Brightening Our Corner Newsletter - August 2016

Welcome Joseph Ray Lanier - Tomorrow's Child

Ray's fourth great grandchild, J.R., has arrived to proud first-time parents, John A. Lanier and Chantel Lanier. Joseph Ray Lanier was born on July 26th, weighing 7 lbs. 11 oz. and measuring 21 inches long. Upon the occasion of J.R.'s birth, John said,"'Tomorrow’s Child', the poem that my grandfather so often read at the end of his speeches, contains a message that resonates deeply within me as I hold my newborn son. It reminds me of how precious life truly is."  The poem was written by Glenn Thomas during the early part of Interface’s sustainability journey, just after he heard Ray speak about his environmental epiphany.

Join us for RayDay on Sunday, September 25th

You are invited to join us for the 4th annual RayDay celebration, Sunday, September 25th, 3-7 p.m. at Serenbe in Chattahoochee Hills, Georgia.  RayDay is an annual celebration of the life and legacy of Ray C. Anderson, hosted by the Ray C. Anderson Foundation. RayDay was inspired by Ray’s tireless efforts to make this world a better place for Tomorrow’s Child. Click here to view a video about RayDay. Click here to register for this year’s free event.

Exciting Things Happening at Ray C. Anderson Center for Sustainable Business

Michael Oxman is New Managing Director

Michael Oxman joins the Scheller College of Business as the new managing director of the Ray C. Anderson Center for Sustainable Business.

Oxman’s diverse 25-year international career spans senior-level consulting, corporate, non-profit, and government roles. In addition to two master’s degrees (Master of International Affairs from Columbia University’s School of International and Public Affairs and a Master of Business Administration from Rice University’s Jones Graduate School of Management), he has teaching experience at secondary and graduate levels. Read more.

Spotlight on Scheller Sustainability Fellows

The Ray C. Anderson Center for Sustainable Business empowers students to become leaders in building a sustainable and prosperous future.  Their Fellows program is an opportunity for those seeking a deeper engagement related to sustainability, beyond the Strategic Sustainability Concentration and Net Impact.

Each year, the Center chooses a limited number of Scheller Sustainability Fellows. Click here to read profiles about this year's Fellows, Sylvester Ashok, Hrishikesh Joshi and Elizabeth Schultz.

GDOT Issues Resolution

The Georgia Department of Transportation (GDOT) State Transportation Board passed a resolution on June 16th endorsing innovative and safe transportation technology projects on The Ray, a project of The Ray C. Anderson Foundation.

The Ray, officially known as the Ray C. Anderson Memorial Highway, is an 18-mile corridor on Interstate 85 that connects exits 1 and 18 – from West Point, Ga. to LaGrange, Ga.  Read more.

GDOT Offers "Ray Mix" Pollinator Seeds

Every fall, the Georgia Department of Transportation (GDOT) produces and distributes (at events) thousands of seed packets containing a regional native mix of wildflower seed to educate, raise awareness and increase plantings statewide.  In 2016, 30,000 seed packets will be produced in partnership with The Ray and will feature a mix of regional native wildflower and pollinator plants.

In September, approximately 200 Kia Motors Manufacturing Georgia employees will join representatives of GDOT and three nonprofit organizations - The Ray, Georgia Conservancy and Chattahoochee Nature Center - to install a 5,000 sq. ft. pollinator garden at the state-owned and managed visitor information center on Interstate 85 at Exit 1-West Point. This will be the first pollinator garden that GDOT has helped to establish in the state. This impactful day of service demonstrates the power of “P4"; (public, private and philanthropic partnerships) to benefit pollinators.

Biomimicry Global Design Challenge

Inaugural Ray of Hope Prize to be Awarded at Bioneers
The Ray C. Anderson Foundation and the Biomimicry Institute will award the inaugural $100,000 Ray of Hope Prize on Saturday, October 22nd at the Bioneers Conference in San Rafael, California. Read more.

Seven teams from the 2015 Design Challenge will compete for the award.  Those interested in watching the teams pitch their prototypes prior to the Ray of Hope Award are invited to RSVP for a special event on Thursday, October 20th. Click here for more information.

2016 Design Challenge Finalists Announced
Hundreds of students and professionals answered the call to help fix our broken food system by looking to nature to create design solutions. Now, after receiving 86 submissions from 18 countries, for the 2016 Challenge, the Biomimicry Global Design Challenge judges have chosen ten winning teams to receive cash prizes and, for some, the chance to bring their biomimetic solution to market and compete for the $100,000 Ray C. Anderson Foundation Ray of Hope Prize in 2017. Read more.

Talk with Green Guy

The Ray C. Anderson Foundation continues to sponsor “Talk with Green Guy,” a rapidly growing weekly show hosted by Eric Moncrief on WGST 640 AM, iHeartRadio, which airs locally Sunday mornings at 9:00 a.m. Eastern.

The show first aired in March 2014 and continues to gain traction by increasing its reach through syndicated terrestrial and satellite radio stations. Click here to access all of the previous shows.

Georgia Focus

John A. Lanier, executive director of the Ray C. Anderson Foundation, was interviewed on the Georgia Focus radio show by John Clark of Georgia News Network.  They talked about the Foundation's goals and RayDay 2016.
Click here to listen.
 

Ecocentricity Blog

“Thank You” Is Not Enough
I’ve been blessed beyond measure these past few weeks. These blessings are what fill me with overflowing gratitude. They are not earned and they are not deserved. That’s what makes them so special...So that is what this blog is – my profession of extreme gratefulness. And even these words will not be enough. I hope, however, that they will at least seem honest. Read more.

Note:  Ecocentricity is available by weekly subscription and can be delivered to your e-mail box automatically every Wednesday.  When you click through to the blog, enter your information in the orange box in the right column to subscribe.

In the Spotlight

Mary Anne Lanier, President of the Ray C. Anderson Foundation, is participating in the 2016 Class of the Institute for Georgia Environmental Leadership (IGEL).

Michael Molitor, Ray C. Anderson Foundation Senior Fellow, will be making a presentation at the Ray C. Anderson Center for Sustainable Business on Monday, September 26th, 4:30 - 6:00 p.m. at the Scheller College. Click here for more information.