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"A compelling history, a clear instruction manual, and most important, a convincing argument. By taking the principles that have made the green building movement so effective and extrapolating them to society at large, Rick offers a viable vision for saving the planet from humanity—and for saving humanity from itself."
—Leonardo DiCaprio

Sustainability is profitable. Profitability is sustainable.

Rick Fedrizzi is the most important environmentalist you’ve never heard of—and Greenthink is his manifesto.

A former Fortune 50 manufacturing executive, Fedrizzi became a leader of the modern environmental movement when he played an instrumental role in creating the most important and far-reaching sustainability movement of our time: the green building movement.

Today, Fedrizzi’s work and ideas are transforming the real estate industry, one of the largest sectors of the global economy, and one of the largest contributors to climate change. As a co-founder of the U.S. Green Building Council, Fedrizzi oversaw the creation of LEED—Leadership in Energy & Environmental Design—which has certified more than four billion square feet of sustainable real estate worldwide. According to Paul Hawken, a legendary environmentalist, “USGBC may have had a greater impact than any other single organization in the world on materials saved, toxins eliminated, greenhouse gases avoided, and human health enhanced.”

But that’s only half the story: the green building industry has also sparked billions of dollars of economic impact and created millions of jobs. This stunning revelation—that sustainability is profitable—is at the heart of Fedrizzi’s call to action in Greenthink.

For decades, environmentalists and the private sector have been at odds. Activists have decried the impact of industry on the environment. Business leaders, meanwhile, resent environmentalists for “job-killing regulations.” But Fedrizzi turns conventional wisdom on its head by showing how profit can save the planet, and how sustainability is the biggest business opportunity of the twenty-first century.

With the urgency of Al Gore’s An Inconvenient Truth, the illuminating stories of Thomas L. Friedman’s The Lexus and The Olive Tree, and the insight of Malcolm Gladwell’s The Tipping Point, Fedrizzi calls the reader’s attention to hidden yet fundamental truths about our environment, our society, and our economy. His message is as controversial as it is clear: leverage the profit motive to save the world—and its humans—from environmental catastrophe.

About the Author

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Since co-founding the U.S. Green Building Council in 1993, and serving as its CEO since 2004, Rick Fedrizzi helped create the global movement for sustainable buildings and communities. He oversaw the creation of LEED—Leadership in Energy & Environmental Design—the premier green building program. Rick is also the CEO of Green Business Certification Inc., and the chair of the Global Real Estate Sustainability Benchmark. Additionally, Rick serves on numerous boards and advisory committees for diverse organizations, including Harvard University’s School of Public Health, the Clinton Global Initiative, Bank of America, and the World Green Building Council, which he chaired from 2011 to 2013.

Praise For…

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"A compelling history, a clear instruction manual, and most important, a convincing argument. By taking the principles that have made the green building movement so effective and extrapolating them to society at large, Rick offers a viable vision for saving the planet from humanity—and for saving humanity from itself."
—Leonardo DiCaprio

"Greenthink is a must-read if you care about making money, about humanity, or about the future of Earth, our home. Rick Fedrizzi depicts his transformational vision and personal story that profit is the solution. Rick is a true visionary, movement-builder, and prophet."
—David Gottfried, CEO, Regenerative Ventures Gottfried Institute, and Founder, U.S. and World Green Building Councils

"Greenthink describes the philosophical underpinnings of the U.S. Green Building Council--but it goes much further to make the case that protecting the environment and prospering in business can go hand-in-hand. Along the way, Rick Fedrizzi recounts fascinating--sometimes funny--anecdotes about the history of the paradigm-changing organization he helped to create and shares stories from the business and environmental communities that amplify his important message."
—Alex Wilson, Founder, BuildingGreen, and President, Resilient Design Institute

"Kudos to Rick for brilliantly summing up an idea that we passionately embrace at SLOAN. Greenthink is how global leadership companies win, and it's how we'll deliver the safe, healthy, prosperous, and sustainable planet the future deserves."
—Jim Allen, President and CEO, SLOAN

"Rick has built the world's most impactful social enterprise in the U.S. Green Building Council and global green building movement. If you're looking for a roadmap for how to change the world by transforming markets, then look no further. This is it."
—Michelle Moore, CEO, Groundswell

"I love Rick's premise that we need both a sustainability mindset and sustainable streams of capital and ideas to get at the crux of our environmental issues, and that premise is proving out every day in green schools. Continuing to invest in the raising of a generation of sustainability natives is how we are achieving both social leaders and business leaders, and Greenthink lays out the best case I've seen yet for that!"
--Jayni Chase, author of Blueprint for a Green School, and Advisor, Center for Green Schools at USGBC

“Greenthink is a gift to all of us and offers a solid platform for moving forward with positive, sustainable results. The idea that environmentalists and business should—and must—work together to assure optimum solutions is key to future success for all parties. A ‘win-win,’ Rick points out clearly, as we all share common enemies: waste, inefficiency, pollution, climate change, resource scarcity, and environmental degradation. To address these issues, embrace Greenthink.”
—Art Gensler, Founder, Gensler

“One of the most significant arguments for sustainability I have ever come across. Rick’s approach to this topic is different from any work to date, demonstrating the power of profitability and the simple case for why adopting ‘green’ principles is no longer just a choice, but a necessary edge to survive competitively in business.”
—Paul Scialla, Founder and Chairman, DELOS Living

“With Greenthink, Rick Fedrizzi brings much needed clarity, coherence, and urgency to this generation’s singular opportunity to align behind a common set of shared values that underscores the universality of human health and environmental quality, with transparency and reporting driving massive innovation as cornerstones of a prosperous future for all.”
—Gail Vittori, Codirector, Center for Maximum Potential Building Systems

“LEED challenged the status-quo thinking of architectural practice and laid the cornerstone for how our profession—and our buildings and communities—evolved these last two decades. Greenthink is quintessential Rick, and captures his optimism and boldness. Fearless and relentless in his passion, and with feet in both the business and environmental camps, his leadership has been key to keeping all the stakeholders in the conversation to collaborate our way to a much better future.”
—Bob Berkebile, Principal, BNIM

“Environmentalism used to be a one-sided victory, but now it’s a win-win. Businesses can do well by doing good and Greenthink is an important primer. Making money and protecting the planet not only aren’t incompatible, they fit perfectly together. Greenthink explains how.”
—Jeff Birnbaum, journalist and author of Showdown at Gucci Gulch and The Money Men

“Rick’s passion for a better future and his work in forming and elevating USGBC has made sustainability a baseline requirement for top quality real estate. We share this passion and believe that a sustainable approach to real estate makes good business sense, helps the environment, and creates genuinely better places for people. Rick has proven his commitment to the green building community, and Greenthink is a testament to his dedication. Required reading for anyone in real estate.”
—Gerald Hines, Founder and Chairman, Hines