Comment Log Display

I am writing to express my strong support for funds being allocated
in the Cap & Trade investment plan to support the California Green
Business Network (CaGBN). Additional funds would assist CaGBN to
expand their assistance to small and medium sized businesses (SMBs)
and assists the businesses in integrating sustainability into their
operations.

The California Green Business Certification Programs provide
technical assistance to small-to-medium sized businesses that
provide multiple environmental benefits that help reduce GHGs, grow
the green economy through adoption of best practices and create a
marketplace for Certified Green Businesses.  These programs now
cover 40% of the states population and have certified over 2,800
businesses and the businesses have saved over 822,677 metric tons
of CO2.

These programs provide on-site assistance to businesses, help
businesses adopt leading edge greenhouse gas reduction practices,
verify improvements, and generate reliable outcome metrics using
state and federal GHG calculators. 

Certification through this program assist California businesses in
competing as part of the green economy and green supply chains.
Certification by government agencies gives them credibility. For
example, Conejo Awards, the first Certified Green Business in the
City of Thousand Oaks used the certification to gain over $100,000
in new business. Previously they did not qualify as a bidder,
because the purchasers were only seeking bidders from sustainable
businesses. 

Please ensure that the new plan allocates funding to assist in
expanding this program to enable CaGBN to reach more businesses and
help us make our California businesses more competitive in the
green economy. California’s strong environmental regulations are
our competitive advantage in the international economy. We need to
support these businesses in gaining market share and becoming the
new preferred supplier in the emerging green supply chains. They
need CaGBN’s assistance in making this transition, but local
governments cannot fund this on our own – we need your help.

Respectfully,
John Brooks, Chair
California Green Business Network