Listen Now
Podcast: Play in new window | Download (77.9MB) | Embed
Subscribe: Apple Podcasts | RSS
About This Episode
This is an exciting time for innovators in the cannabis industry. Exceeding all expectations of growth with every year, early entrants have a once in a lifetime to capture a share of the American Dream. More importantly, with voluntary self-regulation and innovation, they have an opportunity to demonstrate ways in which industry can choose sustainable business practices, or “resource efficiency” that minimize their carbon footprint without sacrificing their bottom line.
As our guest, Derek Smith, explains, the cannabis industry has potential to lead the path toward a healthier, more prosperous future, positive legacy for generations to come.
We begin this episode with a tribute to Senator John McCain, who lost his battle with cancer last week. As we think of creating a legacy for a brighter future, it is fitting to pay homage to a great American hero, whose brand of leadership was truly a beacon of honor in a turbulent political climate defined by alternative facts casting doubt on truth and contentious partisan extremism threatening the fabric of our democracy.
As we look back on the storied life of a great leader like John McCain, we can honor him by embracing the values of honesty, integrity and honorable service he embodied.
The choices we make today, for better or worse, will forever change the course of history and, more importantly, will determine whether we can survive to tell it. If we are honest with ourselves and one another, we can learn to look deeper than political platforms and pursue a future that provides not just opportunity for peaceful co-existence and abundance beyond our wildest dreams, but a sustainable way of life that ensures the next generation has every opportunity to enjoy a healthy life on earth.
About Our Guest
Derek Smith is Executive Director and Co-Founder of Resource Innovation Institute (RII), a national non-profit whose mission is to promote and quantify energy, carbon and water conservation in the cannabis industry. Prior to RII, Mr. Smith ran Clean Energy Works, a residential energy efficiency program that blended utility, public and private dollars to deliver whole-building retrofits while generating carbon emission reductions along with equitable economic development outcomes. Clean Energy Works was hailed as one of the most successful US Dept. of Energy funded stimulus programs in the country. Mr. Smith has also led energy programs with the City of Portland Bureau of Planning & Sustainability, served on the management team of a Zero VOC start-up paint company and developed an award-winning corporate sustainability program for a national retailer. From his roots in Northern California and throughout his career, Mr. Smith has seen the power of industry partners coming together to develop market-based solutions to their collective climate challenge, and he co-founded RII to serve as an effective industry platform that fosters the collaboration and thought leadership needed to forge a winning future for the cannabis industry.
Acknowledgements
If not for the generosity of our supporters, we wouldn’t be here! We’d first like to express gratitude for our radio sponsors Healthtera and Cannasphere Biotech. We are grateful! Many thanks go to Erik Godal for our theme “Evergreen” and Dr. Bryan Doner for the Medical Marijuana Minute. Photograph on cover courtesy of Resource Innovation Institute. We’d also like to shout out to XRQK Radio Network and Society Bytes Radio Network for broadcasting our show as well as Compassionate Certification Centers and Cannabis Radio for helping us spread the word online. Last but not least,
Thanks to all of you for listening!