EcoApprentice interviewed Kara Sigua, lead for the MBA student team from Portland State University. Kara and her team worked on our first EcoSolution with wine tour company Grand Cru Wine Tours in Monmouth, Oregon.
 
1) How can EcoApprentice help students get real-world experience? 
 
The only way to get real-world experience is to work on real-world problems. Students will only benefit if they are challenged to solve real problems that may require some outside the box ways of thinking. EcoApprentice can provide the bridge between these problems and the innovative minds of students.
 
By partnering students with businesses they’re able to see the application of what they’re learning in the classroom applied to real life situations.
 
EcoApprentice provides a knowledge sharing platform that networks students with businesses in need.  By working with businesses to solve EcoChallenges, students get a feel for what it takes to tackle age-old problems with a new “eco” lens.
 
2) Why do you consider eco issues to be a priority?
 
We have managed to exploit every part of this world we live in and if we don’t change our way of thinking regarding the way we operate there won’t be much of a future. We need to consider long term consequences when making decisions not just in our day to day lives but more importantly in the decisions we make in our work-places that can have a much grander impact.
 
There are so many unsustainable things about the way we live our lives today – from fuel for our cars to the sourcing of our food.  I think if we don’t pay attention to these issues we’re going to really start to see the consequences in our lifetimes.  It is no longer a problem for the future; at the rate we’re exploiting our planet and competing for resources, if we don’t come up with alternative ways to do things, I think it will be devastating to our planet very soon.
 
I believe that humans make an impact on the global ecosystem and that it has been a negative impact for the last couple hundred years.  So, I believe it is important to change the way that we think about and conduct business.  In doing so, we will teach future generations to view the earth as an invaluable asset.
 
 
3) What are your individual goals? 
 
I am really concerned about energy usage and fuels in our world. There is a big push for renewable resources, but this is not coming fast enough and there are not enough incentives to push big industries to make a conscientious change towards renewable sources for fuels.
 
I am most passionate about food sourcing because I think the way we subsidize food is atrocious.  The absolute worst things for our health are also the “tastiest” and the cheapest.  The health costs associated with our eating habits continues to rise. I think there needs to be more education about where our food comes from and then people can start to think about how to make healthy, sustainable foods more affordable.
 
I am interested in getting consumers to choose “green” products and services.  Our current economy is based on the idea of profit and loss and doesn’t leave room for social or environmental responsibility.  However, if consumers demand and select socially and environmentally responsible products, then those are the companies that will become most profitable.  In the meantime, I am interested in convincing consumers and investors that value is not solely monetary and that businesses can be a force for change in the world.
 
4) What was something surprising you learned about working with Grand Cru on getting their sustainability certification? 
 
Sustainable Travel International has done such a great job of laying out the groundwork for a company to become eco certified. I was surprised to discover how detailed and vast the process is. Every single component of your business is evaluated and not just your actions but the actions of other entities you interact with must also be sustainable. This creates a chain of accountability which our world really needs.
 
I was impressed by the diversity in the sustainability requirements.  Beyond tracking carbon off-sets and recycling efforts, STI is really focusing on cultural and economic sustainability as well.  I think this is very important because it reminds people of the importance of locally sourcing and giving back to the local economy, so they can continue to support business as customers.
 
I was surprised to find out that Grand Cru is the first wine tour company in Oregon to get sustainably certified.  This certification will create lasting competitive advantage for Grand Cru because they are paving the way for sustainability in their industry. Read more about Grand Cru’s EcoChallenge and EcoSolution.