Motivating, Assisting and Recognizing Small Businesses that Conserve Resources, Prevent Pollution, and Address Climate Change

This page finalized January 24, 2008

Chair’s Air Pollution Seminar

     

Thursday, February 7, 2008
1:30 p.m. - 3:30 p.m.
Coastal Hearing Room, Second Floor
1001 I Street, Sacramento

This event is being Webcast, click here to view
Webcast viewers: Please send your questions during broadcast to: coastalrm@calepa.ca.gov
Presentation is available at this link

     

 Motivating, Assisting and Recognizing
Small Businesses that Conserve Resources,
Prevent Pollution, and Address Climate Change

     

Ceil Scandone
Regional Coordinator

Bay Area Green Business Program
Association of Bay Area Governments

     

One of the Early Action Items approved by the Air Resources Board (ARB) at its June 2007 hearing was to develop voluntary guidance and protocols for businesses to facilitate greenhouse gas (GHG) emission reductions. As ARB staff develop this Early Action Item, there is a clear need to provide incentives to promote the implementation of the voluntary guidance. ARB is strongly considering a statewide recognition program. The Bay Area Green Business Program (BAGBP) and the California Green Business Program Network (CGBPN) are attractive models for ARB to follow and/or implement at a state-wide scale.

BAGBP was launched in 1996, with support from US EPA and Cal EPA Department of Toxic Substances Control. Its purpose is to assist and recognize small- to medium- size businesses that are in compliance with environmental regulations and are voluntarily taking additional steps to conserve energy and water, reduce waste and prevent pollution. Initially piloted in two counties, BAGBP has grown to include the nine Bay Area counties, where more than 1,100 firms have been recognized. Because measures Green Businesses implement often reduce GHG emissions, the Bay Area Air Quality Management District and local agencies in the Bay Area promote the BAGBP as an important component in local climate action plans.

Recently, similar green business programs have been initiated outside the Bay Area. Santa Cruz, Monterey, and San Diego counties have recognized approximately 100 businesses. Santa Monica has a similar program, and other areas, including Santa Barbara County and the City of Los Angeles, are exploring implementing green business programs. To foster consistency and facilitate efficient development of green business guidance and materials, the local programs established CGBPN in 2005. CGBPN is organized such that each county has a coordinator who guides local businesses at no cost through the process, and organizes the participation of the agencies and utilities that regulate or serve them. CGBPN requires verification that candidate businesses meet CGBPN standards. Certified businesses are recognized by local Boards and Councils, listed on the regional website, and may display the CGBPN logo on their premises and materials.
     
Ceil Scandone, is a Senior Regional Planner with the Association of Bay Area Governments (ABAG). Ms. Scandone has over 15 years experience in coordinating multi-jurisdictional environmental and land use programs for local governments and other stakeholders. As Regional Coordinator for the Bay Area Green Business Program (BAGBP), she chairs the Technical Advisory Committee, ensures consistent BAGBP implementation in all counties, manages development of policies and materials, and assists new green business programs to organize within and outside the Bay Area.

For more information, visit the website at www.greenbiz.ca.gov or contact Ms. Ceil Scandone, Regional Coordinator, at (510) 464-7961 or ceils@abag.ca.gov.

For more information on this Seminar please contact:
Kyra Naumoff, Ph.D. at (916) 324-0664 or send email to: knaumoff@arb.ca.gov

     

For a complete listing of the ARB Chairman's Series and the related documentation for each one of the series please check this page

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