Passions and Projects
From Rod Beckstrom - The Starfish and The Spider
Here are some of Rod's current passions and projects:
Rod serves on the board of this exciting, innovative and high growth micro-finance organization which has grown from 27,000 to 140,000 members with 700,000 family members served since Rod first visited the project in September of 2002. Rod and his wife are also supporters of Kiva.org the worlds first P2P or starfish network for micro-lending and Carolina for Kibera, an exceptional soccer, health and HIV support network in the Kibera slum of Nairobi.
Rod has been actively involved as a Trustee of this group since 1994. This leading environmental science, economics and policy group has made vital contributions to the Kyoto Protocol, the California Climate Bill (AB32), and the Clean Air Act of 1990. The group was started when two scientists, Art Cooley and Charlie Wurster, discovered that DDT was damaging the egg shells of raptors such the Peregrine Falcon and the American Bald Eagle. They started E.D. and their work led to DDT being banned in the U.S. and most advanced countries, saving the Bald Eagle and other species. Rod has been involved in the oceans, climate change, and Silicon Valley network development of this organization.
Rod established this group to help stimulate Kyoto carbon credit projects in developing countries following the enactment of the Kyoto Protocol. The first project this group conceived and introduced to a major industrial group in a third world country is now underway and will reduce at least 1 million tons of CO2 in annual emissions. Other similar projects were also introduced and initiated by this group. In the process of working on these projects, Rod travelled to 20 countries and met with environmental ministers in six, and helped two to make progress in establishing domestic carbon project markets.
Rod was an early angel investor and helped developed the business strategy for this leader in online legal forms and e-filing. He served on the board of directors for three years and remains active as a shareholder.
Rod is an accomplished public speaker and has appeared on FOX News, CNBC News, MSNBC News, and CSPAN. He has spoken at the World Economic Forum in Davos, the State of the World Forum, The World Technology Summit, the Young President's Organization (YPO) Seminars, Universities and Chapter Events, recently Chaired the Global Climate Change Summit for 350 CEO's, and has spoken at dozens of other major industry events. He has also spoken at Starbucks, Napster, Microsoft, Morgan Stanley, Pictorial Offset and other companies. He has lectured and spoken at Stanford, Harvard, and the University of St. Galen. he has received three Best of the Best awards from the Young President's Organization for events he has organized.
Rod speaks on The Starfish and The Spider, How to Change the War in Iraq, Global Warming, Strategy, and Leadership.
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