Bobby Kennedy: Good Environment Policy is Good Business Policy
We have had so many powerful speakers join us at the Sustainable Operations Summit over the years, and one that always leaves a lasting impression is Robert F. Kennedy, Jr. At the 2011 summit, Bobby joined us for the third time to give a very passionate and unscripted talk (or may I say digression) on how to restore America’s economic might, while safeguarding the environment. As always, Kennedy made a lot of bold statements, but the one that surprised many was his spin on free market capitalism. He stated:
“People have said to me “what is the most important environmental law we can pass in this country?” and I always say the same thing. Free market capitalism. Because the marketplace promotes efficiency, and efficiency means the elimination of waste…and pollution is waste. A true free market would encourage us to properly value our natural resources. And it’s the undervaluation of those resources that causes us to use them wastefully, and In a true free market you cannot make yourself rich without making your neighbors rich and without enriching your community.“
We hope to have Bobby back with us again soon. But for now I highly recommend watching the video of this great talk from last spring which is embedded below.
