Tobias Luthe

I see eco-entrepreneurship as a market based instrument that can help to improve environmental governance. A necessary change in economic models towards an ecological base can be incubated from industry itself by defining sustainability as a business case.
Eco-entrepreneurship includes eco-design of products and services, sustainable business development, CSR (corporate social responsibility) and adressing consumer behavior in sustainable consumption. Sustainability as a business concept includes risk management, cost savings through eco-efficiency, and USP building. Part of this work are the implementation of environmental management systems (EMS), reporting initatives, climate impact assessments and policy integration.

I am co-founder of Grown skis, a company developing, designing and producing high tech eco freeride skis. Grown skis has been awarded with the ISPO Volvo sports desing price ECODESIGN. Our goals are to push the technological limits of eco efficiency in ski design, to be industry leader in green design and demonstrate a business case in sustainability. We seek to include the consumer, the ski tourist, and increase awarenes. >> www.grownskis.com

Telemarkzone is an international non-profit organisation in knowledge transfer, capacity building, product development and outreach in sustainable sport tourism development, and environmental thinking in relation to motivating and connecting outdoor activities. As founder of Telemarkzone I am involved in supporting local tourism ventures to develop their own business case in sustainable tourism. A current project is the "ski for nature" Spitsbergen.
>> www.telemarkzone.org

I helped design, build and market the Swall-Institute, a work and play retreat in the Eastern High Sierra mountain range of California, owned by Eric Berlow. The Swall-Institute is a demonstration project in sustainable architecture on a tight budget, and used today as a retreat to foster creative work in an inspirational and playful outdoor setting. >>www.swall-institute.org


research & teaching		eco-entrepreneurship & design		outdoor guiding		photography