Outsourcing Our Problems: Scale and Environmental Impacts of Materials Consumption

Oregon is the only state in the union with a vision for the consumption of materials extending to 2050 that is ratified by the legislature and supported by the Environmental Quality Commission. This wider, whole systems perspective - referred to as a life cycle approach - uncovers environmental hotspots within material flows and is well-placed to identify options to reduce environmental and social hotspots related to consumption in the States. Such hotspots are often outsourced worldwide through the manufacturing supply networks of everyday items such as food, clothing, electronics, building materials and more. Minal Mistry, Business Initiatives Lead with the Oregon Department of Environmental Quality, will discuss the 2050 Vision and share some initial findings from this research. Location: Middlebury Institute of International Studies, McGowan Building, Room 100, 411 Pacific Street, Monterey, CA 93940. Free, Open to the Public. No registration requested. Website for more info: go.miis.edu/sustainability. For Questions, contact Rachel Christopherson at the Center for the Blue Economy at [email protected] or (831) 647-4183.