This week I attended the U.S. Green Building Council’s GreenBuild event in Boston.  From the looks of it, the industry has stepped into the 2.0 stage.  Like last year’s event in Chicago, the more the merrier.  This is the green building industry on steroids.  It’s truly amazing.  More than 25,000 folks amped up on green and you would never know the real estate market and the economy are sucking wind.  However, there was still much optimism among the 2,000 vendors and moving forward, most industry reps I spoke with do believe that the movement stage is over and that green building concepts and protocols have become a way of life and standard operating procedure.  These thoughts were based on the need to lower costs while creating higher value for customers and the need to eliminate waste in this new economy.

There were several Connecticut based companies that were exhibiting at the event and playing a role in this new economy.  United Technologies had a strong presence once again showcasing Carrier, Otis and UTC Power eco-friendly products. Other Connecticut firms exhibiting included:

• LATICRETE International based in Bethany, a manufacturer and marketer of installation systems for ceramic tile and stone used in residential, commercial and industrial applications.
• Green Grid’s Northeast Division with offices in Glastonbury, a modular green roof system which is composed of a series of preplanted modules made of recycled plastics that can easily be placed directly on a roof or other structure with sufficient structural capacity.
• Tambient of West Haven, a manufacturer of furniture mounted lighting products for the workplace. Their energy conscious designs improve visual comfort and create a balanced luminous environment in which to work.
• Oakleaf Waste Management of East Hartford and 750 employees strong, has a nationwide network of 5,500 certified haulers, recyling and waste diversion experts providing service and solutions to the most progressive and environmentally minded companies in North America.

One other Connecticut connected story was a feature on display outside the event.  When attendees arrived at the Boston Convention and Exhibition Center they were greeted by a Frog Zero smart building classroom designed by Project FROG (Flexible Response to Ongoing Growth) based in San Francisco.  The pre-manufactured building featured 75 percent energy-demand reduction, abundant natural light and glare control, superior air quality, microclimate customization and advanced climate controls in an easy to configure package. Constructed of renewable or recyclable materials, the FROG Zero generates more energy within its footprint than is required to operate its systems.  The connection to Connecticut for Project FROG was that on Wednesday, the Watkinson School in West Hartford announced that Project FROG’s buildings will be used at its new Center for Science and Global Citizenship.

On Wednesday evening, GREENGUARD®  hosted a reception which was also co-sponsored by Laticrete, a GREENGUARD certified manufacturer. The crowd was fired up and was riding the conference momentum. Great tunes and dancing, three hour open bar and food.  Lots of green love. Late night, I had the pleasure of meeting Sheryl and Sheri of Centerbrook Architects and Planners which is based in Cernterbrook. We had a lovely conversation about green stuff.  You’d think with all the positive vibes, what down economy; we got good green stuff to look forward to.  One can only hope.

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One of the few bright spots in this blue economy is investments in green technologies is still taking place.  According to The Cleantech Group™ , which monitors cleantech investment globally, the third quarter of 2008 saw cleantech venture investments in North America, Europe, China and India total $2.6 billion across 158 companies, an all-time record quarter. The previous record quarter was 2Q08, which saw $2.2 billion in cleantech venture investments.   Innovation is still the little engine that could.

Next Wednesday at the Norwalk Maritime Aquarium, two Connecticut green tech rock star companies will be featured at a program being hosted by the Fairfield County Public Relations Association (FCPRA).  Jeff Marshall, President & CEO of Green Earth Technologies and John Walsh, Senior Director, Strategic Development of Clean Diesel Technologies, which are both headquartered in Stamford, will participate on panel that will also include the Jennifer E. Herring, President & CEO of the Aquarium.  The program announcement indicated that there might be more speakers.

In the past, this Web site has reported on news items of both of these companies and the discussion should be engaging.  In fact, the site acknowledged earlier this year that Green Earth Technologies, which manufactures eco-friendly products for the automotive and marine industries, household cleaning solutions and lawn & garden chemicals, had been featured on the TV hit crime show CSI.  How cool is that?  And Clean Diesel was recently named one of the fastest growing firms in Connecticut by the CT Technology Council.

There is a fee for the event but I think it’s worth it. Hearing about these companies and how they are doing in this funky economy and what these green knowledge leaders see for the future should be very interesting.  Unfortunately, I won’t be able to attend - I’m up in Boston at the U.S. Green Building Council’s GreenBuild event but I would go in a heartbeat.  Please note that lunch is included in the price.  To register, visit FCPRA’s Web site.

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As the state is faced with a budget shortfall, government will have to do more with less and develop strategies that promote better cooperation and communications between different stakeholders.  These actions will help maintain a little momentum in a down economy. Last week, Connecticut Department of Environmental Protection (DEP) Commissioner Gina McCarthy did just that and held the first Hazardous Waste Advisory Committee meeting.  The goal of the group is to help the agency develop a new strategy on improving the management and process of regulated waste. The following is from Auggie V’s colleagues at Green Energy and Development Law blog who attended the meeting.

Connecticut DEP Announces “Top Ten” List Of Hazardous Waste Violations
By Green Energy and Development Law blog
Brad Mondschein and Lee Hoffman, Pullman & Comley

The Connecticut Department of Environmental Protection held its inaugural meeting of its RCRA Hazardous Waste Advisory Committee on Thursday, November 6, 2008 (Lee Hoffman is a member of the Committee). The DEP has formed this committee of stakeholders “to engage in open dialogue and information sharing with the agency and help to implement recommendations to improve the hazardous waste management program moving forward.” Over seventy people were on hand for the meeting.

DEP Commissioner Gina McCarthy kicked off the event by citing the success of other advisory committees used by the DEP, and a recognition that given anticipated budget constraints, the DEP’s hazardous waste group will be expected to do “more with less.” As a result, McCarthy announced that the advisory committee would be part of “a redesign of how the agency does its business.”

As part of this redesign, McCarthy announced that greater responsibility will be placed on the regulated community to ensure hazardous waste compliance, which will allow DEP personnel to focus more on education and compliance assistance. McCarthy said that the DEP will accomplish this in part by seeking larger penalties for those entities that violate hazardous waste regulations. McCarthy also stated that the DEP is investigating a way to provide better rewards for those entities that are in compliance with regulations.

After McCarthy’s remarks, Ross Bunnell of the DEP listed the top ten RCRA violations encountered by DEP, based on recent citations and notices of violation. Those top ten violations, based on frequency of violations, were as follows:

1. Lack of proper inspections or inspection documentation.

2. Lack of proper training for personnel.

3. Improper emergency preparation and response.

4. (tie) Improper container management.

4. (tie) Improper marking or dating of containers.

6. Improper hazardous waste determinations.

7. Used oil violations.

8. Universal waste violations.

9. Improper closure and/or financial assurance materials.

10. Violations of transportation requirements.

The advisory committee should provide the regulated community with a valuable resource for regulatory updates and a forum for discussion with regulators. Should you desire more information regarding DEP’s hazardous waste programs, or the Hazardous Waste Advisory Committee, please contact Lee Hoffman at lhoffman@pullcom.com or 860-424-4315.

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By now, those of you who know me and read this blog regularly know that I am passionate about Philadelphia sports.  I had a wonderful childhood growing up just outside the town where during the late 70s and early 80s we were known as the City of Champions.  Then I left for Hartford and had to watch from afar with all these nasty Giant, Patriot, Met, Red Sox, Yankee, Celtics fans claiming how wonderful their teams are and where’s Philly.  This place is way conflicted when it comes to sports loyalty.  But I suffered through it all with the worst being watching the Eagles lose to the Patriots in the Super Bowl.  Not anymore.  We win.  But during all the mayhem of being crowned World Series Champs, I’ll bet you didn’t know that the Phillies last week were also named a champion off the field by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA).

The EPA co-sponsors the Green Power Leadership Awards in conjunction with the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) and the Center for Resource Solutions. The awards serve to recognize the leading voluntary actions of organizations, programs, and individuals that significantly advance the development of green power sources.  According to the EPA’s Web site, the Phillies were one of nine organizations sighted for their green power purchases.  The club invested in renewable energy certificates (RECs) from wind and biomass resources at a tune of 20 million kilowatt-hours annually, which is enough to power 100 percent of the annual electricity use for Citizens Bank Park. Other organizations in this category include ING, PepsiCo., Inc., The Estée Lauder Companies, Inc. and the U.S. Air Force.

In early April when this memorable season started, the Fighten launched Red Goes Green which was their overall green initiative which includes recycling programs, water use, and community enhancement programs.  It is a known fact that one of the outcomes associated with incorporating best green business practices into an organization’s DNA is an increase in worker productivity.  I can think of no better example now then your 2008 World Champion Philadelphia Phillies.  You can bet I will be adding this to my speeches for the next month to emphasize this point - though I should be cautious not to jinx the Phils, the Mets new CitiBank Ballpark which is scheduled to open next season will be pretty green.

One last point.  Now that it is officially football season and not to be outdone, the Philadelphia Eagles who play this afternoon at 4 pm, are one of the greenest NFL teams and its not based on the uniform color.  According to team’s web site, as part of the Go Green initiative, the team uses solar energy at its NovaCare Complex and fans can offset their emissions to the games by contributing to the Eagles Forest located in Neshaminy State Park in Bensalem, PA.  This is right in their back yard and not half way around the world.  If the green thing worked for the Phillies, maybe it will work for the Eagles.  Go Birds.

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Connecticut usually ranks pretty high when it comes to our green attributes and initiatives.  The state has achieved national recognition for its green initiatives in the area of energy efficiency and innovation.  But when it comes to promoting green tourism and travel on the state’s Web site, the state has no green message.  And we know that’s not true.

According to a report posted on triphow.com’s blog, which ranked states tourism Web sites for their green content or there lack of, Connecticut finished tied for 50th place.  Not all is lost, 9 other states finished in 50th place and if you must know, West Virginia finished alone in 17th place.  The ranking put Connecticut in the category of  “…the next 10 sites from 38 to 47 are all ranked second-last at 50 because they have zero information and provide no links or any help whatsoever for eco-friendly tourists.

Triphow.com used the following criteria to determine their findings: Whether the sites had a separate green page. Whether the information provided was of any practical use or not, as in whether they have business listings which include green hotels, organic restaurants, and trip planning tools with suggestions for eco friendly activities and attractions, etc. C) Whether the site had scope for improvement based on existing information and interest shown.   Here is the complete ranking:

1. Virginia - www.virginia.org/
2. California - www.visitcalifornia.com/
3. Colorado - www.colorado.com/
4. Maine - www.visitmaine.com/

5. Florida - www.visitflorida.com/
6. Hawaii - www.gohawaii.com/
7. Washington DC - www.washington.org/

8. Vermont - www.travel-vermont.com/
9. Wisconsin - www.travelwisconsin.com/

10. Missouri - www.visitmo.com/

11. Rhode Island - www.visitrhodeisland.com/
12. Ohio - www.discoverohio.com/
13. Nebraska - www.visitnebraska.org/
14. Alaska - www.travelalaska.com/
15. New Hampshire - www.visitnh.gov/
16. Iowa - www.traveliowa.com/
17. West Virginia - www.wvtourism.com/
18. Oregon - www.traveloregon.com/

19. North Carolina - www.visitnc.com/
20. New York - www.iloveny.com/
21. Michigan - www.michigan.org/
22. New Mexico - www.newmexico.org/
23. Wyoming - www.wyomingtourism.org/
24. Utah - www.utah.com/
25. South Dakota - www.travelsd.com/
26. Montana - www.visitmt.com/
27. Illinois - www.enjoyillinois.com/
28. Mississippi - www.visitmississippi.org/
29. Arizona - www.arizonaguide.com/
30. Idaho - www.visitidaho.org/
31. Minnesota - www.exploreminnesota.com/
32. Nevada - www.travelnevada.com/
33. Oklahoma - www.travelok.com/
34. Washington - www.experiencewa.com/
35. Massachusetts - www.massvacation.com/
36. North Dakota - www.ndtourism.com/
37. South Carolina - www.discoversouthcarolina.com/

50. Arkansas - www.arkansas.com/
50. Connecticut - www.ctvisit.com/
50. Delaware - www.visitdelaware.com/
50. Georgia - www.exploregeorgia.org/
50. Kansas - www.travelks.com/
50. Kentucky - www.kentuckytourism.com/
50. Maryland - www.mdisfun.org/
50. New Jersey - www.nj.gov/travel/
50. Pennsylvania - www.visitpa.com/
50. Texas - www.traveltex.com/

51. Alabama - www.alabama.travel/
51. Indiana - www.in.gov/visitindiana/
51. Louisiana - www.louisianatravel.com/
51. Tennessee - www.tnvacation.com/

I did visit the Connecticut Tourism and Culture site and the ranking is right on.  Nothing there to speak of.  And it’s a shame.  The state has several great eco-friendly tourist attractions such as the Mohegan Sun casino which is powered by two UTC Power fuel cells and has an extensive recycling program or the Saybrook Point Inn which is Energy Star rated, has a DEP Certified Green Marina and has just installed a huge solar array.  The folks at triphow.com do mention that most of the states probably have a great inventory of green travel content to populate their sites with; it’s just that some tell their eco-tourism story better than others.

To find out more about the study, visit triphow.com.

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Because I’m a green business blogger, I always find myself looking for a new green story.  And I will admit that I am hyper sensitive to the word green and I also think it is a tad over played.  But still, the moment I see the word green I am instantly drawn in whether it’s in the heading of a news story or in an advertisement.  Sometimes what I find out is the news or advertisement has substance and other times I am left a little lost. 

This past Friday I found myself in New York City visiting with friends and family.  I was having a beverage with a few friends at a small sidewalk café around West 12th Street and 5th Ave when a bus rolled by and it had a big ad on the side that said “This is a WiCKED green bus.”  It caught my attention so I took a not-so-good picture with my phone.  I thought it was cool and I figured it had something to do with the play Wicked which is currently showing on Broadway and has a bunch of green colored witches in it and the NYC Transit Authority touting its green busses, in turn sucking up a little to Mayor Bloomberg and his green initiatives.  Later on that night, I also saw a taxi version of the same slogan.

So I decided to blog about the ad campaign and I began my research by Googling the play and the MTA and it gave me nothing.  I went to both their home pages and found nothing.  I also searched phrases and other typical news outlets.  They all came up dry.  I found nothing after searching for an hour.  So I would assume that a lot of money was spent on that message and I can’t figure out what it means.  Is the play green and the bus green too?  Or is the play’s theme green just complementing the MTA’s green message? I think that it is great that the arts can partner with the NYC Metropolitan Transit Authority (MTA) to promote culture and technology but I’m not certain that’s what they are doing. A Web site address on the ad would have helped and given the campaign a little transparency.

Anybody know more about this ad campaign?  I welcome comments.

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