December 16, 2009, Montgomery County Executive Isiah Leggett recognized the first 11 businesses and organizations to be certified under the County’s new Green Business Certification Program that recognizes voluntary efforts to protect, preserve, and improve the environment. 

Businesses in Montgomery County, Maryland can now receive a certification for going green.

Recycling and energy reduction are two of the criteria. Water conservation and carbon footprint reduction are the others.

The new certification program will put Montgomery County at the forefront of environmental protection, according to county executive Isiah Leggett. Classes are offered at Montgomery College to show businesses how to make the changes needed to achieve the certification.

To listen to the entire spots, click here and here.

National organizations such as the U.S. Green Building Council are not the only ones with a certification system for businesses' environmental initiatives.

Eleven Montgomery County businesses and organizations on Wednesday were the first certified under the county's new Green Business Certification Program. The initiative is a collaboration of the county's Department of Environmental Protection, the Montgomery County Chamber of Commerce and Montgomery College.

For the complete story, click here.

Montgomery College now offers a green business training program.  Classes begin January 12, 2010.  The training supports Montgomery County, Maryland's new green business certification program.  The County announced the names of the first 11 business entities to obtain this green certification on December 16, 2009. 

Montgomery County's green business certification reflects two years of collaborative work by the Department of Environment, Montgomery College, and the County Chamber of Commerce.  The College provides the "training arm" in this "three level partnership," says Transcie Almonte, a spokesperson who helps oversee the green training.   

To read the full article, click here.

December 16, 2009, Montgomery County Executive Isiah Leggett today recognized the first 11 businesses and organizations to be certified under the County’s new Green Business Certification Program that recognizes voluntary efforts to protect, preserve and improve the environment. To be certified as a green business, a company must demonstrate its commitment to environmental stewardship, conservation of energy and water, carbon footprint reduction, and waste reduction and recycling. The program includes an extensive online resource guide that also encourages businesses to expand their “green” activities.

For the full press release, click here.