EcoTuesday, the sustainable business leaders networking forum, is celebrating it’s two-year anniversary this Tuesday, Feb. 24^th at the Sir Francis Drake Hotel in San Francisco. The featured speaker is Dave Rochlin, CEO of Climate Path and former COO of TransFair USA. Climate Path is applying transparency principles to carbon markets.

From it’s start in San Francisco in 2007, EcoTuesday has grown to a multi-city network of convenings, now including Detroit, Los Angeles, Minneapolis, Seattle, Silicon Valley, and Washington DC.

Growth formula:

Unique format + thought leaders + passion

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Take Green Drinks, for example.  Green Drinks is a social networking group that brings folks who enjoy a good adult beverage while talking about saving the planet together for a happy hour of sorts, except, with a theme.  The evolution of Green Drinks, which now has chapters in over 40 countries, and almost a thousand cities, has brought it to the forefront of socializing and networking for the green community.  Local organizers have begun to solicit donations from the community in exchange for being a ’sponsor’ of the event, and the items are then raffled off, giving promotion to the companies who donate as well as proceeds to the event.  EcoTuesday, a growing social group that now has events in 7 cities, charges $10 if you RSVP, and $20 at the door if you don’t.  It offers a simple format,

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On the prowl for an eco-job? Looking to make sparks fly with an eligible green god or goddess? Recruiting for a conservation project in the community? Simply looking to connect and converse with like-minded folk? If you responded “yes” to any of the above queries, attending a green networking event may be the solution.

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Although this answer is an over-simplification, I’ll recommend to you: Personal Contact.

A few days ago, a venture capitalist told me that he, with the other three partners in his firm, look at 1100 companies a year. These people have a lot of other things to do as well, such as attending board meetings of portfolio companies, conducting detailed due diligence for the few firms they choose to seriously consider for investment, speaking on panels at conferences, etc.

If you send an email to someone who gets hundreds of emails a day, you really need to stand out. Ideally, your subject line would say, “Referral from X.”

Making it Personal

Keep in mind that investors in early-staged companies are investing in people. Before it is really up and running, a Company doesn’t have much value. Ideas are a dime a dozen.

The value is built by executing on a vision and creating a brand, a customer base, a strong team, revenue streams, etc. It is as important to be seen as a trustworthy, capable person as it is to have your business idea be judged as sound.

You’ll have a higher rate of responses from potential investors, if you make use of introductions.

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Well, possibly.  No one yet knows what role quality sleep plays in one’s life, or whether one could die from sleep deprivation.

But if it weren’t for the Couchsurfing.com network, I would be–more or less–homeless.

Since I gleefully waved goodbye to my soggy, moldy tent in mid-July, I’ve been faced with the dilemma of… well, now where do I sleep?  For a week or so, I was wearing out my welcome at my friend’s houses and at my boyfriend’s place (whose sleep schedule is around 5 hours off of mine).  Realizing that this was causing inordinate stress, both on me and on the parties involved, I knew I had to find a semi-permanent solution.

With no cash and no lease, where would I stay?  Enter: Couchsurfing.

When I first heard about CouchSurfing, I had the same instant, emotional reaction I had when I heard about Free Ride: the oh, this is way too cool to be true! feeling.  Of course, as with the other projects that I have blissfully filled my life with, it was true… and so cool I felt compelled to participate.

CouchSurfing is a website that connects travellers who need shelter for a brief stay, with hosts who wish to welcome them.  It is rare that someone will CouchSurf within their own city–yet that was exactly my situation after my grimy tent became more like a prison sentence than a home.  

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One of my favorite things about using the internet to promote my business is that it’s green and inexpensive (if not free). So online marketing and social networking is a great way to get your name out there without using any paper or creating any trash. A good way to start your foray into the world of online marketing is to first establish a web site for your business. This will often be your potential customers’ first impression of your company, so it will be an important investment in both time and money. Once you have a web site, networking through social media sites is a great way to promote it and drive traffic to your site. Online marketing is a strategy that’s becoming more and more popular among entrepreneurs, and thankfully it is one with minimal impact on the planet.

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After looking forward to it for several months, the Opportunity Green Conference is now just around the corner. To be held November 17 at UCLA, the conference’s organizers are asking a question that seems to be on everyone’s lips: “Is green the new gold?”

The conference will bring together those involved in all aspects of green business, from visionaries and entrepreneurs to executives and investors, all of whom are dedicated to building socially conscious, sustainable, and profitable enterprises.

Organizers have put together an impressive list of speakers, all well-known in the socially-conscious world of business, including

• Kevin Wall, Founder of Live Earth
• Jonathan Greenblatt, Co-founder of Ethos Water
• Josh Dorfman, Author/Producer of “The Lazy Environmentalist”
• Max Schorr, Publisher and Founding Editor of GOOD Magazine
• Graham Hill, Founder of TreeHugger.com
• Gunther Lie, Director of Interactive Media for Method Products
• Ellen Strickland, Founder/Owner of Livingreen

The agenda features a panel discussion entitled, “Real World Green Business: Challenges, Mistakes and Opportunities” moderated by sustainability consultant and visionary John Picard. In addition, the schedule provides many options for break-out sessions, including Green 2.0: Connecting to Our Community, The End of Cars: The Future of Mobility as We Know It, and Venture Capital in the Green Marketplace.

There are also significant opportunities for networking, most notably before the event even starts. Through EventVue, registrants receive a login that allows you to upload a short bio, picture, etc. Once in, you can see who else will be at the event, including their areas of expertise and what they are “seeking”. A bit like a personal ad, but perfect for networking – you can even contact other registrants through the system before the event.

With more than 500 expected to attend, this conference is certain to help business people learn how to make gold from their green.

The event features guest speaker Gillian Christie. As founder and CEO of Christie Communications, a communications and public relations firm, Christie works to promote the products and services of ethical companies. She will discuss her perspective on environmental messaging and the opportunities and challenges of differentiating green products in an increasingly crowded market. Christie will also share examples from Sri Lanka and Sudan, detailing how her company gives back in its global quest to promote sustainability and human rights.

Though Net Impact is one of the sponsors, you don’t need to be a member to attend. Both professionals and students are welcome, though there is a fee for entry ($25 for professionals, $20 for students). Dues-paying professional and student members receive discounts ($22 for professionals, $17 for students). Drinks and light snacks will be served.

In case you’re not familiar with Net Impact, it is a nonprofit organization whose mission is “to make a positive impact on society by growing and strengthening a community of new leaders who use business to improve the world.” With more than 10,000 members, the organization spans five continents. Members include leaders in CSR, social entrepreneurship, nonprofit management, international development, and environmental sustainability.

At the event, co-sponsor SustainLane will officially launch the Los Angeles version of its online, community-powered directory of green businesses and products. On the site, you can find and review eco-friendly resources, recommending your favorites to others.

In addition to the directory, the site offers some cool extras. Check out The Unsustainables, an original animated series featuring a family that “stumbles toward the future in an attempt to live green.” Also, you can see where your city ranks in sustainability, thanks to SustainLane’s US City Rankings. Angelenos, we’ve come in at a dismal #25 – we have some work to do to catch up to #1 Portland, OR.

The event is to be held at epOxybOx, an art gallery in Venice that features artists who work with recycled, reclaimed and renewed materials. I’ve been hearing about epOxybOx a lot lately, so I’m excited to check out the space. The event begins at 7pm, and since food and drinks will be served, it seems like a great way to start the evening before heading over to the Green Drinks in Culver City.

A whole night of green – I love it!

That’s why the monthly Green Business Networking event in Santa Monica is such a great place for the shy among us to break out of our shells and meet like-minded people.

Designed to serve the Los Angeles area’s ever-growing green business community, GBN provides a forum for connecting the owners and decision-makers of socially- and environmentally-conscious businesses. Like another well-known event, Green Drinks, GBN attracts a wide variety of people from a range of industries. At recent events I’ve met people from almost every industry imaginable, including real estate, entertainment, advertising/marketing, energy, printing, hospitality, event planning…the list goes on and on, which always makes me wonder who I might meet next.

Having recently celebrated its one-year anniversary, GBN meets the second Tuesday of every month (this month’s GBN falls on May 8th) from 6-9pm. The event is hosted by several local business people who are active in the green business world in industries ranging from organic food to socially responsible investing. The hosts themselves are fun to talk to, and they also go out of their way to help connect people and make everyone feel comfortable – signs of expert networkers!

Of course, it’s easy to feel comfortable at the Ambrose Hotel, where GBN is held. As Santa Monica's only award-winning, sustainable hotel, it is a fitting locale for the green community. And though there is a $10 entry fee for the event, it gains you access to the wine bar, which features tasty organic wine along with organic snacks and non-alcoholic beverages. Maybe networking isn’t so hard after all.

For more information, email greenbusinessnetworking@gmail.com.

To address these two conflicting issues, UCLA’s Sustainable Resource Center is hosting a panel discussion, “China’s Urban Sustainability Challenges”, on Wednesday, May 2nd. The event features four speakers who will discuss the difficulties of reconciling China’s tremendous growth with the protection of health, environment, and quality of life. They will also focus on the role of the U.S. and the rest of the world in this crisis. The speakers include:

• Woodrow Clark, Senior Foreign Energy Advisor from the Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region, PRC
• Todd Maurer, Managing Director, Sinica Advisors, LLC
• Perry Wong, Senior Economist, Milken Institute, and
• Michael Woo, LA City Planning Commissioner and Professor of Urban Planning

The Sustainable Resource Center, housed on the UCLA campus, was established “to promote sustainability through facilitating the provision of resources, information, and education to the graduate student body, campus and community.” The Center focuses on building connections and collaboration between business, government, and nonprofit sectors. Services include a library, online resource site, educational events, and career services.

The panel discussion will be held at the UCLA Anderson School of Management in Korn Hall at 7:30pm. The session is free and open to the public, though an RSVP is required. Coffee and desserts from Organic to Go will be provided after the panel.

If the thought of a cross-town commute from the Valley has stopped you from checking out a Los Angeles area Green Drinks event, April 26th is your lucky day! This Thursday marks the inaugural LA Green Drinks, Valley Edition at The Sapphire in Studio City.

For those of you unfamiliar with Green Drinks International, it’s described as an “organic, self-organized network” of people interested in environmental issues. The organization now sports groups in 26 countries, including 215 locations across the US. This newest Los Angeles location completes the monthly circuit of Green Drinks held each Thursday of the month. The other locations include Culver City (1st Thursday), Hermosa Beach (2nd Thursday), and Silverlake (3rd Thursday).

In my own experience, Green Drinks events are a great way to meet like-minded people in a relaxing, casual atmosphere. The events draw from a cross-section of the green community, including people from all areas of business and non-profits, environmentalists, and even some folks just looking for good conversation and a stiff drink.

The benefits of attending Green Drinks are as varied as the people. On April 5th at the Culver City event, I met the new owner of Whole Life Times magazine and received a free subscription, reunited with a copywriter friend, and made three new business contacts. Plus, I got to do all of this with a cocktail in my hand. What more could you ask for?

Cleveland, Ohio doesn't get a lot of respect. It's been the butt of countless jokes, an environmental scapegoat, the "City whose river caught on fire," and a symbol for the declining cities of the "Rust Belt" of the American midwest.

But that doesn't mean that there isn't a green heart in the Cleveland area. Even a city in the middle of the rust belt can be a center for "Think Globally - Act Locally." In fact, I've recently found that the Cleveland area has a vibrant local/regional blog at Green City Blue Lake, covering the local and regional scene from a green perspective. GCBL arose out of an earlier site called EcoCity Cleveland, which remains online as an archive with a wealth of information still available in its pages, but is no longer actively supported.

Recent content on the Green City Blue Lake site ranges from articles about alternative energy policy to articles about local wildlife to a recent decision by county commissioners to demolish an existing landmark office tower rather than rehabilitating it.

It's an excellent example of a regional interest blog. GCBL aims to be a hub for sustainability with a broad list of objectives including creating a regional agenda for sustainability, focusing on "11 areas of practice – water, energy, economy and sustainable business, regional food systems, land and conservation, transportation, green building and neighborhood development, health, arts, education, and spirit." The site also seeks to "Promote a positive GreenCityBlueLake identity for Cleveland and the region — a new image that will make the outside world see us differently and will make us break out of our tired, Rust-Belt mindsets and imagine new futures."

Even though the preceeding EcoCity Cleveland site, which led to GCBL, is no longer actively being updated, it still also contains a wealth of good information. Some of it is local, but much of it is widely applicable, and it is another resource that ought to be bookmarked.

The only thing I could think of to ask for is a link to other, similar regional blogs (such as one closer to my own community) or a clearinghouse site that could direct people to appropriately local blogs for their particular regional interests. I'm not aware of anything of its kind in my area, but I'm going to start looking. I'd also be very interested in gathering a list of regional interest blogs (post 'em in the comments below, if you like). Some of this might be less interesting to you if you don't live in Cleveland, or if you don't live in a region that is similar to the Cleveland area. But even if you are in a completely different part of the country (or outside the US entirely), I think this is still a good example to look at to see how a regional blog might be organized.

Let's see if a network of these sites can be organized. Rather than coming from a top-down organization, if local, regional blogs like this include links to other blogs with a similar approach, the connections will grow and it will be possible to find regional information on sustainability across the country.

Help the environment by going out, making friends, and having a few drinks. More specifically, Green Drinks. Green Drinks International is a loosely organized network of cities across the USA and the world that hold monthly get-togethers of, well, people who care about the environment and beer.

Meeting like-minded people is one of the easiest ways to be green. By simply getting together and starting a conversation, you may find something that you weren't expecting. As their website states, "These events are very simple and unstructured, but many people have found employment, made friends, developed new ideas, done deals and had moments of serendipity."

Find a Green Drinks in your city and meet some local like-minded people. If there isn't a Green Drinks near you, start one! Who knows, you just might have fun.

Rebecca says: I can think of things a lot more boring than knocking back a beer and making some new friends & contacts. My local chapter even buys the first beer!

Green Drinks International