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Announcements
December 18, 2008
San Francisco Green Business Conference – it was a great event!
Attendees at our 7th San Francisco Green Business Conference™ in November enjoyed insightful speakers and gained invaluable tools for the year ahead. Roxanne Quimby, founder of Burt’s Bees shared tales of her ascendancy in the green marketplace, while Joel Makower, author of the recently released Strategies for the Green Economy, discussed important opportunities the market currently presents for green businesses. Seth Goldman, of HonestTea
, spoke candidly about their decision to partner with Coke to reach larger markets with their healthy tea.
As we enter a year where the “R” word will be affecting us all—Mark Herrera of RSF Social Finance reminded us we need to pull together as a community. In several conference sessions business leaders were able to chart out financial and marketing strategies for the rough year ahead.
There were also moments filled with hope: we heard from one business owner who acquired valuable resources to launch her new business—from legal help to new vendors, as well as lots of support for her new endeavor.
Attendees shared their experiences:
"Thank you for putting on an event that broadened our horizons—it was really, really fantastic!"
“We had a terrific time at the Green Business Conference and found the format and information invaluable…thanks for all that you're doing for the Green community!”
For more highlights and presentations visit www.coopamerica.biz
Washington DC and San Francisco Green Festivals draw biggest crowds ever!
Over 78,000 participated in the fall Green Festivals in Washington, DC and San Francisco, and exhibitors reported strong sales! Karl Wald of Mr Ellie Pooh said he had his most successful event EVER in Washington DC and would be reserving space at the spring shows in Denver, Chicago and Seattle.
With the help of over 2,200 volunteers, both Green Festivals reached 95% resource recovery rate with a record number of people commuting to the event on bicycles. In fact, one Canadian couple spent 55 days biking to the San Francisco event. Another first!
In San Francisco an all-star line-up kicked off the festival with the WORD to the MOTHER EARTH event. The Friday night show featured Chuck D of Public Enemy, spoken word poet Drew Dillinger, social justice pioneer Rev. Lennox Yearwood, and Jamaica’s poet Mutabaruka. Oakland’s hip hop artist Jahi and an all female hip hop group, Crew Grrrl Order also performed their new single GO GREEN.
An article featured in San Francisco Bay Guardian entitled, “Green and Black”, reported that the Festival conveyed an expanded definition of environmentalism that emphasized social justice and concerns specific to African American and other minority communities. “The take away from the Green Festival was that ‘going green’ involves more than just driving a hybrid or changing a light bulb- it means truly transforming our communities.”
For the first time in Green Festival history, New York Times best-selling author Dr. Cornel West addressed a packed house of festival participants about the importance of hope and launched his latest book, Hope on a Tightrope.
Van Jones, President of Green for All was on hand to talk about his new book, The Green Collar Economy, which made the New York Times best seller list. Jones stressed, “We must invent and invest out of our current gray economy and into the new green economy.”
Reserve Your Green Festival Exhibit Space NOW and SAVE!
To help you save money, we have extended deep discounts for exhibit space at the upcoming Spring Green Festivals in Seattle, Chicago, and Denver. Reserve before December 15 and January 30 to take advantage of these low rates! We can’t let the recession keep us from growing our green businesses: Call 877-727-2179 x 300 to reserve your space.
Co-op America becomes GREEN AMERICA!
On January 1, Co-op America becomes Green America. New name, same mission—same great programs and publications.
With this name change, our commitment to our members is to set the standard for green, so that as our country goes green, it is the deep, holistic green that means economic and social justice, community and environmental health.
We’re also changing the name of our two publications—Real Green will be Real Green—Green American will be Green American Magazine. Look for your updated Green America images and seal of approvals in January.
Please read more about the new name »
Join us in celebrating our NEW NAME Reserve your 2009 ads now at 15% discount
We are now offering 15% discounts on any advertising in our print publications. Reservations placed before Dec. 31 will help you reach thousands of Green America individual members at a very affordable rate in 2009!
Get Rates for Green America's 2009 publications and online advertising products »
Green Business Network Members Bartering this Holiday
A group of Green Business Network members have begun organizing a holiday bartering system to scale back on spending this season. This effort allows business members to promote their products, support other network members, and spend responsibly as the state of the economy continues to fluctuate.
Check out the Holiday Bartering discussion group on the Green Business Network Lounge to get involved!
New Law Requires Third-Party Verification Costs Small Businesses Thousands
As of November 12, 2008, The Consumer Product Safety Improvement Act (CPSIA) requires manufacturers and importers of any consumer product to obtain a General Conformity Certificate to signify that their product complies with the US Consumer Product Safety Commission (CSPC). By February 2009, additional third-party verifications will be required for children’s products. This third-party testing will be mandatory for each product and has significant cost implications. The new law also demands that by August 2009 products display a code indicating where, when and what company made the product.
Green America is currently organizing a discussion group on the Lounge to address the effects of this law on its Green Business Network members. It is expected that small, independent, and innovative retailers will be disproportionately financially burdened and impacted by these regulations. The online forum will provide an opportunity for members to learn more about the law and brainstorm how to utilize the collective power of the GBN.
Learn more at the following links
www.cpsc.gov/ABOUT/Cpsia/cpsia.html »
www.cpsc.gov/ABOUT/Cpsia/conformity.pdf »
Thank you GBN for Helping Spread the Word
About Membership
Many thanks to the many Green Business Network™ members that participated in our Annual Membership Campaign! Thanks to your work we were able to approach hundreds of new potential members. All businesses that participated were included in a drawing to receive free one year membership—and the winner was Eco-Imprints, a San Francisco-based business producing eco-friendly promotional products.
Many businesses also promoted the Green Business Conference in their communities—and for that—one complimentary registration was awarded! Congratulations to The Sierra Business Council.
Thanks to all for helping spread the green message!
Have you joined the conversation?
Hundreds of Green Business Network members are networking and sharing business strategies on the newly redesigned Green Business Network Lounge – our B2B social networking tool.
To join e-mail Desiree at dwolford@GreenAmericaToday.org
Table of Contents
San Francisco Green Business Conference – it was a great event!
Washington DC and San Francisco Green Festivals Draw Biggest Crowds Ever
Reserve Your Green Festival Exhibit Space NOW and SAVE!
Reserve your 2009 ads now at 15% discount
GBN Members Bartering this Holiday
New Law Requires Third-Party Verification Costs Small Businesses Thousands
Thank you GBN for Helping Spread the Word About Membership