Chamber Offers "Green Certification"

The Kirkwood - Des Peres Area Chamber of Commerce has begun offering "Green Certification". The Working Green committee under the leadership of Laureen Wilder of Laureen Wilder Designs, LLC has developed a point system to qualify local businesses as "green". The cost for certification is $150. "A green team will visit member businesses, cover the certification process, offer steps to take to become more sustainable, and discuss money saving ideas," said Wilder. She added there are additional benefits to becoming qualified, "Certified businesses will be listed in a special section of the Chamber's directory, in the Green section of www.kirkwooddesperes.com , and will receive the right to use the Chamber's certification logo in advertising and on premise to identify the business as green."

The Franciscan Sisters of Our Lady of Perpetual Help have graciously offered to sponsor the Chamber's Green initiative. Check out why these Sisters are called “Franciscans for Earth"

"The Canticle of St. Francis reminds us to be in right relationship with one another and with the earth. The Sisters, along with Franciscans nationally, will work to inform and affect earth issues," said spokesperson and committee member Maurice Lange.

According to www.supergreenme.com the top ten reasons for becoming a green small business include:
Gain a competitive edge - By being attuned to popular concerns and adopting the most current green practices and technologies, you keep your business green. Customers and clients are increasingly aware of their environmental impact and are demanding environmentally sound business practices and goods.

Cut your energy costs -With the cost of oil and gas on the increase, going green by using high-efficiency appliances, using vehicles with good gas-mileage, ensuring adequate insulation in your office building, among other examples, will help decrease the amount of money you spend on energy costs.

Attract the best employees - Good employees are difficult to come by - they demand the best working conditions. Find and retain the best employees by having a solid environmental policy and socially responsible nature, so that they will be proud to work for you.

Save money on goods and reuse or sell by-products - Many of the things you can do to make your business green are not only good for the environment, but also make economic sense. If your business produces goods, you might find that you can sell some of your waste products. Alternately, you might find that you can buy the materials your company needs as the waste products from another company at a fraction of the "new" price.

Build your client base - By getting involved in local green initiatives you gain access to potential clients. Supporting and working on green projects in the neighborhood also lends you credibility with potential clients as they see that you care about the community around you. It's all about social responsibility.

Build your partnerships - Often you will find that green organizations will share some of the objectives and goals of your own business, or need the help of your business. You can partner with green organizations to tackle larger business projects together.

Gain valuable time - When you start enacting green policies, like clustering deliveries so that you only have to make one trip with multiple stops, you save on energy costs as well as the time it would take to make individual deliveries.

Keep fit and healthy - By walking or biking to work and taking the stairs, you'll make the most of your commuting time by automatically building some exercise into your busy day. Staying healthy can be even more important for small business owners depending upon the health coverage plan available.

Build loyalty and a team spirit - By organizing some corporate "social" activities that address local environmental issues, employees working for you get a chance to work together as a team, in a setting outside the business, which can help to build loyalty and a healthy work environment.

Develop your brand - By going green you have the chance to help develop your business brand. This positive association will remind clients about your business when they think about environmental issues.

The Chamber is partnering with Kirkwood Living Green in an effort to make the entire area aware of the benefits of becoming more ecologically friendly.

For more information call Jim the Kirkwood - Des Peres Area Chamber of Commerce at 314-821-4161.