What does it look like to take an ancient spiritual teaching and turn it into decades of real-world action? In this episode of The Soul Mirror, host Sana talks with David Gottfried, founder of the U.S. Green Building Council and World Green Building Council, about Tikkun Olam, a Jewish teaching about repairing a broken world, and how it quietly shaped his entire career.
David shares why real change happens inside broken systems, not by standing outside and criticizing them, why speaking to people in the language they understand (often, the language of money) moves things forward faster than idealism alone, and why he measures wealth by what a life contributes rather than what it accumulates. It's a thoughtful look at what it means to build a life around genuine repair.
About the Guest:
David Gottfried is known as the father of the global green building movement. He founded both the U.S. Green Building Council and the World Green Building Council, and is now Founder and CEO of Regen360, working on regenerative principles across industries. He is the author of several books, including his upcoming Regen360: An Operating System for a Regenerative Earth.
Key Takeaways:
- The Jewish teaching of Tikkun Olam, to repair the world, can quietly shape an entire life's work, even in industries like real estate and construction.
- Real repair happens by working within the systems that caused harm, not by standing outside them and criticizing.
- Speaking to people in language they already understand, whether that's financial return or a simple picture of pollution, moves change forward faster than idealism alone.
- True wealth should reflect what sustains life (clean air, water, safety, shelter), not just what gets accumulated.
- Teaching children about sustainability and repair early on helps build long-term, systemic change as they grow into decision-makers.
Connect With the Guest:
Website: https://www.regen360.net
Books: Regen360: An Operating System for a Regenerative Earth (upcoming) and Explosion Green, available on Amazon
Substack: https://davidagottfried.substack.com
X (Twitter): @davidgottfried
Episode Chapters:
[00:00] Cold open, the world arrived broken and it's on us to repair it (approx.)
[03:00] Meet David Gottfried, father of the green building movement (approx.)
[07:00] Where Tikkun Olam first took root in his life (approx.)
[13:00] Repairing the world from inside broken systems (approx.)
[20:00] Speaking to people in a language they understand (approx.)
[28:00] Redefining wealth as what you contribute, not accumulate (approx.)
[34:00] What Regen360 means for the future of repair (approx.)
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