The Port of San Diego has launched the Green Business Challenge, a year-round competition to reduce emissions and increase efficiency among commercial and office buildings. ICLEI USA will assist the Port of San Diego by providing measurement tools, resources and training.
The Green Port Program is the umbrella program designed to achieve the Port’s environmental sustainability goals.
The Green Business Challenge is funded through a partnership the Port shares with San Diego Gas & Electric.
Participating businesses and commercial tenants will be evaluated over a one-year period through the Green Business Challenge Scorecard, which outlines actions to make participating businesses “greener.” Companies will focus on areas such as outreach, energy conservation, waste reduction, cleaner transportation choices, and property management.
Free training and resources will be provided and tenants will be able to take advantage of energy rebate programs. Participants will also be included in an outreach campaign aimed at promoting the Green Business Challenge .
The effort will “maximize energy efficiency, reduce costs, and help improve the environmental performance of the Port’s commercial operations,” said Mayor Patrick Hays, City of North Little Rock, AR, President and Chair of the Board of Directors, ICLEI USA. “As the only city on the West Coast currently participating in the Green Business Challenge, ICLEI will work closely with the Port of San Diego.”
The Green Business Challenge began in Chicago as The Green Office Challenge. San Diego was selected as a green Business Challenge city back in February 2010.
In October 2010, ICLEI released 81 sustainability goals and 10 guiding principles to help local governments create more sustainable communities.