Of all human activity, modern agriculture is the largest single contributor to global greenhouse gas (GHG) production, to deforestation and to water consumption. Protecting and improving the natural environment are fundamental, and issues like biodiversity, climate change, energy, soil degradation and water scarcity need to be addressed. The global wine industry can and should do […]

My work with sustainable agriculture began in the coffee industry, during a period of tremendous growth in high-quality coffee shops and retail categories around the world. As a senior executive at Starbucks Coffee Company, I led the company’s global responsibility efforts focused on rigorous approaches to sustainable agriculture for coffee, tea and cocoa, fair and […]

For years I have worked in the realm of sustainable agriculture, primarily on coffee, tea and cocoa production and marketing. Awareness of our damaging environmental practices is growing in these sectors and sustainable sourcing is becoming a point of differentiation in the marketplace. Our customers are increasingly concerned about where their food comes from and […]

While America’s thirst for wines and premium wines  continues to grow, the prime areas in Napa and Sonoma County are basically planted to capacity. Meanwhile, water rights in other areas of California are a huge issue. Water may be the greatest limitation to the growth of the industry in the nation’s #1 wine producing state. […]

Many industries are now focused on the “triple-bottom-line” of balancing economic, environmental and social dimensions of sustainability — addressing the concerns of both internal and external stakeholders: the physical environment, job security, workplace environment for employees, relationships with community and the ability of business to remain viable and profitable. The goal is to make sure […]

We never know the worth of water till the well is dry. ~Thomas Fuller This week I was reminded of this truism as the arctic air and frigid temperatures in Washington, DC caused some pipes at my home to burst. My plumber was 70 miles away dealing with another water issue and couldn’t come to […]