Capitalism, like any other economic system, has its fair share of detractors. Whether it is socialists in Europe or the Vatican in Rome, the basic underlying structure of the argument is usually the same: Focusing solely on the profit motive leaves a wide range for exploitation at the expense of the world around us.

The beginnings of modern conscious capitalism
These days, the term "conscious capitalism" is thrown around with ubiquity. But back in the early 1990s, the movement had only a small following. In 1994, Ray Anderson, founder and CEO of Interface (Nasdaq: IFSIA ) , a carpet manufacturer, was asked to give his company a vision for its approach to the environment.

Anderson was no hippie waiting to revolutionize the system. By his own admission, he had no idea what to say: "Frankly, I didn't have a vision except 'comply, comply, and comply'" with government standards.

Then, two books made their way into his hands: Daniel Quinn's Ishmael and Paul Hawken's The Ecology of Commerce. By the time he was done reading them, he had his vision. "I'm here to tell you that Hawken and Quinn together, will not only change your life, but make you understand why it should change."

Embarking in 1997 on an ambitious plan to do well by doing good, Anderson showed how even a company in an industry like carpeting -- which traditionally relies heavily on petrochemicals -- can reduce their footprint. Take a look at the cumulative change that has taken place since then.

Reposted from MotleyFool.com, Read the whole article here: http://www.fool.com/investing/general/2011/08/17/death-of-a-conscious-capitalist.aspx

TAGS: green marketing, LEED, sustainability, green building.