Is It the Truth?

Good evening.

We live in the most informed era in human history and yet, we have never been more uncertain about what to believe. Every day, we carry in our pockets more computing power than entire nations once possessed. And still, a quiet question shadows nearly every headline, post, and video:

That question is no longer philosophical. It is economic. It is social. It is existential. The World Economic Forum's Global Risks Report identifies misinformation and disinformation as among the most severe threats facing the world today — not simply as a cultural problem, but as a systemic risk.

Who I am

I am the Chairman of the U.S. Green Chamber of Commerce, a capitalist, an environmentalist, and a proud Rotarian. The U.S. Green Chamber exists to help businesses make decisions when certainty is scarce and noise is everywhere. We turn science into strategy and evidence into action — connecting entrepreneurs, investors, and policymakers to data that is measurable, verifiable, and real.

Through our Global Sustainability Solutions team, we have identified nearly one thousand verified innovations. Through our Global Environmental Policy Database, we consolidate more than half a million environmental policies worldwide.

The Rotary connection

My Rotary Club supports Democracy in a Box — a nonpartisan framework to restore confidence that voices matter more than dollars. We also helped sponsor Agents of Influence, a game to teach young people how to recognize misinformation. It won a $75,000 Aspen Institute prize and a $1 million grant from the U.S. Department of Education.

EarthX and The Environmental Xperience

Next April, at EarthX's 15th Anniversary, we will launch The Environmental Xperience — three days at the Hilton Anatole in Dallas, featuring over 200 projects from 100+ countries, each grounded in data and measurable impact, with CNN as strategic partner. EarthX is nonpartisan, giving voice to the 70% of humanity who want practical solutions.

The Four-Way Test

There is a simple ethical framework that has guided business leaders for nearly a century, from Rotary International:

• Is it the truth?
• Is it fair to all concerned?
• Will it build goodwill and better friendships?
• Will it be beneficial to all concerned?

Created during the Great Depression — not by philosophers, but by business leaders trying to restore confidence in commerce. In the age of AI, those four questions may be more relevant than ever.

AI and the crisis of truth

AI can generate voices that never spoke, images that never existed, and narratives that feel more real than reality. In the past, truth had friction. Lies took time. Today, falsehood can be produced instantly, globally, and convincingly.

The closing call

The next competitive advantage is not speed — it is credibility. Trust is resilience. Without it, consumers retreat, employees disengage, investors hesitate, and communities fracture.