Last Thursday, Dr. Weber visited Lafayette to talk about sustainability and environmental consciousness on college campuses. Undoubtedly, a college campus is an important forum for the development of sustainable thinking. Students are often open to embracing new ideas and pushing the boundaries of societal norms. However, how does this new generation of “green” thinkers carry their newfound passion for the environment into the professional world upon graduation.

While millennials are increasingly involved in environmental advocacy, Generation X and the Baby Boomers still dominate the corporate world and thus, dominate the decision making behind some of the most environmentally destructive actions and tendencies.

As an economics and environmental studies double major, I’m interested in exploring the relationship between business and the environment. This past summer, I interned for a large investment company. Typically, the finance industry rarely acknowledges environmentalism or sustainability. In fact, hundreds of billions of dollars are invested in industries that contribute greatly to some of the biggest environmental problems. However, this can change. During my internship, I had the opportunity to meet with the company’s sustainability coordinator. While much of our conversation centered around the company’s commitment to increasing environmental awareness internally, we also talked about the potential for an increased focus on “sustainable investing.”

Sustainable investing is the introduction of environmental consciousness into asset management. Ideally, this concept would focus on a set of sustainability requirements or environmental standards that a company must meet before they are invested in. As the second largest mutual fund company in the country, with almost $2 trillion assets under management, the company that I worked for has the ability to influence countless companies and investors across various industries. The reality of the corporate world is that “money talks.” Unlike government legislation which is often highly contested and lobbied, sustainable investing has the ability to directly influence companies to readjust their sustainable thinking. If certain standards must be met to receive funding, then asset management firms around the world have the ability to change the way different industries think about the environment.

Sustainability today is more than recycling and turning the lights off. If we are to truly make a difference in our environment, we must think bigger. While sustainability on college campuses is incredibly valuable, I am equally excited by the sustainable thinking that is taking place in the corporate world. As more millennials enter the work force in the coming years, I hope that an increased passion for the environment will continue to take its place in all professional environments.