Certifed Green Consultant Green Impact Solutions

There’s a new and very exciting program I want to share with you called “Green Points”. Through this program, your customers/clients can earn “green points” simply from using your green product or service.

Read more information about this program at:
http://www.greenbusinessleague.com/content/gbl-green-points

To get your green product or service approved, you can submit the application to either the Green Business League or to Green Impact Solutions to kickstart the process. The application can be found at:
http://www.greenbusinessleague.com/docs/GBL-Points-Request.pdf

State Farm Insurance Agency on Hamilton Boulevard in Allentown, PA is on their way to earning their Green Business Certification with the Green Business League.  In working with Certified Green Consultant Heather Deschenes of Green Impact Solutions, Inc., State Farm agent Christine Moscaritolo already had a number of green practices in place when she opened her doors on July 1st earlier this year.  In the initial renovation stage of getting the office ready for operation, using no-VOC paints earned State Farm some of their first certification points.  When setting up the office, all the appliances and computer equipment were Energy Star rated.  To help ensure good indoor air quality for employees and customers, voc-eating plants were placed abundantly throughout the office.  Other more aggressive practices include processing roughly half of their insurance policies online and getting customer signatures via an electronic signature pad and sending and receiving faxes through email.   

To hear first-hand from Christine what green business practices State Farm has adopted, be sure to attend the Lehigh Valley Green Business League Kickoff Event on Wed. Sept. 30th at the Allentown Brew Works in the High Gravity Room at 7 PM.  See LVGBL.com for details or to RSVP.

Simply put, upcycling is a term used to describe the process of making something useful from waste.  Pencil cases made from Capri Sun drink pouches, folders from used Frito Lay chip bags, purses from inside-out soccer balls, business card holders from old vinyl records, chairs from cardboard, and the list goes on.  Unique items such as these are beginning to establish themselves in the marketplace, so why not take this concept and run with it here in the Lehigh Valley to create some new jobs? 

For inspiration, take some time to read the book titled “Revolution in a Bottle – The TerraCycle Story” by Tom Szaky.  In the book, Szaky describes how it is often more cost effective to reuse waste that is otherwise too difficult and costly to recycle.  TerraCycle has established product brigades that pay consumers to collect things like yogurt cups, candy wrappers and wine corks.  They pay a few cents per item to a charity or school of your choice and then they use the collected waste items to make or package their products.  

We live in a densely populated area.  We generate a tremendous amount of waste.  Why not tap into the amazing creativity of our students and community members to create some innovative upcycled products?  With a few forward-thinking investors and continued demand for these new products, the Lehigh Valley could become home to a manufacturing plant supplying some exciting green jobs.

Participating in upcycling programs not only helps raise money for your school or favorite non-profit organization, but it’s also another way to earn points towards your Green Business Certification.