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In an effort to make sense of the “green” movement and to help businesses and homeowners understand more fully how to become more sustainable, an Orange County “Sustainability Summit” has been set for Tuesday, March 9 at the Kaplan Math, Science and Technology Center at Mount Saint Mary College, Newburgh.
The event is hosted by the Orange County Chamber of Commerce in conjunction with: Mount Saint Mary College, Orange County Association of Realtors, Orange County Citizens Foundation, Orange County Partnership, Orange County Planning Department and SUNY Orange. Greenopia, a national directory of eco-friendly retailers, services and organizations that have been screened for their sustainability in the product or service arena, is the consulting organization for the summit.
“The purpose of the summit is to inform people in Orange County about the resources that exist to help businesses and individuals live and work sustainably,” said Dr. John A. D’Ambrosio, President of the Chamber. “We want to help people to connect the dots about how to be truly environmentally sustainable in terms of business, education, training and careers. There’s a ton of ‘green’ talk everywhere, but it’s time to put it all together in a meaningful way.”
Several sponsor opportunities are available for the summit. Platinum Sponsors ($1,500) will receive a table in a prime location at the summit, display of their company banner, a one-third page ad in House Magazine, company logo and link on the Chamber website and two complimentary tickets to the summit.
Gold Sponsors ($1,000) will receive a table in a prime location at the summit, their company logo and direct link on the Chamber website and two complimentary tickets to the event. Silver Sponsors ($500) will receive a table at the summit and their company logo and link on the website. Sponsor information is available from Roseann Bouzakis , at the Chamber, at 457 -9700 or rosseannb@orangeny.com.
Vendors are invited to participate in the summit at a fee of $250 each. To be approved as a vendor, applicants should click HERE to apply for Greenopia’s green rating, as well as for a free listing in Greenopia’s expert rated business directory. Businesses that qualify will receive a summary of their Greenopia “green leaf” rating and the free listing. Only applicants approved or pre-approved by Greenopia can be accepted as vendors. To be approved click HERE. Vendor space is limited to 40.
In addition to vendors, the “Sustainability Summit” will include a keynote presentation by Gay Browne, founder of Greenopia, as well as breakout sessions on “Education and Training for Sustainable Careers”; “Ecological Living and Slow Food”; “Energy Conservation for Home and Business”; and “Green Energy.” A panel will speak about creating sustainability in Orange County.
The summit will be open to the general public at $25 per person, which includes lunch. To make a reservation, contact Roseann at the Chamber at 457 -9700 or click here.
What is Greenopia?
Founded in 2005 , Greenopia provides consumers with information to help them reduce their impact on the environment through their daily purchasing decisions. The organization publishes extensive green business directories, product directories and brand directories, as well as offering a growing community, news articles, blogs and tips to help everyone eat, shop and live green.
The Greenopia Leaf Award allows consumers to easily assess the overall greenness of a business or product. Four-Leaf Rated listings meet the most stringent criteria, while One-Leaf Rated listings meet minimum qualifying standards.
Greenopia's directories guide consumers to the businesses and products that can help them lead a more sustainable lifestyle. All listings are independently researched, rated and ranked using unique sets of life cycle-based and category-specific criteria, ensuring that each business and product meets precise qualifications. They do not accept payment for listings.
Greenopia founder Gay Browne says, “I want to help people lead healthier lives in an increasingly toxic world.” A lifelong asthmatic, Gay started looking for ways to improve her living environment in order to take better care of herself and her children. She began by choosing all natural alternatives for everything from nutritional habits to bed sheets. In working with green home developers, interior designers and furniture dealers, Gay realized that there was a wealth of green options, but no simple resource
to find them. In response, she developed Greenopia to provide a resource to help people make choices to green their lives on a daily basis.
Greenopia has developed guides for Los Angeles , the San Francisco Bay Area and New York City , with plans underway for 20 other cities including Chicago , Denver , Seattle and Portland .
“I really want to convince consumers and their families that these businesses can help them make a smooth transition to green living,” Gay says. “It doesn’t have to be all or nothing. Even small changes make a big difference.” To find out more, be part of – or at least attend -- the Orange County “Sustainability Summit” on March 9, 2010 .