Ever notice how hard it can be to convince Philadelphians that we’ve got it going on? On Monday I heard Secretary Chu describe how seemingly well-positioned the Berkeley Lab was to win a giant U.S. Department of Energy grant and while he didn’t say it, I suspect he was a little surprised that $130M went to Philadelphia and Penn State instead.

Walking around the crowd after the press conference, others were also mildly mystified. And yet, this is just one of millions of dollars in awards this region’s institutions have received in the past year. Need we remind ourselves that Philadelphia received more Pathways Out of Poverty grants than any other city in the country and that our Energy Efficiency Conservation Block Grant was packed with $25M in funds this year? People, we are hot.

In fact, there is so much going on it can be hard to keep up with the big picture:

·         Are green businesses stronger today than they were a year ago?

·         Are there better opportunities for people with barriers to employment this year than last?

Further, the emergence of so many new programs can be hard to translate for you individually:

·         What’s in it for my company?

·         What’s in it for my clients?

As each institution, like Penn State, Philadelphia Industrial Development Corporation, or Philadelphia Workforce Investment Board, roll out new programs and capital, the Green Economy Task Force becomes ever more important to keeping you informed.

That’s why the Green Economy Task Force Stakeholders Meeting is always packed. Let us bring you the biggest projects, the key decision-makers, and the most relevant information on green jobs and opportunities for people living in poverty. 

RSVP to save your seat before they’re gone.

Thank you to our host, Job Opportunity Investment Network (JOIN), for making the space available to us for our meeting.

When: Friday October 8 from 1:00PM – 4:00PM

Where: United Way of Southeastern Pennsylvania, 7 Benjamin Franklin Parkway, Philadelphia, PA

Learn the legal ropes of marketing green and some leaner, greener marketing strategies for your business at our half-day, 2-panel workshop.

The first panel will feature legal experts and branding specialists to share strategies for maximizing impressions with likely consumers and expertise on what businesses can and cannot proclaim about being green.

Marketing professionals in the second panel will cover trends in marketing to a green-centric audience, alternatives to high-impact advertising, and ways to reach on-the-fence consumers contemplating buying green.

For a full agenda visit: www.sbnmarketingworkshop.eventbrite.com

EVENT DETAILS:

When: Thursday, June 24th 2010, 8:30 AM -12:00 PM

Where: Wharton Small Business Development Center University of Pennsylvania
Jon M. Huntsman Hall, Room 260

Fee: $12 for members, $16 for non-members; breakfast provided

Register: sbnmarketingworkshop.eventbrite.com   Deadline to register is June 23rd, 9:00 AM

Last week I joined Green Economy Task Force Policy Co-Chair, Natalia Olson-Urtecho, on an action-packed tour of Capitol Hill. In addition to meeting with both Senators Casey and Specter, we were thrilled to be in the Capitol Building when HOME STAR (“Cash for Caulkers”), bipartisan energy efficiency legislation, passed the House. 

If HOME STAR passes the Senate, what will it mean for procrastinators like myself? First I would go to an approved retailer or contractor and they would give me a discount before work is conducted. Then they would submit documentation of the purchase or work to the U.S. Department of Energy for reimbursement. If I opted for the “Gold Star” program, I would get a rebate of up to $3,000 if I conducted a whole-house energy audit and made improvements that increased my home’s overall energy-efficiency by at least 20%. Then I would also be eligible for an additional $1,000 rebate for each additional 5% efficiency improvement-that’s up to $8,000 in rebates!

With the up-front financial burden reduced, imagine thousands of Philadelphians like myself insulating their ceilings, replacing those Florida windows, and installing Energy Star appliances. Not only would we put people back to work and improve the resale value of our homes, but we would have more money in our pockets from energy savings to spend at local businesses. You don’t need to be a green business to understand this would be good business!

Fondly, Kate

• Leanne Krueger-Braneky, Sustainable Business Network of Greater Philadelphia
• Kate Houstoun, Sustainable Business Network of Greater Philadelphia
• Steve Herzenberg, Keystone Research Center
• Sue Hoffman, Philadelphia Workforce Investment Board 
• Tom Tuffey, PennFuture
• Laureen Boles, Philadelphia Water Department
• Thomas May, Urban Engineers, Inc.

These speakers will be participating on panels discussing the Philadelphia Water Department’s Green Streets Plan and successful initiatives and policies to jumpstart the green economy in Pennsylvania.
 
To learn more about the event, or to register, click here.
 
If you’re already planning to attend, let us know so we can connect when we arrive.

The grant will be used to significantly ramp-up residential and commercial building energy efficiency retrofit activities throughout the greater Philadelphia region, creating hundreds of jobs and saving the region millions in energy costs over the next several years.

“This grant is about doing well by doing good – creating jobs and boosting the economy by helping citizens and businesses across the region build greener” said Mayor Nutter.

Philadelphia’s Director of Sustainability Katherine Gajewski said “This was a very competitive process, with more than $3.5 billion in applications for $450 million in available funds. We are honored to have been chosen. The real strength of our application was the partnerships; there are many in the region who have been working toward this moment for years, and it’s terrific to see all that preparation and good work recognized.”

Deputy Mayor for Planning and Economic Development Alan Greenberger said: “We’re truly creating new economic opportunity here, by growing a new industry. We look forward to seeing the region’s builders, suppliers, and designers making energy efficiency a foundation for their growth. That means new businesses and new jobs.”

Read the full press release from the Mayor’s Office here.

This month you have the opportunity to hear from the gubernatorial candidates on both of these issues. SBN and the Green Economy Task Force are pleased to invite you:

1) Environment: Thursday April 15 from 6:00 p.m. to 8:30 p.m., will allow candidates to discuss their positions on significant issues related to the environment, urban sustainability and natural resources. 

2) Workforce: Monday April 19 from 6:00 p.m. to 9:00 p.m., will offer an informative and interactive look at how the Commonwealth can best meet the needs of workers, businesses, and local economies in the 2010s and beyond.      

Both forums are free, but they are expected to sell out, so RSVP quickly!

Gubernatorial Forum on Urban Sustainability

WHERE:
Academy of Natural Sciences
19th St and the Benjamin Franklin Parkway

WHEN: 
Thursday, April 15, 2010
Reception: 6:00 – 6:30 p.m.
Program: 6:30-8:30 p.m. 

RSVP is required for this event: www.pennsylvaniagubernatorialforum.eventbrite.com/

Gubernatorial Forum on the Future of Pennsylvania’s Workforce and Economy

WHERE:
The National Constitution Center
525 Arch St., Philadelphia, PA

WHEN:
Monday, April 19, 2010
Workforce Open House: 6:00 - 7:00 p.m.
Program: 7:00 – 9:00 p.m.

RSVP is required for this event: www.pagovforum.org

Cory (far left) and Dawn (far right) speaking on a panel at the Career Day

Last week, Cory Suter (BioNeighbors Sustainable Homes) and Dawn Moody (Energy Coordinating Agency), founding members of the Green Economy Speakers Bureau, participated in their first event as Green Ambassadors; the Deloitte Career Exploration Day.  This event provided first-hand access to different careers, for students from the Kensington International Business High School, who are part of the Deloitte Education Collaborative. The careers that were present were specifically chosen by the students because they wanted to know what the jobs actually entail and what steps they have to take to have a career in those fields. 
   
If you know of a Green Economy All-Star that has a green-collar job and would make a great Ambassador for the Speakers Bureau, email Zac Sivertsen, the Green Jobs Associate for SBN.

Kate Houstoun from SBN presents at the Gray to Green release

If the Philadelphia Water Department (PWD) proposal to the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency passes, the City will begin a massive installation of green infrastructure to reduce demand on the sewer system. But that’s only half the battle: More than half of the installations PWD will need to meet its Clean Water Act goals need to occur on private properties. The fourth chapter of the Emerging Industries Project, Gray to Green: Jumpstarting Private Investment in Green Stormwater Infrastructure, addresses this challenge.

More than sixty people gathered at United Way of Southeastern PA to get a first look at this new chapter of the Emerging Industries Project. The report was written by SBN Policy Fellow Sarah E. Francis, with guidance from a working group of Green Economy Task Force Stakeholders. It has garnered some high praise from Howard Neukrug, director of the Philadelphia Water Department’s Office of Watersheds, and a nationally known stormwater management specialist.  In a PlanPhilly article by Tom Walsh, Neukrug referred to the report as “groundbreaking,” and said that he: ”was just thrilled when [he] read it, how well it does in describing the issues that are confronting us today, and beginning to look at what some of the solutions may be.”

Click here to read Gray to Green: Jumpstarting Private Investment in Green Stormwater Infrastructure.

Working Groups for the Emerging Industries Project are intentionally diverse, representing business, nonprofit, environmental advocacy, funder, organized labor, and government perspectives. To learn more about the Emerging Industries Project, contact Kate Houstoun, Director of Green Economy Initiatives at the Sustainable Business Network.

Working Group:

Interviews & Support: