News

UI alumna makes the business case for sustainability

August 10, 2010

The University of Iowa Be Remarkable series profiles Sheila Samuelson, UI alumna who helps businesses connect with sustainability.

A short segment of the article written by Nicole Riehl:

“Social and environmental values are important to both a company’s clients and employees, and many changes can be made for little to no cost,” she says. “Sustainability efforts within an organization can cut expenses, increase efficiency and productivity, and prevent companies from having to scramble to meet regulations.”

Samuelson’s interest in environmental causes dates back to childhood. Even as a preschooler, she was upset when she witnessed someone littering or saw a plume of particulates emerge from a truck.

After earning her biology degree at Iowa, Samuelson worked on a campaign to build an indoor rainforest in Coralville, tested water quality at the State Hygienic Laboratory, and wrote a book on corn as a source of biomass energy.

As a graduate student at Presidio, she interned in Greensburg, Kan., a rural town that was leveled by a tornado in 2007 and decided to rebuild green. The Discovery Channel followed the town’s progress for its documentary series, Planet Green.

Read the full profile.