Another in a series of miniprofiles of sustainability-minded people who are working to reduce humankind’s footprint on the planet. They're "mini" not only because they're short, but because all the questions are 10 words or less, and the answers are requested to match.

PRESTON KOERNER, 29, Salt Lake City
Lawyer, LEED AP, and founder of Jetson Green, an exceptionally informed website on green building initiatives.

What do you do: “I’m obsessed with green building and with helping other people become obsessed with green building.”

Did you know Jetson Green was going to be such a hit? “Not at all.”

Green epiphany: “Boy Scouts is when it started: 'Leave it better than you found it.’”

Another in a series of miniprofiles of sustainability-minded people who are working to reduce humankind’s footprint on the planet. They're "mini" not only because they're short, but because all the questions are 10 words or less, and the answers are requested to match. (Please, no counting.)

JANINE BENYUS, 50, Stevensville, Mont.
Cofounder, Biomimicry Guild; Author, "Biomimicry, Innovation Inspired By Nature"

What do you do? "I’m a biologist at the design table, helping innovators consult life's genius to create sustainable designs."

Green epiphany: "Asking the question, 'is anyone consiously trying to emulate the elegant, well-adapted, fit technologies of nature?' It was about 1990."

Stefan Behnisch, in conversation with audience members after his presentation.

Stefan Behnisch, who certainly could claim leadership in the clan of the world’s most sustainability-attuned architects, just by offering only his Boston work for evidence, followed Van Jones in the east auditorium at the convention center. He was affable, gentle, and self-assured.

While Jones spoke about what can be accomplished, Behnisch described some of what he has accomplished, recapping several of his projects while pointing out the elements of sustainability exemplified by each.

I once said in print that Jean-Luc Ponty was the greatest jazz violinist alive, and a friend who was a more seasoned music critic blanched at my boldness — who was I to opine so broadly? He was certainly right — I'm nowhere near the authority on such a matter. But I also felt that not only was it a defensible opinion, but who was anyone to say otherwise, definitively? No objective standard exists to settle the point.

Another in a series of miniprofiles of sustainability-minded people who are working to reduce humankind’s footprint on the planet. They're "mini" not only because they're short, but because all the questions are 10 words or less, and the answers are requested to match. (Please, no counting.)

ADDIE CRANSTOUN, 29, Waltham
Manager, Green Depot

Green Depot sells building materials focused on environmentally friendly products. Stoneham is one of five locations for the company, which is headquartered in Brooklyn, N.Y.

Green epiphany: "In elementary school, one of the first major issues I tackled was concern about our ozone layer."

Green hero: "Jane Goodall. Not only for the work she’s done, but recently, she’s doing more speaking and trying to educate children that they can have sustainability at the forefront of their future."

Another in a series of miniprofiles of sustainability-minded people who are working to reduce humankind’s footprint on the planet. To recap, they're "mini" not only because they're short, but because all the questions are 10 words or less, and the answers are requested to match. Please, no counting.

AMY BAUMAN, Somerville
Owner, greenGoat

GreenGoat helps contractors and architects pare building-material waste, in part by repurposing what previously would have been discarded. “If we need to write specification language, we do that. If they need a waste management plan, we do that. And if the building owners need us to help them get the downstream vendors right, we do that too,” Bauman says

Green epiphany: "Watching a dumpster leave my own house filled with things I knew were useful."

Another in a series of miniprofiles of sustainability-minded people who are working to reduce humankind’s footprint on the planet. To recap, they're "mini" not only because they're short, but because all the questions are 10 words or less, and the answers are requested to match. Please, no counting.

ELAINE STRUNK, Cambridge
Director of green, The Lenox

Another in a series of miniprofiles of sustainability-minded people who are working to reduce humankind’s footprint on the planet. To recap, they're "mini" not only because they're short, but because all the questions are 10 words or less, and the answers are requested to match. (Please, no counting.)

DAVID BARCLAY, 53, Northampton
Executive director, Northeast Sustainable Energy Association

NESEA formed in 1974 as the New England Solar Energy Association, but joined with similar groups in the Northeast in 1985 to form an organization stretching from Washington, D.C. to the Canadian border. (In an impressive rejiggering that no doubt saved money on stationery — not to mention the monogrammed towels — they kept the acronym while changing some of the words.) Barclay said NESEA "encourages, demonstrates, and teaches proven sustainable-energy solutions." Its 1,600 members are mostly professionals in the field.

Another in a series of miniprofiles of sustainability-minded people who are working to reduce humankind’s footprint on the planet. To recap, they're "mini" not only because they're short, but because all the questions are 10 words or less, and the answers are requested to match. Please, no counting.

Another in a series of miniprofiles of sustainability-minded people who are working to reduce humankind’s footprint on the planet. To recap, they're "mini" not only because they're short, but because all the questions are 10 words or less, and the answers are requested to match. Please, no counting.

GABRIEL ERDE-COHEN, 24, Jamaica Plain
Green City Growers

I usually synopsize what the subject does, but this time, I thought Gabriel said it so well, I'd just let him speak:

"We build and maintain backyard farms on people’s private land for the benefit of them and their family. It’s like having a personal CSA. [CSA, as in "community supported agriculture." Generally, farms sell shares of their output before the growing season to lessen their market risk.]

"We also acquire and do bioremediation on brownfields [land tainted by past industrial activity] in the city of Boston for the purpose of turning them into city farms and educational centers.

"Our newest program is consulting, designing, and building urban homesteads, which are completely sustainable homes and communities within the city. That’s the dream."