From left to right: Dr. Rob, Dunrie Greiling, Lisa Wozniak, Phil Roos, and Tim Dekker.
If you don’t know me already, My name is Dunrie Greiling. I have a Ph.D. in plant ecology from the University of Michigan and I have worked in the startup-tech ecosystem here for the last 2 decades. I am a friend of Rob’s. I’ve been around LC for a while.
I was born in Michigan and I love this place.
I love the vast and moody lakes – and the little ones too. I love the forests and the fields and the beaches and the trees. I really love the trees.
I want you to think of someplace outdoors that you love, somewhere that inspires you. Picture it in your mind’s eye.
Maybe it’s a beach maybe it’s a treehouse or cave or river. Think of all its beauty, think of the birds, bugs, ferns, mushrooms, berries, iris, lilies, dogwoods, pines, squirrels, foxes, and maybe even bears that might live there. Think of the fresh air and water there.
How grateful are we to those that showed us that place? Who taught us the names of the birds and the trees and the bugs?
How grateful are we to those who came before and helped to keep that place beautiful, to protect it. How grateful are we to those who protect these now?
Because our water, our air, our farmland, and our natural areas need our protection. They may be at risk due to climate change, development pressure, pollution, or all of these together.
Leadership in the environmental sector is leadership anywhere else, the work to unite and motivate teams of people to work together towards a common goal. Yet there is an added dimension of crisis- and loss at play.
For that reason, I am so excited to learn from three established, successful, and inspirational leaders in the environment in this week’s Leaders Connect.
I am so grateful to the funders, the policymakers, the advocates, the land trusts, and the engineers who keep Michigan so beautiful. I’m grateful to this panel for sharing their wisdom and for your enthusiasm.
– Dunrie Greiling’s opening for this past week’s Leaders Connect event, Leadership in the Environmental Sector with Phil Roos, Tim Dekker Ph.D., PE, and Lisa Wozniak.
To gain a comprehensive understanding of the topics we covered, I highly recommend watching the recording on my YouTube channel, available here. There was a wealth of information shared that you’ll find beneficial.
Protecting the natural places we love takes more than an appreciation for their beauty; it requires people who are willing to turn that appreciation into practical action. From conserving water and reducing waste to improving how communities collect and manage discarded materials, environmental progress often depends on decisions made by businesses, policymakers, and local communities working toward the same goal.
Leaders in the environmental sector must balance the need for economic growth with the responsibility to protect the land and resources that future generations will depend on. The career of Patrick Dovigi, a Canadian entrepreneur who founded GFL Environmental, reflects one aspect of this responsibility through the development of a business focused on waste management and environmental services.
Work in this field involves more than collecting and processing waste; it also raises questions about how resources are used, how environmental impacts can be reduced, and how communities can manage the by-products of everyday life more responsibly.
Bringing business experience together with environmental awareness can help leaders make decisions that support both operational needs and long-term sustainability, while reminding us that protecting the places we value requires continued effort from individuals, organizations, and the wider community.