The GSA Sustainability Forum will bring people up to speed with the sweeping sustainability movement.  The forum features engaging education sessions, green product and services providers, continuing education credit courses, and keynote addresses from sustainability gurus.

There is no cost to attend this conference.  It is an opportunity for programs and businesses vending green goods and services to exhibit.  The fee for those that want an exhibit at the event is $475.

http://www.gsasustainabilityconference.org/

You can now access abstracts to recently-published sustainability articles through The Network for Business Sustainability.  A monthly Table of Contents (TOC) is available to help researchers scan the literature efficiently. This will provide timely snapshots of the most recent research on business sustainability.

The 40 journals that are reviewed include most selections from the FT Top 45 plus other sustainability publications. This compilation is offered for free by the Network, which is a non-profit aimed at bridging sustainability research with practice.

May 2011 TOC: http://www.nbs.net/business-sustainability-research-this-month/

Past issues (January – April 2011): http://www.nbs.net/2011-business-sustainability-research/

If you would like the monthly notice that announces each new TOC, then please join the Network through the Network’s website (nbs.net). By joining, you will also receive managerial translations of some of this research.

If you find that your own research is not included in this TOC or if you have any suggestions for improvements, please contact the Network’s Knowledge Coordinator, Pam (plaughland@nbs.net).

The Network is making enormous strides in helping to shape practice through our research.

This announcement is on behalf of:

Dr. Tima Bansal
Professor, Richard Ivey School of Business
Director, Ivey’s Centre for Building Sustainable Value
Executive Director, Network for Business Sustainability

The WasteCap Nebraska and Green Omaha Coalition Business Council Roundtable meeting will be held at Physician’s Mutual Auditorium at 2600 Dodge Street on May 11, 2011 from 11:30AM to 1:00PM.

The Omaha Green Team Roundtable is a quarterly event that brings area businesses together providing networking, environmental education and inspiration. This quarters’ event is hosted by Physicians Mutual, at their 2600 Dodge, Omaha, Nebraska facility. Physicians Mutual is generously providing lunch.To insure you receive a meal and entrance (this building is a secured facility) all attendees must RSVP to communications@wastecapne.org or by calling (402) 436-2383 before 12 noon May9th.

Physicians Mutual’s Green Team will share on the successes and challenges they have facedwhile establishing and expanding their company’s environmental stewardship programs.  In addition, the Green Omaha Coalition’s Green Business Council will present information on the newly launched Green Business Certification program.

I attended a meeting with UNO College of Business Administration (CBA) professor Dale Eesely, who is the faculty adviser to the local chapter of the Collegiate Entrepreneurs’ Organization at UNO, more here: http://www.unoboss.com/

This group has a Groupon-like site that encourages local retailers to offer coupons to the UNO campus community; you can find out more about it here: http://www.dailymav.com/default/business

I’d love to see more local green businesses reaching our campus this way.  There’s only a fee if there’s a sale – if you are interested, let me know and I’ll have the CEO students contact you.

Rick Yoder
ryoder@unomaha.edu

The business of the environment

Read the full story here.

The GOC’s Green Business Council (GBC) has developed the Green Business Certification program for local businesses and nonprofit organizations interested in reducing their environmental impact and gaining recognition for their achievements. The certification will be available on March 1.

Certification Benefits

Becoming certified is a great opportunity to gain recognition for your environmental efforts, differentiate from competitors by promoting your environmental achievements and save money by reducing use of energy, water and other resources. Becoming a green business also creates a healthier and more comfortable workplace and helps evolve your business for a changing economic environment. Our program is designed to educate other businesses working to become environmentally responsible by creating a network of local businesses and nonprofit organizations that support and assist each other.

All GBC-certified green businesses will be given a window decal that can be used to tout their accomplishments.

Become Certified!

To become green certified by the GBC, businesses must self-certify that the company is conducting certain fundamental environmental practices that help reduce their environmental impacts. Participating organizations are encouraged to improve their environmental performances over time and develop environmental programs and goals that create accountability for progress and achievement.

The certification program has two different levels, Green and Emerald. Green requires businesses to meet all mandatory requirements of the certification, and Emerald requires businesses to go above and beyond by completing a specified number of elite requirements. There is no fee for the program, but the organization must be a GOC member.

Application Process

Once an organization has chosen to apply for certification, the process begins by completing the certification application. Once completed and approved by the company representative, the application is submitted to the GBC for approval. Once approval has been granted, organizations have the option to provide their certification information online so visitors can view their environmental achievements.

Certification Requirements

Step 1: Environmental Commitment

Step 2: Business Information

Step 3: Regulatory Compliance

Step 4: Environmental Practices Checklist

Step 5: Training Workshops (Emerald Level Requirement Only)

Step 6: Submit Application

Please contact GBC co-chairs Craig Moody or Rick Yoder with any questions related to the certification.

Event Location: Whole Foods Education Room
10020 Regency Circle, Omaha

The Metropolitan Area Planning Agency (MAPA) will be discussing the problem of ground-level ozone and the Little Steps. Big Impact community awareness program.   This is a local program to create awareness and understanding of ground level ozone in the Omaha-Council Bluffs metropolitan area.  Little steps. Big Impact. is a series of suggestions for simple changes citizens can make to help reduce ozone.  It also brings awareness to the harmful health and environmental effects of ground-level ozone.  MAPA is a regional agency that coordinates activities that cross jurisdictional boundaries, and is leading the local outreach effort to reduce ozone in the Omaha-Council Bluffs metropolitan area.

The finalization of the Green Business Certification is underway and we will be updating everyone of when it will be released to the public.  We will also discuss the potential for a partnership with Wastecap Nebraska.  There will be a Green Drinks at Whole Foods afterwords; please feel welcome to stay and talk with other members of the Green Omaha community.

Thursday, September 23, 2010 at 12 – 1:30 PM CDT (1 – 2:30 PM ET): Greening Your Business.
        A number of prominent corporations and small businesses, driven by consumer awareness and environmental realities, are embracing the business value of going green. These firms realize that business success today means not just a healthy bottom line, but a healthy triple bottom line that takes financial, social, and environ-mental performance into consideration— the essence of sustainability. The speakers will share information on tools and successes for business to reach their goals for sustainability.
        To register, visit https://www1.gotomeeting.com/register/138732313

        A recent study by The Pew Charitable Trusts, "The Clean Energy Economy:Repowering Jobs, Businesses and Investments Across America," found that the clean energy economy has tremendous potential for growth. In part, this will be spurred by investments from both the government and private sector, as well as state and federal policy makers who are increasingly calling for reforms to drive economic renewal and sustain the environment. Pew's research indicates that public policies "have great potential because they create significant incentives for both the private and public sectors to develop new technologies, infrastructure and processes for clean energy, efficiency and conservation."
       For the purpose of this study, Pew defines a clean energy economy as one which "generates jobs, businesses and investments while expanding clean energy production, increasing energy efficiency, reducing greenhouse gas emissions, waste and pollution, and conserving water and other natural resources." The clean energy economy cuts across five categories:
       * Clean Energy;
       * Energy Efficiency;
       * Environmentally Friendly Production;
       * Conservation and Pollution Mitigation; and,
       * Training and Support.
       The data show that by 2007, more than 68,200 businesses across all 50 states and the District of Columbia accounted for 770,000 jobs that
achieve the double bottom line of economic growth and environmental sustainability. The research also shows that between 1998 and 2007, clean energy economy jobs, i.e., a mix of white- and blue-collar positions, from scientists and engineers to electricians, machinists and teachers, grew by 9.1 percent, while total jobs grew by only 3.7 percent.
       Sixty-five percent of today's clean energy economy jobs fall into the category of Conservation and Pollution Mitigation. However, almost 80
percent of venture capital investments in 2008 were in the sectors of Clean Energy and Energy Efficiency. The flow of venture capital indicates which sectors are the most attractive to investors and have the greatest growth potential.
       The 61-page report may be read at: http://www.pewcenteronthestates.org/uploadedfiles/clean_economy_report_web.pdf.
       State fact sheets:http://www.pewcenteronthestates.org/uploadedFiles/wwwpewcenteronthestatesorg/Fact_Sheets/Clean_Economy_AllFactsheets.pdf
IA: p. 16 "Iowa has a small but fast-growing piece of America's clean energy economy.The Hawkeye State's jobs in the clean energy economy grew from just more than 6,000 in 1998 to more than 7,700 in 2007, a much faster growth rate than that of the state's total jobs."
KS: p. 17 "While Kansas has a small piece of America's clean energy economy, its jobs in this sector are growing at one of the fastest rates in the country—and much faster than its total jobs."
MO: p. 26 "Missouri has a small but growing piece of America's clean energy economy. Jobs in its clean energy economy grew more quickly than total jobs in the state between 1998 and 2007."
NE: p. 28 "Nebraska has a small but fast-growing piece of the clean energy economy. It is one of seven states and the District of Columbia where total jobs declined but jobs in the clean energy economy increased between 1998 and 2007."
        Additional information is available at: http://www.pewcenteronthestates.org/news_room_detail.aspx?id=52696

While at the Environmental Partnership Summit http://www.environmentalsummit.org/ I learned of Re-TRAC, http://ow.ly/1QAI9 "a data management and reporting system to track your organization’s waste generation and reduction activities and is free to WasteWise partners. Regardless of the number of facilities you have, WasteWise Re-TRAC enables you to track and standardize waste management data for your entire operation."

I’d love to know who is using it and how it is working for you.