As early as the 1970s, Professor Ferdinand F. Mauser was actively involved in the movement to raise environmental consciousness and awareness. Prof. Mauser was an educator, teacher, scholar, author, and internationalist who circled the globe numerous times. He was a trailblazer and a true pioneer in advocating the need for sustainability, especially regarding business. Sustainability is, as defined by the Brundtland Commission, "meeting the needs of the present while not compromising the ability of the future to meet its own needs". He devoted over three decades to teaching, writing, and introducing a broad audience to the new ideas of “biodegradability” and living in harmony with nature, what we refer to today as environmental sustainability. 

 

It was common for Prof. Mauser to plan scavenger hunts for his students. The list of objects to search for could include a certain flower or rock in various shapes. Afterward, everyone would meet at his cottage in Windsor, Canada to pick a winner, but more importantly, to study and share their finds. The ensuing discussion provided Prof. Mauser’s students a place to socialize and enjoy nature with a touch of healthy competition. The true lesson, however, was in observing, interacting with, and admiring our natural world.

​

The blossoming of the CRADLE TO CRADLE movement had its roots in the fertile soil laid down by early environmental pioneers like Prof. Mauser. He passed in 1994 before his dream of creating a foundation could be realized.

 

In 1998, William and Rose Cook established the Mauser Harmony With Nature Foundation to honor the memory of their friend and mentor, Prof. Mauser.