Matthew Schwartz, LEED AP at Lincoln Property Group

A conversation with Mathew Schwartz, LEED AP of Lincoln Property Company.

Continuing our Scions of Sustainability series we talked to Matthew to learn about his perspective on sustainability and how his time spent outdoors growing up influenced him to learn about more about sustainability. Matthew also shares which sustainability initiatives he's most excited about and a few of his role models in the space.

How did you first get involved with sustainability?

I have always had a deep love of nature growing up with horses. When I was 6 years old my dad and I took a pack trip on horseback through the Wind River range in Wyoming and these types of trips became a tradition for us. So it was easy to become passionate about sustainability when I became aware of the issues threatening the planet. 

The moment when I realized the severity of the situation happened when I took a marine biology course in my freshman year of college. I already knew the planet was warming from excessive amounts of carbon dioxide but I didn’t realize how robust an issue climate change really is and how much work needed to be done. I began taking more courses in weather and climate, physics and energy, and environmental policy and ethics. These helped me gain a better understanding of the drivers of climate change, how to think about them and potential solutions.

Around the same time I came across a TedTalk by Dutch architect, Bjarke Ingels, called “Hedonistic Sustainability.” It provided an actionable example of solutions to combat climate change within the built environment - which is a major source of carbon emissions. I was so fascinated by Bjarke Ingels’ work that I did more research and learned about green buildings. I thought real estate was a great opportunity for improvement because it is such a large and influential market that I could really have an impact on.

How would you define sustainability?

Sustainability is typically defined as preserving the resources of today for future generations, but I like to take it a step further. We should think about true sustainability as a net positive as opposed to breaking even. The goal is to enrich our planet, instead of exhaust it. The focus is currently on net zero, and the next step will be net positive. I saw Google announced a 24/7 net zero goal, which is so interesting and a great step in the right direction.

What do you think most people misunderstand about sustainability?

The tragedy of the commons is always the classic misconception about sustainability and climate change. It is the idea that our individual impact is insignificant. When we all think this way, we all lose and so does the planet. I think everyone should feel the value of their impact, both positive and negative and try to make the best decisions possible. As an example, it is easy to forget that every piece of plastic we use will persist on this planet indefinitely, it will outlive us all and infinite generations after us. Still we use plastic every day and it's really difficult to avoid. But with increased awareness we see markets shift, like with alternative meats and dairy products. I have hope!

What is your favorite sustainability project or initiative?

I am really passionate about controlled environment agriculture. Like real estate, agriculture has an enormous effect on the planet and human health. From a land use perspective, indoor farming has the potential to give back millions of acres to the natural world. If we can grow vertically in major cities, it solves a multitude of problems surrounding our agricultural supply chains. It is season proof, uses 95% less water, doesn’t require pesticides and drastically reduces the amount of land needed to meet our food demand. On average, your food travels 1500 miles before it gets to your plate, so if food is grown in the locality it serves, it eliminates all of the carbon from transportation. Growing indoors also provides a reliable and resilient food source 365 days a year since it is season-proof. 

What is something you think companies should be thinking about in terms of their own sustainability efforts?

I think there is a lot of focus on net zero, which is great and I hope it continues to grow. But I also think that power purchase agreements and carbon offsets are only one piece of this and there are a lot of realized gains from improved operational efficiency across the board.

Who or what do you admire in the sustainability space?

Al Gore is the modern gold standard of climate advocacy and time is only proving him right. I respect his resilience and his devotion to the cause against so much opposition and often think about how the world would be different if he had won that election. 

Looking back on my environmental education I think one of my greatest influences was studying Aldo Leopold’s, “The Land Ethic.” People tend to think of nature as this other entity that they aren’t a part of and forget that we’re all animals and part of the same community - the land. This planet has a hot core and expands and contracts just like we do. So from a philosophical standpoint, Aldo Leopold is someone I greatly admire. 

I would also have to give a shoutout to Tesla for the battery revolution they’re building. Renewable energy is only as effective as our ability to store it and move it throughout the grid and Tesla is building a foundation to help save the planet.