From Harford County government:
The Office of Economic Development is offering assistance to local companies as they work to find ways to reduce costs and create a greener footprint.
The Harford County Office of Economic Development wants to partner with companies in the future to provide them with a forum for new innovations and new technologies as well as offer information on research and finding in this new and developing field.
Therefore, Harford County Government is launching the “Harford County Green Business Network” (HCGBN), which strives to recognize local businesses that demonstrate a commitment to environmental stewardship thorough the promotion of energy efficiency, resource management or sustainability.
HCGBN combines two of the county’s initiatives: Economic Opportunity and Environmental Stewardship, to recognize businesses within Harford County that strive to intertwine sustainability within their business model.
On September 23 County Executive David R. Craig and Jim Richardson, Director of the Office of Economic Development will unveil the HCGBN, as well as ways Harford County businesses can become involved, at the Northern Chesapeake Branch of the U. S.Green Building Council Maryland event.
“It is becoming increasingly common for businesses across all industry sectors to implement environmental sustainability goals; this is especially true in the area of reducing energy use and associated costs,” stated Director Jim Richardson. “In order to address these challenges a public/private partnership is critical,” Richardson remarked.
The Office of Economic Development, in collaboration with the Harford County Government sustainability coordinator developed the HCGBN to be implemented in three phases:
1) Green Business Profile – The Green Business Profile identifies where Harford County businesses are in the “greening” process as well as ideas of where they want to go.
2) Green Business Outreach – The Green Business Outreach program will help educate, encourage and support the implementation and development of green business practices. The program will also serve as a Green Business networking opportunity.
3) Green Office Challenge – The Green Office Challenge is a free annual competition among businesses to encourage the initiation as well as continuation of “greening” their buildings and/or business practices. Harford County Government will partner with ICLEI – Local Government for Sustainability to design the challenge.
.For more information about the HCGBN, visit the Office of Economic Development website at wwwharfordbusiness.org.
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