Home Chicago San Francisco and DC Past Highlights Green Festival®

October 23-24, 2010 - Washington, DC

November 6-7, 2010 - San Francisco, CA

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2008 San Francisco
Conference Highlights

The sixth annual San Francisco Green Business Conference™ was an enormous success. Attendees enjoyed invaluable networking sessions, inspiring speakers and a welcoming atmosphere that rejuvenated their spirits and reinvigorated their drive! They gained incredible insight into the state of the economy and were provided the tools necessary to weather the economic storm.

The conference kicked off with Denise Hamler, the Green America Green Business Network™ Director, celebrating attendees for their wonderful work growing the green economy. Read more »

The first panel dove head first into a town hall meeting—exploring the world after the presidential election and the state of the green marketplace. Read more »

Branding and Marketing experts Mitch Baranowski of BBMG and David Lubensky of Bagatto Inc., discussed their Conscious Consumer Report. Read more »

Conscious Consumer Report (PDF, 219 KB) »

Branding For Sustainability Principles (PDF, 146 KB) »

Joel Makower, Executive Editor of Greener World Media and author of Strategies for the Green Economy, described the changing landscape of the green market and offered insight and inspiration about what it will take to survive and thrive in the growing green economy. Read more »
Order Joel Makower's book »

Mark Herrera of RSF Social Finance, Trish Riley of GoGreenGift.com, Erin Ford from Organic Valley and Xavier Hegelsen of BetterWorld Books discussed the impacts of the economic collapse From Wall Street to Main Street. Read more »

The activities of the day included networking among businesses in the Marketplace and Community Connections sessions. The Business Problem Solving sessions focused on developing strategies to address the economy. Read more »

Mickey Lee of The Carbon Concierge provided business leaders with information on measuring, reducing, and offsetting their businesses’ carbon emissions. Read more »

Creativity and innovation are the hallmark of green enterprise—EcoTalk host, Betsy Rosenberg. led panel participants Tom Szaky and Miranda Magagnini in a discussion on how green businesses are effecting real change through genuine innovation and a commitment to social justice. Read more »

Tracey Turner, founder of Microplace, discussed the role of microfinance in ending global poverty. She explained how small individual investments in microfinance institutions create opportunities for the world’s poorest to provide for themselves and their communities. Read more »

Allison Worthington of The Hartman Group presented their new report Consumers, Culture and Sustainability: The Rise of Responsibility which described what is next for sustainability and green businesses. Read more »

Andrew Williamson, of Physic Ventures, an investment firm supporting environmentally responsible goods and services, shared his insights into growing successful investment partnerships. Read more »

Seth Goldman, President and TeaEO of Honest Tea described his company’s growth from a small startup to the sale of a minority stake to Coca-Cola earlier this year. Read more »

Carolyn Parrs and Irv Weinberg of Mind Over Markets delivered their “Ten Commandments of Green Marketing.” This session guided business leaders in understanding and communicating with the green consumer.
Read more »

Sustainable packaging guru, Dennis Salazar of Salazar Packaging shared his 30 years of packaging experience with attendees, and offered guidance to those hoping to further their environmental commitments through green packaging. Read more »

Dennis Salazar's presentation (PDF 2.29 MB) »

In the session True Confessions in Fair Trade Sourcing, Rony Alcalay of Vital Hemptations and Sharon Rowe of EcoBags discussed their experiences in the pursuit of fair trade sourcing. Charisse McAuliffe, founder and COO of GenGreenLife, explained that triple-bottom line companies with a solid business plan and growth model are precisely where investors and banks are looking to spend their money. Read more »

Learn more on preparing for investors (PDF, 822 KB) »

Ella Silverman and Eric Weiss from World of Good spoke about exciting new opportunities surrounding the launch of the new World of Good/ebay marketplace which will feature thousands of “people and planet positive” products. Read more »

Learn how to feature your products »

Roxanne Quimby, founder of Burt’s Bees and President of Happy Green Bee, told the story of building Burt’s Bees into a multi-million dollar business and the sell to Clorox. Read more »

The 2008 Green Business Leadership Award was given to sustainable paper company, Mr. Ellie Pooh. Founder Karl Wald received the award from last year’s winner Organic Valley Family of Farms. Read more »