Click here to get started
or call
503/823.3919
for free advice.
Why go green?
Everyone can make a difference! Whether it is reducing the amount of resources consumed, the amount of greenhouse gases emitted, or the amount of waste generated, your business will join thousands of others that are working to make a greener, more prosperous future.
Addressing global warming is an enormous challenge—and it can also be a profitable opportunity.
How will going green help my business?
Business owners increasingly understand the compelling financial, regulatory, risk mitigation, and broader marketplace opportunities inherent in "greening" their business model. They are not going green for green's sake alone. "In fact, more than two-thirds of Americans say they consider a company's business practices when deciding what to buy" (Source: 2007 Cone Cause Evolution Survey).
The report finds that 72 percent of U.S. consumers believe their purchases have significant impact on society. And, 71 percent say they are "somewhat likely" or "very likely" to pay a 10 percent premium for sustainable products. From a cultural standpoint, 93 percent of the American population has some degree of sustainability consciousness (Source: Sustainable Food News, May 25, 2007).
By going green your business can take advantage of a profitable market opportunity.
What's so important about greenhouse gases?
Greenhouse gas emissions—which come from the electricity you use, your vehicles, and the manufacturing of the products you use or sell—have been linked to the negative effects produced from human-induced climate change.
Burning oil, gas and coal creates a blanket of carbon dioxide in the atmosphere that leads to climate disruptions. This puts our communities at risk for economic decline, changes to our water supply and increases the risk of flooding.
Scientists agree that global warming is affecting the Pacific Northwest. The Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change estimates that global greenhouse gas emissions must decline 50 to 85 percent from year 2000 levels by 2050 to avoid catastrophic climate disruption.
Emissions reductions are possible when we all work together. The City of Portland, working with Multnomah County and many private- and public-sector partners, has made a significant accomplishment in reducing greenhouse gas emissions. Despite rapid population and economic growth, total local greenhouse gas emissions in 2006 were less than one percent above 1990 levels. This represents a per capita decrease of 14 percent and a marked contrast with national values, which have increased by 16 percent over the same period.
Doing nothing is not an option. The longer we do nothing, the more it will cost our region and the nation, both environmentally and economically. Protecting the environment is essential for our economy and our future
Peggy Fowler, CEO
Portland General Electric
The program really gave us the motivation to begin our own process, along the way there were tools that the BEST business center program provided to assist us in our program’s creation.
Green Team
United Fund Advisors