FACT OF THE WEEK | For every ton of paper used for recycling the savings are: at least 30,000 liters of water; 3000 – 4000 KWh electricity (enough for an average 3 bedroom house for one year); 95% of air pollution (wasteonline.org).

ABOUT

The Illinois Green Business Association (IGBA) is a 501c3 tax-exempt non-profit organization that assists businesses in reducing their ecological foot-print by attaining green certification.  IGBA staff provides three distinct services:  green business certification, personalized business services, and public education.

Our mission is to educate business owners, their employees, and community members about sustainable practice, preserving buildings and equipment for efficiency and longevity, and providing public safety by training owners and employees in efficient, cleaner, and greener practice.

IGBA trains a person to be literate in implementing green management practices which culminates in a certificate of achievement for their business. IGBA asses a business’ current environmental performance and guide them towards understanding green management practices for their business’ operations and employee practices. IGBA utilize applicable incentive packages and educational resources to train employees and managers. Through certified business leadership, IGBA promotes and markets successful efforts to the community to build a culture of sustainability, increase sustainability education, and encourage responsible consumerism in counties throughout Illinois.

Future Goals

Currently, the IGBA is wrapping up its pilot phase in Champaign-Urbana with thirteen local businesses, eight of which are certified green businesses.  We have expanded into the McLean County area with four businesses in Bloomington-Normal going through the certification process currently. As we’ve been moving out of the pilot phase, IGBA has set the following goals:

  • Expand into all communities in Illinois: IGBA connects with each individual community to find local certification resources to engage local community members, governments, organizations, and educational entities in the program and its mission.
  • Create an on-line self-certification component: IGBA looks to provide a secure place, through our website, for all interested businesses to manage, apply, and find resources to become an Illinois green certified business.
  • Create a network of green businesses throughout the state of Illinois: IGBA wants to connect businesses throughout the state to share financial opportunities, success stories, latest technology news, and information about the best green management practices for Illinois businesses.
  • Expand IGBA’s checklist to new industries: Currently, the IGBA has certifications for the Retail/Office and Restaurant/Cafe Industries. IGBA is currently developing an automotive and dentistry checklist with industry businesses, but looks to expand to hotel, entertainment, and other certifications.

It is our intent that our unique partnerships with the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign and Busey Bank as well as a high level of engagement with the Champaign-Urbana community will become a model for other college communities within Illinois. IGBA looks to help establish constructive relationships between private businesses and public agencies in all Illinois communities so that both can reach their shared goal of community sustainability.

 
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