Lightfoot Sustainability is an independent consulting firm based in Portland, Oregon. Lightfoot was founded by David Muller, a sustainability professional who brings over 15 years of expertise honed at the cutting edge of sustainability implementation and practice for organizations and events, including some of the most prominent and market-influential on the planet.
From long-term strategy and planning, to waste assessments and audits, to energy optimization, to storytelling & marketing, to essential event services, Lightfoot is here to help your organization or event not only minimize its environmental impacts and cut costs, but to maximize its potential for positive impacts on the local community, engage stakeholders, and tell an authentic, powerful story—setting up your organization or event for continuous, sustainable improvement and success.
Past Clients include: National Basketball Association (NBA); Major League Soccer (MLS); Special Olympics North America; Hood to Coast Race Series; Earthjustice; Pickathon Music Festival, NRDC Action Fund; International WELL Building Institute (IWBI); Green Seal; Allen Hershkowitz, Ph.D. (New York Yankees, LA Clippers, Pittsburgh Pirates, IFHA, et. al.); Stina Inc.; AtmosAir Solutions; Honeycomb Strategies; .ECO; James Recycling; et. al.
Organizational Waste Assessment
$2,500
Purpose
Provide an overview of your organization/event’s principal waste streams and methods of disposal, associated costs, and potential improvements.
Value for the Client
· Understand what materials and processes are responsible for the bulk of the waste your organization/event produces
· Gain a clear view of the financial, environmental, and in some cases, reputational impacts of waste generation, collection, and disposal
· Receive targeted, actionable recommendations without committing to a full consulting project
Includes
· Review of your organization/event’s waste streams and current removal/disposal methods (e.g. landfill, incinerator, recycling, compost, donation, reuse)
· Analysis of associated processes, policies, costs, and local impacts
· 3–5 prioritized recommendations for improvement
· Short diagnostic summary (max. 5 pages)
· Optional short debrief to discuss implications
Ideal for
Sports and Concert Venues, Business Conferences and Trade Shows, Festivals, Hospitality, Restaurants/Catering, Hospitality, Retail
Organizational Energy Assessment
$2,500
Purpose
Provide an overview of your organization/event’s energy sources, primary uses, equipment, policies, and impacts
Value for the Client
· Understand where your energy is coming from, how it’s produced, how it is used to operate your business or event, and associated financial and environmental impacts
· Learn more about your local energy landscape and options, and proven interventions to reduce energy usage, demand and overall impacts
· Receive targeted, actionable recommendations without committing to a full consulting project
Includes
· Review of your organization/event’s local sourcing mix, utility contracts and billing, and primary drivers of consumption
· Analysis of associated processes, equipment, policies, costs, and impacts
· 3–5 prioritized recommendations for improvement
· Short diagnostic summary (max. 5 pages)
· Optional short debrief to discuss implications
Ideal for
Sports and Concert Venues, Business Conferences and Trade Shows, Festivals, Hospitality, Restaurants/Catering, Hospitality, Retail
Sustainability Strategy Review & Assessment
$3,500
Purpose
Expert perspective on current sustainability goals, policies, processes, and internal/external messaging
Value for the Client
· Define and understand status of current sustainability landscape for your organization or event
· Identify gaps, inconsistencies, and near-team opportunities for both reduced costs and negative impacts as well as stronger messaging and potetial partnerships
· Gain advantages in recruitment, retention, engagement, and reputation
Includes
· Review of current sustainability documents, webpages, newsletters, social media posts, and partnerships
· Concise overview of all sustainability activities and messaging related to your organization or event
· Initial recommendations for internal improvements to sustainability goals, policies and processes
· Close editorial review and recommended improvements to public messaging (includes a redlined version showing changes plus a clean final version)
· Optional short debrief to discuss implications
Ideal for
Sports and Concert Venues, Business Conferences and Trade Shows, Festivals, Hospitality, Restaurants/Catering, Hospitality, Retail
Tier 1 (events up to 250 ppl) - $500
· 3-5 waste stations: Industry-best ClearStream bins for recycling and landfill, as well as food scrap/compost bins if desired
· 1 hour of consultation time + follow-up communications (used at client’s discretion)
· Training module for designated staff/volunteers for optimal waste avoidance
· Templates for onsite signage
· Clear instructional sheets
· Template for post-event messaging to attendees/constituents
· OPTIONAL: onsite assistance (cost varies; negotiable)
Tier 2 (events up to 500 ppl) - $1,000
· 7-10 waste stations: Industry-best ClearStream bins for recycling and landfill, as well as food scrap/compost bins if desired
· 2 hours of consultation time + follow-up communications (used at client’s discretion)
· Training module for designated staff/volunteers for optimal waste avoidance
· Templates for onsite signage
· Clear instructional sheets
· Template for post-event messaging to attendees/constituents
· OPTIONAL: onsite assistance (cost varies; negotiable)
Tier 3 (events up to 1,000 ppl) - $2,000
· 15-20 waste stations: Industry-best ClearStream bins for recycling and landfill, as well as food scrap/compost bins if desired
· 4 hours of consultation time + follow-up communications (used at client’s discretion)
· Training module for designated staff/volunteers for optimal waste avoidance
· Templates for onsite signage
· Clear instructional sheets
· Template for post-event messaging to attendees/constituents
· OPTIONAL: onsite assistance (cost varies; negotiable)
Tier 4 (Any # of attendees) - Price Negotiable
· FREE Initial 1-hour discovery session + consultation to determine size, scope, and sustainability goals of event (+ more as required)
· Review of any planning/strategy documents from client
· Follow-up Communications
· Proposal for services, including initial cost estimate (negotiable)
Sustainability rarely follows a
"one-size-fits all" approach.
If your business, organization, or event is looking for support with specific projects around your waste streams, energy consumption, product procurement, food and beverage, carbon footprint, community impact, marketing and communications, and/or other sustainability goals, Lightfoot will work with you to figure out the most effective, efficient, and impactful path forward, within your budgetary constraints.
If your business, event, or organization is in need of ongoing sustainability advising in a variety of areas, Lightfoot can provide a powerful and cost-effective bolster or alternative to your internal sustainability capacities.
Send us a note to set up a FREE initial discovery session + consultation to determine the course of action that will best meet your needs.
David is an experienced, professional sustainability consultant specializing in strategy, operations, communications, and data management and analysis within the sports and events industry, as well as general business and non-profit strategy. David brings a wealth of experience in comprehensive sustainability strategy and implementation,
David is an experienced, professional sustainability consultant specializing in strategy, operations, communications, and data management and analysis within the sports and events industry, as well as general business and non-profit strategy. David brings a wealth of experience in comprehensive sustainability strategy and implementation, with a particular focus on materials management and waste avoidance.
Over the past 15 years, David has helped a wide range of organizations, including some of the most market-influential sports organizations on the planet, conceive, implement, track, and powerfully communicate their commitments and actions on sustainability and social impact. David has worked as Sustainability Advisor for the National Basketball Association (NBA), and for Major League Soccer (MLS) in the same capacity. David also served as in-house Sustainability Consultant to the 2018 Special Olympics USA Games, an event that brought over 100,000 visitors to eight different venues in the Seattle metro area over the course of 11 days. Working with his project partner and the Games' Director of Volunteers and Sustainability, David designed the Games’ Sustainability Strategy, as well as producing a Sustainability Impact Report and Legacy Playbook & Toolkit (all firsts for the Special Olympics USA Games) applicable to future organizers of the Special Olympics as well as a wide range of other major events.
Additionally, David has led sustainability efforts for many corporate, athletic, and entertainment clients and events, including adidas, Earthjustice, Portland Marathon, Shamrock Run, Hood to Coast, and Pickathon Music Festival.
As the founding Membership Director of the Green Sports Alliance, David was the primary advisor to its broad network of venue, team, event, and league/conference members in the conception, implementation, expansion, and marketing of their various sustainability programs and initiatives. Under his leadership, Alliance membership grew from 25 members in October 2011 to nearly 400 in May 2016, with a 98% annual renewal rate. He also led the development and launch of the organization’s corporate membership and international programs.
David currently serves as a Founding Board Member of Sport and Sustainability International (SandSI), as well as a Founding Advisor with the Global Advisory Alliance (GAA). He also served on the Board of the Sustainability Event Alliance (SEA) and served a three-year term on the Oregon Environmental Council’s Emerging Leaders Board. David earned his MBA from the Presidio Center for Sustainable Solutions in the School of Business & Society at the University of Redlands, his BA in Religious Studies from Lewis and Clark College, LEED Green Associate certification from the U.S. Green Building Council (USGBC), and Leadership Certification from the National Outdoor Leadership School (NOLS).