Two Examples of Business at Work on Earth Day 2011

Earth Day 2011 included some helpful efforts to get business people involved with environmental issues. Women and the Green Economy (WAGE)™ and the New Orleans Green Business Expo stand out due to their efforts to accelerate the growth of the green economy.

WAGE promotes sustainability and solutions to climate change. This group is engaging women leaders in the creation and development of a global green economy by providing new thinking and creative power.

Women constitute more than half of the world’s population and make 85 percent of all consumer choices. Women are also rising to key positions of power and their increasing prominence can help lead the way to a sustainable green economy.

This group enjoys the support of a wide range of leading women including some of the world’s best business women, including: people like Mindy Lubber, President, CERES and Denise Bode, CEO, American Wind Energy Association

WAGE’s goal is to create a policy agenda for Rio+20 and generate relevant national initiatives that will promote the green economy, secure educational and job training opportunities for women and channel green investment to benefit women.

The city of New Orleans distinguished itself by holding an Earth Day Festival that included a green business exposition.

New Orleans’ Earth Day Festival held a service on Palm Sunday honoring victims of the BP oil disaster in the Gulf of Mexico, followed by informative talks on solutions to the spill. The Green Business Expo, highlighted Louisiana businesses working toward a greener future as well as the organizations working to protect coastal heritage and make New Orleans a hub for progressive environmental action.