Smart Green Business » Organizations

Green America

Jonathan — Mon, 23 Mar 2009 07:00:45 +0000

At first glance, the website for Green America, formerly Co-op America, is overwhelming. But stay with it and you will realize that it is chock full of useful resources for your organization. Started twenty-five years ago by a small dedicated community of individuals who wanted to “stop corporate irresponsibility and create a green economy based on the values of social and economic justice, community and environmental health.” With a new name and expanded services and tools, Green America is growing and expanding to respond to a marketplace that includes “$360 billion in responsible products, from Fair Trade to green energy, and $2.7 trillion in responsible investments.” The company sponsors a series of Green Festivals around the country and has one of the most comprehensive national directories of companies with sustainable values, National Green Pages TM. I would highly recommend subscribing and supporting Green America as a place to call home and conduct business with a dynamic community.

Website: www.coopamerica.org

Green America
1612 K Street NW, Suite 600
Washington DC 20006
(800) 584-7336

B Corporation

Jonathan — Mon, 23 Mar 2009 07:00:39 +0000

B Corp is on a mission: To create a new sector of the economy which uses the power of business to solve social and environmental problems. More than just another certification for going green, B Corp wants to encourage change at the very inception of the business when the articles of incorporation are being written. This new designation of incorporation would define another form of organization not only dedicated to the triple bottom-line outcomes of sustainability but also ensuring the growth and wealth of the organizations benefits all stakeholders, not just shareholders. I had a chance to meet with the CEO, Bart Houlahan, recently who shared his enthusiasm and vision for businesses to use the B Corp designation as a new strategic planning process to become more competitive, profitable, while becoming a steward of the environment and committed to social equity. The B Corp website is rich with useful information for businesses and provides a directory of other B Corporations to network with. I would highly recommend investigating whether becoming a B Corporation is the right move for you, especially during a time when many consumers and businesses are looking for reliable sustainability designations for products and services they want to buy.

Website: www.bcorporation.net

B Corporation
8 Walnut Ave
Berwyn, PA 19312
610-296-8283
thelab@bcorporation.net

Rocky Mountain Institute

Jonathan — Fri, 13 Mar 2009 20:50:10 +0000

Rocky Mountain Institute® (RMI), based in Boulder and Snowmass, Colorado describes itself as “an independent, entrepreneurial, nonprofit organization that fosters the efficient and restorative use of resources to make the world secure, just, prosperous, and life-sustaining.” RMI provides consulting services, conducts research, and publishes reports that benefit businesses, organizations and communities to become more efficient. RMI has three teams that work together around the world: Built Environment Team, Energy & Resources Team, and the Transportation Practice. The Research & Consulting staff provides has expertise in the following areas: Energy, Buildings, Communities, Climate, Transportation, and Water. RMI is a useful resource because they provide resources that are practical, timely, and realistic for today’s challenges. Many of the reports are extremely accessible to the average business to understand the opportunities, limitations, and risks with new green technologies.

Website: www.rmi.org

Rocky Mountain Institute
2317 Snowmass Creek Road
Snowmass, Colorado 81654
(970) 927-3851

Rocky Mountain Institute
1820 Folsom Street
Boulder, Colorado 80302
(303) 245-1003

GreenBiz.com

Jonathan — Fri, 13 Mar 2009 20:47:05 +0000

GreenBiz.com®, is the flagship site of Greener World Media, Inc. and is the self-described “leading online news and information resource on how to align environmental responsibility with business success.” It’s a great site to explore and return to if you want to keep up with what’s happening in the world of green business. The site has thousands of news items, stories, reports, checklists, case studies, and links to organizations, technical assistance programs, government agencies, and recognition programs. You can subscribe to a free e-newsletter, GreenBuzz, and receive multiple RSS feeds on your own website. They also publish an annual report on the state of green business in the country highlighted in the Publications section below. The site is very useful for business as a means to learn about the basics of sustainability, practical projects you can implement, and stay updated on new ideas, initiatives, policies related to businesses going green or building green products.

Website: www.greenbiz.com