Environmental Stewardship Regional Practices

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In California, the Sonoma County Economic Development Board's Business Environmental Alliance (BEA) acts as an environmental best-practices information clearinghouse for local businesses. The BEA is different from other green business organizations because its primary focus is to promote the financial incentive of implementing resource saving practices. The BEA promotes their message through their website, a quarterly newsletter and various reports and conferences. Via this creation of easy access to information, businesses can improve their bottom line by identifying environmentally friendly and conservation-savvy practices that save them money.

Many of the conservation practices that the BEA promotes relate to water conservation and solid waste reduction, but a major emphasis is energy efficiency. The BEA encourages businesses and business-support organizations in the area to take advantage of free energy and water audit programs. The organization promotes product upgrades, like compact light bulbs and LED (light emitting diode) exit signs offered by the local electric company, as well as weather-activated irrigation controllers offered by the local water providers.

The BEA advocates for purchasing Energy Star equipment models, which use low amounts of electricity. In addition, the BEA urges business to implement simple procedures such as unplugging idle devices, making efforts to turn off computers, monitors and printers when they are not in use and to install motion detectors in spaces that do not see constant use, such as break rooms.

Other BEA publications include "How-To Guides" and their quarterly newsletter, "The Bottom Line." The "How-To Guides" direct business leaders on establishing logical environmental policies that can help businesses to identify conservation goals and monitor progress. In "The Bottom Line," the BEA recognizes area businesses that are increasing their bottom line through sound environmental practices.

The Northwest Michigan Council of Governments established the Sustainable Business Forum in 2005. The Forum provides information for local businesses through a series of free workshops and resources on their website. An online discussion board will connect individuals in a network for sharing green business practices and locating potential users of industrial operations' waste.

The workshops are conducted early in the morning so business owners can attend them before going to work. The presentation topics so far have included tips and tax incentives for energy conservation and resources for waste reduction and purchasing recycled materials. Future meetings will highlight best practices in the hospitality industry, water conservation and heating and cooling efficiency.

Interest in the Forum has grown significantly. Sustainable Business Forum Coordinator Patty O'Donnell says, "I started the email list with about 45 people, and it has now grown to about 145. We have a variety of businesses that participate, including a scrapbooking store, hospitality businesses, banks, a realtor, a building reuse business and an office equipment operation. At one workshop, the office supply business brought a chair they've developed that is made of 30 percent recycled material."

The Sustainable Business Forum will continue its outreach mission by providing information about the economic incentives for practicing conservation principles to business owners. O'Donnell says, "It's easy to take the resources around you for granted. Almost all the counties in our region border Lake Michigan, so it's important that we develop a bridge between business and the environmental stewardship."

Sonoma County Economic Development Board 401 College Ave, Ste D Santa Rosa, CA 95401 Tel: 707.565.7170 Fax: 707.565.7231 http://www.sonoma-county.org/edb/index.htm

Northwest Michigan Council of Governments P.O. Box 506 Traverse City, MI 49685 Tel: 231.929.5000 Fax: 231.929.5012 http://www.nwm.cog.mi.us/ http://www.nwmsbf.org/