The Green Recovery: Book Review

Andrew Winston, author of Green to Gold, has a new book out called the Green Recovery. In his new book he offers a case for why businesses should use this ‘recession’ time to create a green strategy. He cites a number of success stories from Fortune 500 companies such as Wal-Mart, Disney, Microsoft, Toyota and others. The book is short and easy to read. Great book for managers and business owners who haven’t yet started a green and sustainability strategy. Here are a few of Andrew’s recommendations cited in his book:

  1. Start with the cheapest option and encourage behavior change from employees such as turning off lights and computers and reducing waste in the office.
  2. Automate when possible. If the behavior change is too difficult or cumbersome, automate the process such as with light sensors.
  3. Don’t reinvent the wheel.  Review what other companies and competitors are doing. Go to Share Green for a free list of best practices.
  4. Provide data to employees. Tracking and sharing data to employees has proven to have strong affect.
  5. Be Innovative. The companies that move to solve the world’s problems will be prepared for the future.
  6. Engage your employees. Give employees a base of knowledge on environmental issues and their implications for the business and their personal life.

Attend CORE Sustainability Opportunity Summit- Denver, CO March 3-4, 2010

CORE, the oldest and largest trade association in the Rocky Mountain region dedicated to promoting sustainable business practices and a more responsible global economy, announces that best-selling authors Andrew Winston of Green to Gold and Peter Fusaro of What Went Wrong at Enron will address plenary sessions of the fifth annual Sustainable Opportunities Summit and Expo March 2-4, 2010 at the Denver Convention Center. Top executives from Wal-Mart, AT&T, Waste Management and Miller Coors will also address topics on how sustainable business practices are improving business performance while benefiting the planet.

The 2010 Sustainable Opportunities Summit and Expo features 19 panel sessions and 70 speakers. The Expo opens to the general public on March 2 with over 100 exhibitors featuring the Rocky Mountain cleantech industry. Denver Mayor John Hickenlooper will provide opening Summit remarks on “Denver, Gateway to Regional Sustainability” on Wednesday, March 3. Colorado Governor Bill Ritter will open Summit activities on March 4th.

The City of Denver will join CORE and the Deming Center for Entrepreneurship at the Leeds School of Business, University of Colorado in co-hosting the Sustainable Opportunities Summit and Expo. The Summit brings together business leaders, investors and luminaries in academia and government to exchange ideas and demonstrate the competitive advantages available through a strategy based on proactive sustainable business practices.