Western Nevada College, greenUP! announce new green business partners
Submitted by Jeff Munson on Tue, 11/30/2021 - 1:20pm
Western Nevada College and greenUP! announced Tuesday that three new partners have joined the Nevada Green Business Network, part of a statewide effort to generate a green business certification program. The new partners are The City of Reno, The Reno-Sparks Chamber of Commerce and the Nevada Conservation League.
This collaborative of agencies and organizations are committed to improving the overall environmental performance of the state of Nevada by working directly with businesses to reduce energy usage, solid and hazardous waste disposal, and the amount of water used during business operations.
This will help make Nevada a cleaner state, reduce its direct impact on natural resources and help it achieve its climate action goals.
The new partners join greenUP!, Western Nevada College, the Nevada Division of Environmental Protection, Incline Village General Improvement District, Keep Truckee Meadows Beautiful, Envirolution, GreenACTnv and GRN Vision. Combined, these agencies and organizations support businesses across the state in becoming certified in the Nevada Green Business Program.
The program utilizes the GreenBizTracker database to collect outcomes that measure the impact certified businesses are having toward resource conservation, pollution prevention and environmental protection goals. Through education, networking and collaboration, the Nevada Green Business Network will assist in finding new ways for businesses to be more efficient, healthy and attract new customers.
“Since the passage of the Pollution Prevention Act 30 years ago, industry, government and the public have been focused on reducing the amount of pollution through cost-effective changes in production, operation and raw materials use,” said greenUP! Board President Donna Walden. “WNC, greenUP! and the program partners of the Nevada Green Business Network are committed to helping Nevada make strides in becoming a leader in sustainability.”
“Western Nevada College welcomes our new partners who will contribute to the state’s climate action goals through pollution prevention and through implementation of best practices,” said Dr. Georgia White, director of Professional and Applied Technology at WNC. “We are most grateful to EPA who provided funding for the program and to our partners who will accelerate this important work and enhance environmental performance in Nevada.”
Ann Silver, CEO of the Reno+Sparks Chamber of Commerce, said, “The Chamber is one of our community’s leading advocates for the transition to a clean energy economy. We are supporting the network by offering green business certification classes to educate our members on how to best implement business practices that can improve their bottom line."
“The City of Reno is pleased to help promote the statewide green business program to Reno businesses,” said Suzanne Groneman, sustainability program manager for the Reno City Manager's Office. “Recognizing sustainable business leaders in our community complements the City’s environmental education and outreach efforts.”
"The pursuit of a healthier climate future is an undertaking that requires all hands-on-deck, including, and especially, the help of businesses — and today, we are excited to join a network of leaders who share this same vision," said Verna Mandez, deputy director of the Nevada Conservation League. "As a partner, we look forward to expanding opportunities for Southern Nevada businesses to implement practices that help to protect the environment and employees and reduce costs, including energy efficiency, water conservation, waste diversion from landfills, and reducing hazardous materials."
As a partner of the Nevada Green Business Network, the Nevada Conservation League will help identify green businesses in Southern Nevada that show interest in conservation & sustainability and provide them a platform to advocate for pro-conservation and business-friendly policies.
GreenBizTracker is a web-based and mobile tool that motivates businesses to make voluntary behavior and facility changes that net positive and measurable environmental outcomes. Easy-to-use resources and tools, as well as one-on-one assistance from program partners, are provided to the businesses to help them along the way. Once businesses are green certified and added to an online, searchable directory, the public can use to find and patronize these businesses. For more information on the Green Business Program and Network, visit NVGreenBusiness.org.
