George Crombie is President of the American Public Works Association (APWA) and senior faculty member for public works administration in the MPA program at Norwich University in Vermont. In this interview he discusses the importance of looking to nature (biomimicry), multi-disciplined approach to problem solving, applying the principles of culture, recognizing the importance of  leadership with vision and integrity, and always acting on behalf of the common good.



Mr. Crombie was interviewed by Ruth Ann Barrett of EarthSayers.tv in Portland, Oregon on July 28th, 2011 at the APWA Sustainability in Public Works Conference.

As Public Works Director and City Engineer of Oregon City, Nancy Kraushaar, P.E. directs a dedicated top-notch staff who are well-trained and committed to serving customer needs when it comes to public infrastructure and facilities. Their job is to deliver safe and reliable sewer, storm water, transportation, and potable water systems to their users. The Public Works staff plans, constructs, and maintains these systems with a close eye on high quality, progressive practices, controlling costs, and customer service. Oregon City was the first city in the United States west of the Rocky Mountains to be incorporated. It is the county seat of Clackamas County, Oregon.

Interviewed by Ruth Ann Barrett of EarthSayers.tv at the APWA Sustainability conference in Portland, Oregon, June 27, 2011.

A presentation based off of her recent book, Merchants of Doubt: How a Handful of Scientists Obscure the Truth about Climate Change. Naomi Oreskes, author and professor of history and science studies, University of California, San Diego.

From the University of Rhode Island's Spring 2010 Vetlesen Lecture Series, People and Planet Global Environmental Change. March 2, 2010.

Click book cover to order the book from Amazon.com.

Polls show that between one-third and one-half of Americans still believe that there is "no solid" evidence of global warming, or that if warming is happening it can be attributed to natural variability. Others believe that scientists are still debating the point. Join scientist and renowned historian Naomi Oreskes as she describes her investigation into the reasons for such widespread mistrust and misunderstanding of scientific consensus and probes the history of organized campaigns designed to create public doubt and confusion about science. Series: "Perspectives on Ocean Science"

Speech before the American Public Works Association (APWA) Sustainability in Public Works Conference, July 27, 2011 in Portland, Oregon. Too often the debate over sustainability is brought down to a level of minutiae or a debate over whether or not climate change is real or not rather than understanding the importance of keeping the balance between the natural and  man-made environment. He cites Rachel Carson, Jane Benyus, and David Orr as models of integrity and vision.

George Crombie is President of the APWA and a senior faculty member for public works administration in the MPA program at Norwich University military college in Vermont.

He was interviewed by Ruth Ann Barrett of EarthSayers.tv, voices of sustainability.

Voices of Sustainability: All That We Share is the definition for The Commons as further described in Jay Walljasper's book of the same title and briefly in this snippet from a speech he gave at the Commons Convergence held in Portland, Oregon on May 7, 2011 by The Oregon Commons project. A popular speaker, veteran communications strategist and award-winning writer and editor, Jay Walljasper chronicles stories from around the world that point us toward a better and more enjoyable future. Walljasper is the author of All That We Share A Field Guide to the Commons (2011), The Great Neighborhood Book (2007) and Visionaries: People and Ideas to Change Your Life (2001). Click on book cover to order the book.

Videotaped by Ruth Ann Barrett, sustainability advocate and founder of www.earthsayers.tv, the voices of sustainability.

Sustainability: Economist, Arthur Brooks talks about culture from his view as American Enterprise Institute President. He argues in his book, The Battle: How the Fight between Free Enterprise and Big Government Will Shape America's Future, that "most Americans don't see free enterprise as just an economic matter, they see it as kind of a lifestyle issue, they see it as the bedrock of American culture and that's about 70 percent of the population."