Launching the first
green business recognition program
WINTER 2010
There’s a lot of money and media attention going toward sustainable technologies these days, says Amanda Converse, co-owner of Shift Boutique in Hyannis and Greenover environmental consulting. But she wants local businesses to know about – and incorporate – the day-to-day eco-friendly practices that are do-able and affordable now.
Last spring, Converse and Nicole Goldman of g Green Design in Mashpee worked with the Cape Cod Chamber of Commerce, Sandwich Chamber of Commerce, and Hyannis Area Chamber of Commerce to pilot Cape and Islands Green, a step-by-step program to help businesses meet environmental goals. Participants complete a progressively more involved series of steps, from recycling, to installing occupancy sensors for lights, to purchasing renewable energy credits and offering telecommuting options. Businesses that complete each of the three levels will be recognized as green leaders in promotional media.
“For some, the value of the program could be saving money by being more efficient,” Converse says. “For me, the real value is protecting the natural environment our economy is based on.” She adds that green businesses, particularly in an area that attracts people because of its scenic beauty, have a competitive marketing edge.
The first step to verification as a Cape and Islands Green business is to attend a three-hour workshop, in which Converse goes over each step of the process and businesses can bounce ideas off of each other. Then, businesses submit documentation that they have accomplished the actions outlined in Level I. “We want to avoid greenwashing,” Converse says.
The next workshop will be held January 12. Stay tuned to Cape and Islands Green’s Facebook page for more information about workshops and news of what other green businesses are doing. Cape Cod Chamber of Commerce will host a Cape and Islands Green website, too. And as print-media sponsor, CHA Magazine will keep you posted with updates in each issue.
Converse says, “We want the people who make up this community, who make up this economy, to be able to make a difference.”
Other Cape and Islands Green sponsors include Cape Light Compact, the ‘g’ Foundation, and Jill Neubauer Architects.
