CITY OF BOSTON , MASSACHUSETTS

Office of the Mayor

Thomas M. Menino

PRESS RELEASE

 

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE                                                              

April 23, 2008                                                                                                             

Mayor Menino Launches

Sustainable Business Leader Program

Accepts $50,000 Grant from State DEP, Urges Businesses to Join Program            

Furthering Boston ’s green efforts, Mayor Thomas M. Menino today launched the Sustainable Business Leader (SBL) program with the acceptance of a $50,000 grant from the State Department of Environmental Protection.  The program will recruit up to 25 small to mid-sized businesses to help them adopt a range of sustainability strategies that will reduce their environmental impact.  Specifically, the program will help businesses reduce their energy use, conserve water, reduce solid waste, and incentivize other positive environmental changes.  The program is managed and co-funded in part by the Boston Redevelopment Authority in partnership with the Sustainable Business Network, the local affiliate of the Business Alliance for Local Living Economies.

“Businesses have a significant environmental impact on our city.  By reducing that impact, they can reduce their expenses, reduce municipal expenses, improve employee working conditions, and improve their marketability,” Mayor Menino said.  “It doesn’t matter if you’re just starting out or if you’ve been energy efficient for years.  We all can do more to make Boston more sustainable.”

Mayor Menino added, “I’m happy to announce that three businesses have already signed up.  I want to thank Roxbury Technology, City Fresh Foods and Ula Café for working with us.  Our goal is to recruit 25 businesses, so I am encouraging all our small businesses to apply!”

The SBL program is open to all small to mid-sized businesses that are interested in making their company green – whether it be companies that want to start incorporating green efforts or those that want to deepen their commitment and improve on the things that they may already be doing.  The program will help evaluate the businesses’ current sustainability efforts and provide technical assistance to help them become more sustainable – including facilitating free energy audits and energy efficiency retrofits with the utilities and renewable energy installation evaluation.  Project staff will work closely with business owners to help them implement a sustainability action plan.  At end of program, participants will be designated ‘sustainable business leaders.’  The lessons learned will be shared with the broader small business community to help all Boston business owners reduce their carbon footprint, become more sustainable, and improve their bottom line. 

“Small businesses are the foundation of our economy.  And strong local businesses make strong neighborhoods.  That’s why our business managers are continually working with Boston ’s small to mid-sized businesses as their point of entry to city hall and city services,” said John F. Palmieri, BRA Director.  “I’m proud that today we can now assist these businesses in a way that also helps the environment and their bottom line.”

For more information, or to participate in the program, businesses should contact the BRA’s Green Tech Business Manager, Galen Nelson, at 617.918.4447 or via email at galen.nelson.bra@cityofboston.gov or visit the program’s web site at:   http://www.sustainablebusinessleader.org/index.htm

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