Rocky Mountain Institute

11 Apr 2008 Long before it was popular to be a geek about renewable resources, this entrepreneurial think "and do" tank--founded in Colorado in 1982 by Amory Lovins and his then wife Hunter Lovins--was invested in helping corporations grow "more profits with less carbon." Today, with an annual budget of 12 million, RMI is busy advising the Pentagon on oil consumption and Rupert Murdoch on how to make carbon neutral news.

What to Applaud

Ever since Chief Scientist Amory Lovins made energy-wonk history with his pioneering essay “Energy Strategy, The Road not Taken,” this institution has helped over 80 Fortune 500 companies—from Texas Instruments to Royal Dutch/Shell increase profits while reducing waste including:

• Advising Ford Motor Company on creating sustainable cars
• Helping Wal-Mart redesign their truck fleet to save oil
• Promoting efficiency in the U.S. military
• Transforming the State of Hawaii’s energy use

Walking the Walk

Always ahead of their time, since 1982 the company headquarters in Snowmass Colorado is a model of sustainability, with sixteen inch thick walls and solar power such that they can grow guavas and pineapples indoors off-the-grid.

The Mission Ahead

Chief Scientist Amory Lovins would love to figure out a way to bring clean water to the world, and wean the US off oil consumption by 2050; his book, partially funded by the Pentagon, “Winning the Oil Endgame,” maps out a plan to accomplish that challenging goal, with business-for-profit leading the way.

Links

• Rocky Mountain Institute
• "Winning the Oil Endgame"