What do we want to have in the end of the conversation?
- What is "it"? What is green (a catchterm for long-term sustainability = the Earth won't die)?
- How to measure green sustainability, environmental responsibility
- What are other people doing; are we doing better or worse? Benchmarking.
- Can our choices and practices be profitable and sustainable - better for ourselves and things around us?


- Why is it that companies that want to go green?

To look good. Is there a difference for motivation between non-profits and for-profits? For Burt's Bees: raw materials come from the Earth; it needs to be protected in order to stay in business. Sustainable sourcing strategy at Burt's Bees.

Top management support and champions are required to carry out a green-transfer in an organization. Take everyday business practices, simple little things, and make them green.

"One man's trash is another man's treasure." Awareness and collaboration can bring together green and green.

For a small business, how can sustainability be integrated? Sustainability is not black and white - either make money or be sustainable. Little things: schoolbus runs on biodiesel. Partnering with local farmers. Where is the market for compostable products? Is it better to use compostable or recycleable?

Ray Anderson - Interface Carpets. Green success story. He is on the speaker circuit for sustainability. This could be a good example of a successful sustainable businessman.
Interface Carpets Ray Anderson wiki

Profit is a short term measure: quarterly. Sustainability is a long-term thing. How do we link this long-term perspective link to short-term goals? Businesses need to make money to stay in business, but the mindset is still important. People will pay attention to that, especially in the Triangle area. Robin mentioned a fishmarket in Carrborough; it has the most delicious fresh seafood. Word of mouth advertising amongst environmental enthusiasts made it more known.

"You don't want to be the first one to do this" - investing in green is a business risk.

How do we address companies that are selling to a broad audience instead of the environmental niche? Example: a homebuilder does not care about what the heat bill is going to be once he is done building it. Quality control process - small investment, large benefits AND it saved energy in the end.
In the construction business, it's hard to get customers motivated to put up the upfront cost.

People have been making license plates for years the same way, they haven't thought about doing it any differently. Same with green-ideas. It is hard to make a change.

Going green just for the purposes of going green won't work, showing them that it can be profitable, that's a different story.

Working with government agencies has been requring even service companies to be green (implemented environmental management systems etc.).

How would you measure morality? It would be important to bring this in the front of the decision making process. It's very hard to measure.


Key points:

- Being green, CAN be green.

- Demonstrate how being green (sustainable) makes money
- Echo Park in Charlotte is a good example how collaboration can work
- Willingness to change has to be present
- A paradigm shift has to happen about conducting business (making money and being green - it's a continuum)
- Building a network for green professionals
- Are you ready for a throwdown? Employee encouragement to engage in green behavior (competitions, "Paper Throwdown," Trashcan audits)