CARBON 101: What It Is and How To Talk About It  

As awareness about the impact of carbon emissions grows, companies in every sector and of every size are setting goals to reduce their climate impact. But how are those goals set, where do you start, how do you track progress, and why take on the challenge?

This course defines and contextualizes carbon, explains the impact of human activity on the natural carbon cycle, and provides insight into how companies can measure and reduce their climate impact. The discussion then turns to carbon emissions in the design and construction industry and why they matter so much in the context of a changing climate.

This course offers the building and design community opportunities to reduce carbon emissions and to foster healthier human communities at the same time. The presentation closes with a review of the tools and resources participants can use to learn more and to act on the most urgent source of greenhouse gas emissions in the built environment industry, the carbon impact of building materials.

Image courtesy of Interface

Joey Shea, joined Interface in 2018 as part of the Customer Experience team to bring the commitments and values of Interface to life through unique, immersive experiences for Interface customers. Now, as Manager of Mission Activation, he relies on his background in the environmental nonprofit and advocacy sector to share how Interface connects successful business practices to deep environmental responsibility. Joey values staying involved with the environmental and civic advocacy community in Atlanta and serves on the advisory board for the Lifecycle Building Center, Atlanta’s leading building material reuse nonprofit and as a board member for ChattahoocheeNOW, an organization dedicated to revitalizing and unlocking the potential of the Chattahoochee River that flows through north Georgia. Joey graduated suma cum laude, Phi Beta Kappa from Emory University and is a proud graduate of the Atlanta Regional Commission’s Regional Leadership Institute in 2016.