Naples, Get Your Green On!
The city’s Green Business Certification program offers win-win opportunities. by Lee Walker
U
ntil the end of this year, Southwest Florida businesses both small and large have the opportunity to partici- pate in the city of Naples’ free Green Business Cer-
tification program. The region-specific, flexible approach to being energy- and resource-conscious offers local busi- nesses the chance to gain recognition, save real “green” on operating expenses and win potential customers interested in buying and using local sustainable products and services.
NPower is part of a grant-funded (through December) energy outreach campaign underway in the city. Aimed at certifying a minimum of 40 busi- nesses, the program is based on a suc- cessful Sarasota County model, with a common-sense approach that will help businesses to understand and implement energy- and water-saving actions. Its simple premise is rooted in the concept of efficiency, a keystone of any success- ful business. “All businesses understand that less waste, more profit and a better working environment are basic tenets of success,” says Cloe Waterfield, founder of TwentyFifty LLC, a sustainability and
environmental consult- ing firm that focuses on climate change and carbon management in Southwest Florida. “Business owners are becoming more
aware that consumers are increas- ingly choosing to spend their dollars at establishments whose products and services demonstrate a sensitivity to managing natural resources,” advises Waterfield, who is working with Marjorie Ziff-Levine, founder of You Gotta Go Green! and David Corban, a local architect, to implement the certification program.
The NPower initiative addresses four key areas, ensuring that businesses meet minimum standards in each. The basic musts are an energy evaluation, recycling compliance, willingness to track utilities and commitment to conservation, in addition to several flexible actions that can be tailored to the specifics of each enterprise to meet the minimum qualifying standards. The process begins with a free energy evalu- ation performed by Florida Power & Light. “From the evaluation, businesses gain valuable perspective into how
their energy dollars are being spent, and are informed about rebates and incentives available for energy-saving retrofits,” Waterfield advises. Although enthusiastic about the interest from more than 30 local busi- nesses, Waterfield is often perplexed about the companies that look green on the ‘outside of the box,’ but don’t seem to care about the natural environment. “I can’t figure out why businesses that already have green practices and seem like a logical fit have shown the least interest,” she says.
Currently, Moorings Park com- munity, Bamboo Café, Bayfront Inn 5th Avenue, Hilton Naples, Best Western Naples, Andrew Hill Investment Advi- sors, St. Johns Episcopal Church, NCH Downtown Naples Hospital, The Na- ples Players, Wynn’s Market, Sunshine Ace Hardware, Gulf Shore Association of Condominiums and Natural Awak- enings magazine are working with the green certification program. These businesses will receive a Green Business decal, a two-year cer- tification and a profile in the NPower monthly newsletter. “We want to use every opportunity to promote their en- vironmentally friendly products and ser- vices. It’s just another way of spreading the word to let consumers know where to go to buy green,” says Waterfield.
For more info, call 239-234-4558 or visit
NPowerNaples.com or Facebook:
http://on.fb.me/NPowerNaples.
natural awakenings April 2012
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