a leader in Silicon Valley, about developments that are now making philanthropy a powerhouse for social change.

Organizational Development

Dr. Christopher Elias - Advancing Technology to Improve Health

PATH (Program for Appropriate Technology and Health) is a nonprofit organization designed to ensure that the benefits of innovation in science and technology are available to developing countries and remotely located, low-income groups. In this audio interview, host Sheela Sethuraman speaks with Dr. Christopher Elias, president and CEO of PATH, about the PATH's origins, accomplishments, and challenges.

Environment

Panel Discussion - Environmental Sustainability and Development

Environmental sustainability faces one of its toughest challenges when it comes to international growth. In this panel discussion, experts consider how the accelerated rate at which developing nations now follow the footsteps of the United States is leading to the ever greater exploitation of natural resources. They discuss ways to achieve sustainable development.

Civic Engagement

Panel Discussion - Skoll World Forum: Empathy and Ethics

Technology has increased the flow of information and made our decision-making more transparent. In this panel discussion on empathy and ethics, Bill Drayton, Mary Gordon, Keith Hammonds, Kirk Hanson, and Jill Vialet consider how empathetic ethics has to begin with individuals and can only then move into the organizations we lead and the societies we serve.

Cities

Tim Williamson - Fostering Entrepreneurship in New Orleans

The Idea Village was launched in New Orleans by "five guys who wanted to change the world." The more modest goal of these entrepreneurs was to revitalize the city economically—a mission that became especially important when Hurricane Katrina hit in 2005. In this audio lecture, sponsored by the Stanford Center for Social Innovation, Tim Williamson shares how his nonprofit has been helping rebuild the devastated city economically, and the progress inspired through a powerful network of talented individuals.

Health

Andrea Coleman - Keeping Healthcare Mobile Saves Lives

Many areas of rural Africa suffer from a lack of healthcare delivery. In this audio interview with host Sheela Sethuraman, Andrea Coleman explains how she and her husband founded Riders for Health to provide life-saving assistance to such regions. She outlines how the organization uses motorcycles, in particular, to transport healthcare providers and medical goods, and how it has created a sustainable approach.

Economic Development

David Funkhouser - TransFair’s Work in Fair Trade

Coffee price fluctuations over past decades have created extreme financial crises and long-term poverty for thousands of small-scale Latin American farmers. In this Stanford Center for Social Innovation sponsored audio lecture, David Funkhouser of TransFair USA, details how the Fair Trade movement arose as a market-based approach to poverty alleviation and international development. He discusses Fair Trade's function to offer suppliers fair, above-market prices, and TransFair's role in supporting that movement.

Health

Thulasiraj Ravilla - Aravind: Sustainable Healthcare

How did a free eye clinic that started in a house in south India in 1976 grow to become Asia's first international training facility for blindness prevention workers? In this audio interview, host Sheela Sethuraman speaks with Thulasiraj Ravilla from the Aravind Eye Care System. Ravilla concentrates on the innovative approaches that Aravind has developed to become a model for high-quality, low-cost health care.

Civic Engagement

Gloria Steinem - Every Woman a Feminist

In this audio lecture, Gloria Steinem paints a rich picture of American feminism and social responsibility. From her anecdotes of 1960s activism to her thoughtful analysis of the possibilities for women in political leadership, Steinem continues to advocate that every woman has a part to play in this movement. She promises that any woman who performs one outrageous act to promote simple justice will not only help make the world better, but will be instantly inspired to do more.

Leadership

Gavin Newsom - Say What You Think, Then Take Action

San Francisco's young and charismatic mayor, Gavin Newsom, has suffered his share of punches for taking bold positions on controversial issues. In this Stanford Center for Social Innovation sponsored audio lecture, Newsom tells of the courage and persistence it takes to make real social change as a leader. He outlines progressive reforms in areas such as education, health care, and business, and reflects on the personal and professional price paid for supporting one particularly contentious issue: gay marriage.

Human Rights

Ken Roth - Who’s Falling Short on Human Rights?

Ken Roth, executive director of Human Rights Watch, gives a thoughtful perspective on the "State of Human Rights" in the 70 countries where they work. In this audio lecture, he argues the biggest issue in human rights is the lack of leadership from governments that can exert a positive influence. He takes a critical look at the role of the United States and the European Union, in particular.

Arts & Culture

David Galenson - Social Entrepreneurs as Long-Horizon Creatives

At what stage in life do innovators make their most significant contributions to social enterprise? In this audio lecture, economist and creativity researcher David Galenson debunks the myth that high achievement is the domain of youth and genius for an audience of social entrepreneurs over the age of 60. Applying lessons learned from lives of artists and leaders, he considers differences in style and time horizons of creative people, emphasizing that social innovation is more about slow burn than flash in the pan.

Health

Vera Cordeiro Rio - Breaking the Cycle of Poverty-Related Illness

When Dr. Vera Cordeiro Rio worked at Hospital da Lagoa in Rio de Janeiro, she witnessed a constant admission/re-admission cycle in childcare treatment. To break that cycle, she gathered medical community volunteers to form Renascer, addressing root causes that prevent families from providing adequate care. In this audio interview, join host Sheela Sethuraman as she learns how Cordeiro Rio translated her passion translated into a methodology that is quickly sweeping through Brazil and the world.

Food

Marion Nestle - Making Good Eating Choices

The question of what to eat to be healthy has spawned a rash of often contradictory advice by "experts." In this audio lecture, sponsored by the Stanford Ethics and Society Program, NYU professor and author Marion Nestle offers simple advice that cuts through the confusion. She highlights the difference between "nutrients" and "food," and suggests how to bring "nutrition" back into the food realm. Her discussion forays into how agriculture and business interact to produce the foodstuffs on our shelves.