Conference Planning Meeting

GREEN GOLD DEVELOPMENT CORPORATION

January 31, 2000

Attending:

Susan Attridge, Erie County Department of Environment and Planning

Drew Eszak, Erie County Department of Environment and Planning

Bruce Kohrn, SBK Environmental

Bill Nowak, Staff Manager Council Staff City of Buffalo

Kristy Tocknell, Intern for Bill Nowak

Len Wrona, Hatch Associates

Randi Mail, Intern for Bill Nowak

By phone:

Donna Way, Environmental Business Association

Ira Rubenstein, Environmental Business Association

Summary

Tentatively set to take place during the week April 10^th-14^th, the conference will be a 2-day format. Day one will include plenary sessions in the morning and breakout sessions in the afternoon. Day two will include workshops.

The goals of this conference are:

To further introduce the Green Gold Strategy and the Environmental Business Association to the local business community

To spotlight local Green Businesses

To provide information and resources to help local Green Businesses network and develop

Discussion of date concerns included whether a Friday/Saturday would attract more participants than a Thursday/Friday arrangement, the possible conflict of Easter and Passover, and whether any other events are scheduled for this time period.

The Natural Step, known world-wide as an excellent one-day workshop has the objective of introducing corporate, community, academic, and governmental leaders to TNS principles and supporting participants in applying these consensus derived scientific principles in the operation of their organizations and communities. The Transformation Exercise workshop helps to build relationships between businesses and works as a half-day exercise to get people talking about sustainability and to work through problems.

This conference is aimed at Green Businesses and those businesses that may not yet consider their environmental possibilities. The conference will potentially attract about 100-200 people including local business leaders, municipal officials, and college students. About half a dozen possible conference locations were mentioned to explore.

A list of possible "attractions" to this conference was drawn up. Invites included NY Senate candidates Hillary Clinton and Rudolph Giuliani, Governor George Pataki, the CEO from Ford, a DuPont representative, Amory Lovins, Paul Hawken, Walter Simpson, a Germany Green Party representative, and Ray Anderson. Other conference happenings might include a trade show, break-out sessions with discussion on brownfields, Co-op America, e-commerce (www.sustainablebusiness.com), recent and upcoming regional environmental legislation, the growing international/ national market for environmental solution technology, green building design, and on alternative fuel cars and fleets.

Tasks

The EBA will work on a conference cost estimate for the 2/10/00 meeting.
An email survey will be devised to collect preference information on dates and conference content.
Distribution lists for conference outreach should be brought to the 2/10/00 meeting.