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LINK TO ORIGINAL STORY WITH PHOTOS:
http://www.azbiz.com/articles/2010/11/03/news/profiles/doc4ccb05eba865e311940576.txt
New Green chamber seeks unity in sustainable business practices
by Chamber Nation on November 5th, 2010
By Lee Allen, for Inside Tucson Business
Published on Friday, October 29th, 2010
In business, as in all of life, there is strength in unity and working together makes a lot more sense than having to fight daily battles by yourself. Hence the advice from the Southern Arizona Green Chamber of Commerce (SAGCC): If you want to go fast, go alone. If you want to go far, go together.
But SAGCC wants to do both — go far and do so rapidly —and the newest member of the eight chambers, linked together under the banner of the Southern Arizona Chamber Alliance, has taken off since its launch in March.
“We’re a nonprofit trade association of businesses, organizations, students, and individuals interested in the concept of sustainability in Southern Arizona,” said Melissa Black, president of SAGCC. “Our efforts are directed at promoting the common economic interests of our members while advocating for ecologically sound policies and sustainable practices in the business community. It is not our intent to duplicate the offerings of other sustainable organizations, but rather to compliment them.”
The listed chamber mission is to enhance the regional green business climate by researching, educating, and promoting sustainable business practices and lobbying to enact practical legislation of those practices to maximize green footprints.
The idea began in the fall of 2009 and grew out of business colleagues Black and John Brown of the Tucson Metropolitan Chamber of Commerce discussing a mutual desire to increase solar energy use in Southern Arizona.
“We’re being passed on the solar technology curve by places like Portland and Denver because we don’t adequately inform the populace about solar benefits so they can make different life choices,” said Black, owner of Solar Gain Inc., and a listed ‘eco broker’ with Long Realty.
“John and I began contacting green friends and acquaintances, they quickly jumped on board, and we were off to the races,” she said.
“We’re a volunteer organization, board run, with no executive director, and we’re working as hard and fast as we can to put our foundation and infrastructure in place.”
However they’re doing it, it’s working. In slightly more than six months, membership is closing in on 200.
“We’re riding the green wave that’s sweeping the country, tapping into what is happening around us and putting a more specific emphasis on the business component. In our homes, as individuals, we can have a positive influence on the environment. When those efforts concerning energy usage and resource reduction and recycling are translated into the business equation, collectively we can help move the shift to sustainability,” she said.
Among the existing chamber membership list are names and organizations that are easily recognized in the sustainable community: entities like the Community Food Bank.
“We’re a green organization in many ways,” said Bill Carnegie, president and CEO of the Food Bank. “We practice a wide range of recycling, harvest water in our own cistern, operate hybrid vehicles, reduce utility costs by using solar at our main warehouse, and compost for our farm and garden. With common goals of sustainability like these, the Community Food Bank and the Southern Arizona Green Chamber of Commerce make a good, and very logical, fit.”
There’s room for a lot more growth according to a City of Tucson Sustainability Office report that shows more than 35,000 firms licensed to do business in Southern Arizona.
“We’re looking forward to launching a coordinated membership drive in 2011 with the expectation that we could have 500 members by years end,” Black said. “The enthusiasm of our current membership about growing the business community in a greener direction is palpable. There’s a buzz of excitement in the room at all of our events with like-minded people getting together and collaborating on how to increase energy efficiency and reduce waste. It’s exciting and contagious and we encourage each other about our potential to have a positive influence when we all work together.”
The fledgling organization has a public presence in new offices at 44 E. Broadway and is active in holding monthly mixers and networking breakfasts. The next mixer is 5:30 - 7:30 p.m. Nov. 11 and the next breakfast meeting is 7:30 - 9:30 a.m. Nov. 17. Details are on the SAGCC website.
Chamber members also get to show how they back up their words with action as in the case of an open house from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Nov. 6 at Apache Nitrogen Products, 1436 S. Apache Powder Road, Benson.
“We’re proud of what we’ve accomplished as part of our corporate social responsibility program and want people to see the results of our efforts,” said Pamela Beilke, spokeswoman for Apache Nitrogen.
Between tours of the plant and its wetland area, the event will show off a new solar system now providing electricity and a rainwater harvesting system to irrigate desert xeriscape.
“We challenge businesses in Southern Arizona to step forward with green sustainable practices that will alter the energy equation and ensure future sustainability,” said Black.
Biz Facts44 E. Broadway
Southern Arizona Green Chamber of Commerce
www.SAGCC.org
(520) 777-7138
Lee Allen is a Tucson-based freelance writer.
Copyright © 2010 Inside Tucson Business
Published on Friday, October 29th, 2010
In business, as in all of life, there is strength in unity and working together makes a lot more sense than having to fight daily battles by yourself. Hence the advice from the Southern Arizona Green Chamber of Commerce (SAGCC): If you want to go fast, go alone. If you want to go far, go together.
But SAGCC wants to do both — go far and do so rapidly —and the newest member of the eight chambers, linked together under the banner of the Southern Arizona Chamber Alliance, has taken off since its launch in March.
“We’re a nonprofit trade association of businesses, organizations, students, and individuals interested in the concept of sustainability in Southern Arizona,” said Melissa Black, president of SAGCC. “Our efforts are directed at promoting the common economic interests of our members while advocating for ecologically sound policies and sustainable practices in the business community. It is not our intent to duplicate the offerings of other sustainable organizations, but rather to compliment them.”
The listed chamber mission is to enhance the regional green business climate by researching, educating, and promoting sustainable business practices and lobbying to enact practical legislation of those practices to maximize green footprints.
The idea began in the fall of 2009 and grew out of business colleagues Black and John Brown of the Tucson Metropolitan Chamber of Commerce discussing a mutual desire to increase solar energy use in Southern Arizona.
“We’re being passed on the solar technology curve by places like Portland and Denver because we don’t adequately inform the populace about solar benefits so they can make different life choices,” said Black, owner of Solar Gain Inc., and a listed ‘eco broker’ with Long Realty.
“John and I began contacting green friends and acquaintances, they quickly jumped on board, and we were off to the races,” she said.
“We’re a volunteer organization, board run, with no executive director, and we’re working as hard and fast as we can to put our foundation and infrastructure in place.”
However they’re doing it, it’s working. In slightly more than six months, membership is closing in on 200.
“We’re riding the green wave that’s sweeping the country, tapping into what is happening around us and putting a more specific emphasis on the business component. In our homes, as individuals, we can have a positive influence on the environment. When those efforts concerning energy usage and resource reduction and recycling are translated into the business equation, collectively we can help move the shift to sustainability,” she said.
Among the existing chamber membership list are names and organizations that are easily recognized in the sustainable community: entities like the Community Food Bank.
“We’re a green organization in many ways,” said Bill Carnegie, president and CEO of the Food Bank. “We practice a wide range of recycling, harvest water in our own cistern, operate hybrid vehicles, reduce utility costs by using solar at our main warehouse, and compost for our farm and garden. With common goals of sustainability like these, the Community Food Bank and the Southern Arizona Green Chamber of Commerce make a good, and very logical, fit.”
There’s room for a lot more growth according to a City of Tucson Sustainability Office report that shows more than 35,000 firms licensed to do business in Southern Arizona.
“We’re looking forward to launching a coordinated membership drive in 2011 with the expectation that we could have 500 members by years end,” Black said. “The enthusiasm of our current membership about growing the business community in a greener direction is palpable. There’s a buzz of excitement in the room at all of our events with like-minded people getting together and collaborating on how to increase energy efficiency and reduce waste. It’s exciting and contagious and we encourage each other about our potential to have a positive influence when we all work together.”
The fledgling organization has a public presence in new offices at 44 E. Broadway and is active in holding monthly mixers and networking breakfasts. The next mixer is 5:30 - 7:30 p.m. Nov. 11 and the next breakfast meeting is 7:30 - 9:30 a.m. Nov. 17. Details are on the SAGCC website.
Chamber members also get to show how they back up their words with action as in the case of an open house from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Nov. 6 at Apache Nitrogen Products, 1436 S. Apache Powder Road, Benson.
“We’re proud of what we’ve accomplished as part of our corporate social responsibility program and want people to see the results of our efforts,” said Pamela Beilke, spokeswoman for Apache Nitrogen.
Between tours of the plant and its wetland area, the event will show off a new solar system now providing electricity and a rainwater harvesting system to irrigate desert xeriscape.
“We challenge businesses in Southern Arizona to step forward with green sustainable practices that will alter the energy equation and ensure future sustainability,” said Black.
Biz Facts44 E. Broadway
Southern Arizona Green Chamber of Commerce
www.SAGCC.org
(520) 777-7138
Lee Allen is a Tucson-based freelance writer.
Copyright © 2010 Inside Tucson Business
Posted in Going Green, Press Release Tagged with Green Chamber of Commerce
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