Look who’s coming to Green Cities™ Florida

On May 20th, the Orange County Convention Center will open its doors to Florida’s top business, community and government leaders who are gathering to attend the first ever Green Cities™ Florida conference. The event is designed to create, connect and facilitate meaningful business dialogues while providing educational platforms for business and government with practical steps, strategic plans and appropriate tools for getting started down the path of sustainability.

This is no ordinary ‘green’ conference. Designed specifically to address the economic and environmental challenges and opportunities that Florida faces, Green Cities™ provides 60 of the nation’s sustainability experts speaking on 7 separate educational tracks including: Growing Florida’s Green Economy; Greening your Business A-Z; Green Government; Wise Business Choices in a Changing Economy; Green Events Planning and Production; Understanding and Responding to Climate Change; Green Cities Planning, Design and Construction and a training track.

“Florida has the opportunity to emerge a leader in green business,” states Mayor Richard Crotty. “This event is geared for motivated businesses and government leaders who desire to be more pro-active with ‘green practices’ in order to realize the savings and opportunities associated with this new shift in doing business. Orange County is proud to support this conference because it enables business and government leaders to gain the knowledge they need to implement opportunities to help protect the environment, build community quality, and increase economic opportunities.”

Some of the speakers include:

• Gil Friend – Founder, President and CEO of Natural Logic, Inc., providing advisory services in strategy, design, operations, and information systems that help clients build economic advantage through exceptional environmental performance.
• Mike Italiano – President & Chief Executive Officer for Market Transformation to Sustainability and founder of the U.S. Green Building Council (USGBC).
• Dr. Jennifer Languell – Founder and President of Trifecta Construction Solutions and nationally recognized leader in green building education.
• Jerome Ringo – President of the Apollo Alliance, a coalition of business, labor, environmental, and community leaders working to catalyze a clean energy revolution in America.
• Tim Center – Director of Sustainable Florida – Collins Center, an alliance of private and public partners committed to identifying, supporting and communicating sustainable best practices.
• John Lushetsky – Acting Deputy Assistant Secretary for Energy Efficiency for the U.S. Department of Energy, with responsibility for all solar technology development, grid integration, and market transformation activities under the Solar America Initiative.
• Steve Cochran – Internationally-recognized and nationally-prominent leader, speaker, writer, and advocate and practitioner in the field of sustainable enterprise.

Green Cities™ Florida participants will have the opportunity to network with business and government entities through professional and social networking integrated throughout the 2 day conference. In addition, attendees will take part in an historic event: the “Flip The Switch” ceremony for the largest solar array of its kind in the Southeast. The one-megawatt photovoltaic (PV) system is currently being installed atop the Orange County Convention Center and will be turned on for the first time the morning of May 20th during opening ceremonies for Green Cities™ Florida. Both Mayor Buddy Dyer of Orlando and Mayor Richard Crotty of Orange County will be on hand along with Senator Lee Constantine to “turn on the sun” – putting Florida on the map as a leader in sustainability.

Contributing Sponsors include: Advanced Solar Photonics, OUC and Permapave; Media Sponsors are EcoFactory, CSRwire, Sustainability: The Journal of Record and ENS.

ABOUT GREEN CITIES™ FLORIDA
Green Cities™ is produced by Seven-Star, Inc., an EPA award winning green event and green education expert. Green Cities™ Florida offers ideas, products, and services that provide business and government with the necessary tools and resources to make a shift toward sustainable practices. Topics range from green building to clean technology; organic agriculture to green investments; fair trade to the sustainable supply chain; and, integrating sustainability into corporate culture.

For more information, please visit www.greencitiesflorida.com

Green jobs in red hot markets

Interested in learning from leading experts on how to find a green job, propel your career, and participate in the next wave of economic opportunities for your business, organization, or government agency?

If you answered YES, then get your green tush over to Green Cities™ Florida, May 20-21 at the Orange County Convention Center in Orlando.

Designed as a non-traditional conference, Green Cities™ Florida will equip business, government and YOU with practical steps, relevant case studies, workshops and strategic plans for getting started on a green plan of action. The green economy is growing and transforming every part of the marketplace!

“The Apollo Alliance estimates that an ambitious $500 billion in federal spending over 10 years would create over 5 million jobs. This includes a broad range of activities such as building efficiency, renewable energy investments, smart growth, advanced grid technology, research and development initiatives and a ‘cap and invest’ program to reduce climate change pollution.” ~Jerome Ringo, President, Apollo Alliance

Hear more from Ringo on Wednesday, May 20th in his session entitled The Color of Green: The Next Inconvenient Truth

Here are a few more examples of the exciting & informative presentations that will transform the way you think, live, manage business and govern in Florida:

• What Makes a Business Green? to be presented by Alisa Gravitz, Director of Green America. Learn how a business, agency, or organization grows greener.  Ms. Gravitz shares how to implement authentic sustainable practices and policies into your work from the perspective of businesses who have been walking the green path for the last 25 years. Mark your calendar to attend this session on Wednesday, May 20^th!

• A Growing and Nurturing Your Local Green Economy workshop will be held on Thursday, May 21st, by Mary Anne Bowie, Founder, Sarasota Green Marketplace, where participants will learn how the Sarasota Green Connection Economic Development Model has evolved over a six year period and is replicable in other communities. Results include green building products retail store, local directory of 250 businesses that sell eco-friendly products and services, a 4,000 person community network, six years of monthly eco-forums and a grow the green economy focused non profit.

• Also on Thursday, May 21st, meet Robert Van der Like with The Cadmus Group who will conduct a workshop on Greening America’s Schools, New & Existing, through LEED. Van der Like currently manages the US Green Building Council’s pilot project for Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) in existing schools.

To learn more about the Green Cities™ Florida expert speakers and presentations, click here.

With the conference less than a week away, there is no time to waste. REGISTER now! Conference passes start at just $99.

For more conference information, visit the official website or call 1-800-408-0002.

APA approves more Green Cities™ Florida courses for credits

Need another “green” reason to attend Green Cities™ Florida? Hold on to your blueprint!

The American Planning Association has approved 17 of the Green Cities™ Florida courses for AICP CMs (the Continuing Education designation for Planners) for a total of 20.5 hours of credits.

Turn your blueprint into a greenprint!

Here is a list of those courses:

Achieving Climate Neutrality: The LACCD Sustainability Plan Wednesday, 05/20/09 02:30PM to Wednesday, 05/20/09 03:30PM
Alternative Energy Innovations Thursday, 05/21/09 09:00AM to Thursday, 05/21/09 11:30AM
Building Florida’s Clean Tech Economy Wednesday, 05/20/09 02:30PM to Wednesday, 05/20/09 03:30PM
Effective Actions and Collaborations for Addressing Climate Change Wednesday, 05/20/09 04:00PM to Wednesday, 05/20/09 05:30PM
Federal to Local: Translating the Stimulus Package for local governments Wednesday, 05/20/09 01:00PM to Wednesday, 05/20/09 02:00PM
Green Roofs, Living Walls, and buildings as Green Space Thursday, 05/21/09 09:00AM to Thursday, 05/21/09 10:00AM
Leadership in Florida’s Green Local Governments Wednesday, 05/20/09 04:00PM to Wednesday, 05/20/09 05:30PM
Local Government: Setting a Course of Action Thursday, 05/21/09 09:00AM to Thursday, 05/21/09 11:30AM
Preserving Florida’s Water Supply and Quality with LID Practices Thursday, 05/21/09 09:00AM to Thursday, 05/21/09 10:00AM
Re:Visioning The American City Wednesday, 05/20/09 02:30PM to Wednesday, 05/20/09 03:30PM
Renewable Energy Policy and Programs Panel Wednesday, 05/20/09 04:00PM to Wednesday, 05/20/09 05:30PM
Self-sufficient Urbanism: Contraction of the American City Thursday, 05/21/09 10:30AM to Thursday, 05/21/09 11:30AM
Sustainable Hospitality: In Search of Low Hanging Fruit Wednesday, 05/20/09 02:30PM to Wednesday, 05/20/09 03:30PM
The Bridges: Sustainable Community Design Wednesday, 05/20/09 01:00PM to Wednesday, 05/20/09 02:00PM
Transit Oriented Design and Central Florida’s Sustainable Future Wednesday, 05/20/09 02:30PM to Wednesday, 05/20/09 03:30PM
Understanding the Dynamics of the Global Carbon-Climate-Human System Wednesday, 05/20/09 11:00AM to Wednesday, 05/20/09 12:00PM

Green Cities™ Florida, to be held May 20-21, 2009 in Orlando, offers a highly interactive, outcome-based portfolio of courses and workshops presented with practical steps and specific plans for participating in the growing $400 billion green economy.

Check out the full Green Cities™ Florida program and schedule and don’t miss the Planning Central Florida: Integrating Growth and Conservation panel with Jim Yawn, Walt Thompson, and Jeff Jones on May 20! Learn about The Walt Disney Company and The Nature Conservancy’s innovative partnership and model for planning. This presentation will provide insight for successful public and private partnerships that can be applied anywhere a balance is needed between growth and natural resource conservation.

For more conference details visit the official website or call 1-800-408-0002.

Glendale, CA gets its green groove on!

Graceland has Elvis. St. Louis, the Gateway Arch. And if things proceed according to Planning Commissioner Chang Lee’s vision, Glendale will soon join the ranks of iconic U.S. cities by establishing a high-tech corridor with enough unique features to draw people to the area and create a buzz that would sweep the nation.

Lee is scheduled to pitch the idea to his colleagues on the Planning Commission during their meeting today, May 6. While there is no designated location in the proposal, Councilman John Drayman, who chairs the Redevelopment Agency, said the most likely technology-centered area would be along San Fernando Road.

“The Redevelopment Agency has already embraced a lot of forward-looking ideas,” he said, noting that he was eager to learn more about Lee’s proposal in addition to Councilwoman Laura Friedman’s concept for transforming a portion of the San Fernando Corridor into an Arts District. “I believe our residents want innovative ideas.”

Friedman, who campaigned heavily on the concept of establishing an arts manufacturing district along San Fernando Road, said Monday that she did not think the two ideas were mutually exclusive.

“We’re trying to capitalize on that industry and bring more into Glendale,” she said, noting that she didn’t think a technology corridor would conflict with an arts district. “It’s not like we have to bring something here that doesn’t already exist.”

The state is currently targeting tax incentives to keep entertainment jobs in California — a crucial element in any plan, she said.

While both Disney and DreamWorks continue to transform the northern end of the San Fernando Road corridor, major swaths of the redevelopment area remain home to light industrial and service businesses.

Lee’s proposal would change that.

In addition to attracting companies and individuals who promote research, design and application of advanced technologies in information technology and green energy to a designated area, Lee said the designated area could become a leader in LED lighting use and other renewable energies. He said his presentation is aimed at sparking a conversation that will galvanize the city toward creating a corridor that addresses the needs of the city while increasing its competitive edge.

“The world is changing really fast,” he said. “I want this corridor to invite all the corporations that are involved in [green] and at the same time implement the technology so it can become an example. Once you do this, I think [companies] will move in.”

Lee said multiple companies have pledged to move to the corridor should it come into existence.

The proposal also calls for new “media poles” throughout the district that would draw consumers in with touch-screen games and the ability to take self-pictures, among other features.

“I think this will become that unique feature to draw people in,” Lee said.

After a trip to South Korea to visit Glendale’s newest sister city, Goseong, with former Councilman Bob Yousefian last year, Lee said he was inspired to replicate the country’s success in implementing available technologies in the United States.

“They already are way ahead of us,” Yousefian said. “What we saw in South Korea was more of the application of technology that was created in this country, but not really utilized to its fullest.”

For example, he said, of the financial incentives to employ green technology, converting Glendale’s streetlights to LED bulbs could save $9 million every year.

Officials also said having a technology corridor in Glendale would be particularly helpful in bringing jobs into the U.S. economy — a directive currently encouraged under President Obama.

“Being in a redevelopment area, there are incentives the city can take to help foster the movement of industries to that area,” Drayman said. “I’m all for discussion of attracting industries to our city.”

To view the original article, visit TheGlendaleNewsPress.com.

But California is not the only state creating green buzz! Florida stands on the cusp of a tremendous emergence in green building, clean technology, water conservation, innovative business growth and wise land use planning.

Join us at Green Cities™ Florida May 20-21 in Orlando, Florida, for a unique conference designed to equip business and government with practical steps, relevant case studies and strategic plans for getting started and transforming Florida’s green economy.

And don’t miss the presentation on “California’s Hot New Financing Tool: A Model for Florida?” by Paul D’Arelli!

D’Arelli will be speaking about this innovative financing tool and whether it could be a model for Florida to reduce greenhouse gas.

Learn more about this upcoming sustainability conference at the official website or call 1-800-408-0002.

Top One Thing to Green Your Home or Office

By Mary Anne Bowie, FAICP Sustainability Director

and President of Sarasota Marketplace

Change a light bulb, recycle, build green, save the polar bears! Wow, what’s a person to do? What is the top one thing we need to do to promote the sustainable agenda?

Perhaps the most powerful way we can create a future that works for all is by supporting a green economy for our community.

When you want to focus on what you can do to green your home or office, the answer is to create a conscious choice whenever an option arises to purchase anything.

Support the green economy. What does that look like? It looks like buying green and buying local. Green cleaning, green investing, 100% recycled paper, green building, solar water heating, alternative health care, organic food, eco-tourism – all are examples of buying green.

Question is, when do we start the process? The answer is, of course, now. As a conscious consumer, question what you buy. Always look for the very best alternative. Spending your money in alignment with your values is sustainable and in these times of tight pocketbooks, spending wisely is even more important.

To read the full article, visit:

http://www.sarasotagreenconnection.com/article/top_one_thing_to_green_your_home_or_office.html

Mary Anne Bowie will be a speaker at Green Cities Florida. For more information, visit http://greencities.com/usa/florida/orlando/2009.