Previous industrial revolutions made people more productive but didn’t account for the high cost of progress on our natural systems. The next major advancement, The Resource Revolution, will shift mindsets, inspire action and protect natural resources as we reimagine how to manage our food, water and energy.
The Resource Revolution is arriving just in time: California’s total population is expected to grow to around 60 million people by 2050, which will create enormous stress on our natural systems. We are in the early days of the Revolution when breakthrough innovations are ready to be tested, distributed and scaled. California will be in the vanguard, setting a standard that can inspire the world.
Now is the time to create a different kind of economics, one that is less about consumption and more about continuing to use our natural resources for society and for the planet. Can philanthropy act as a catalyst to help open the door to a future when we can improve profits, competitiveness and the environment—all at the same time?
Our Focus
California’s Resource Revolution will require major overhauls and breakthroughs in three core areas: Food, Water and Energy—and the nexus between these systems:
For many people food is a form of personal expression. For others it’s a livelihood or a basic need that is difficult to secure. But for all of us food is central to how we connect with each other and experience the world. The farm-to-table movement has shifted what’s possible. We can redesign our food systems to reduce waste and produce higher yields while protecting our farming communities and the nutrition of our children.
Safe water saves lives and is a basic right. With California now entering its fifth year of drought and with the past two years being the warmest on record, we must innovate to guarantee communities access to clean, safe water. A healthy water system means a robust agricultural economy and protection for a fragile diversity of ecosystems and conservation efforts imagined anew.
We are on the cusp of a new energy era that will be clean, responsible and secure. Everyone understands that it’s a moral imperative to shift away from carbon-based fuels. The shift is also an opportunity to both restore our connection to nature and ensure that everyone can thrive in the new energy economy.
Our Approach
We are looking for leaders who are creating radical breakthroughs in efficiency, access and innovation to accelerate California’s Resource Revolution.
“Resource Revolution: a use of natural resources so effective it defies conventional wisdom and enables breakthrough performance where others see only limits and shortages.”
Heck, Stefan and Matt Rogers. 2014.Resource Revolution: How to Capture the Biggest Business Opportunity in a Century. New York: Melcher Media
RESOURCES
Ag Innovations Network: The California Roundtable on Agriculture and the Environment. “A Call to Action to Preserve California Agricultural Land.” http://www.aginnovations.org/uploads/result/1431288812-45566a9a64c9cb825/CRAE_Call_to_Action.pdf
Ag Innovations Network. The California Roundtable on Agriculture and the Environment. “Producing, Distributing, & Consuming Healthy Local Food: Ingredients for a Sustainable Food System.”
http://www.aginnovations.org/uploads/result/1431289284-3474d2b009ab96ede/SMFSA_Sustainable_Food_Brief.pdf
Harvard Business Review. “A Road Map for Natural Capitalism.”
https://hbr.org/2007/07/a-road-map-for-natural-capitalism