An organization known as California Green Business Network is working with officials in San Luis Obispo County to promote green practices for local business. Through a certification process, businesses can take a close look at what they can do to make their business more sustainable.
Josephine Fleming, the executive director for California Green Business Network, says SLO County was one of the beneficiaries to start the program this year.
“(It) helps businesses offer free technical assistance so that they can green their operations and stay and conserve energy, water, recycling, prevent pollution,” Fleming said.
Cory Jones, the program director for SLO County Green Business, will be working with businesses who want to follow suit.
“So, what I’m there to do is to help walk them through the process and make sure that the transition is as easy as possible and as cheap as possible by connecting them to rebates and different resources,” Jones said.
He says the program is already in 30 cities and municipalities throughout the state and has now migrated to the Central Coast after the county was awarded a grant.
“A lot of businesses have the concept or the ideals to be a really green business, but once they actually go through our certification software they realize there’s a lot of subtle things that they’re missing and that they’re willing to do,” Jones said.
Through these conservation efforts, there’s an opportunity for businesses to save money. Jones says any local business can apply to go through the certification program but the main focus right now is on small to medium businesses. Plus, the program is free.
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