MURRIETA, Calif., Dec. 10, 2009 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Green Globe International, Inc. (Pink Sheets:GGII), the worldwide owner of the Green Globe brand, today announced its participation in an initiative that will allow businesses in Los Angeles to earn a seal of approval through the city's new green business certification program.
The City of Los Angeles initiative, to be administered by the Los Angeles Community College District (LACCD), will provide information on which local businesses are green and how businesses can adopt sustainable practices. One of the aims is to enable consumers to support firms that strive to protect the environment.
The District expects the program to use a three-tiered rating system, similar to the A, B, C restaurant grading guide. To obtain green certification, a business must successfully complete a sustainability checklist that asks about its efforts to conserve resources, prevent pollution and minimize waste, which will be validated by program monitors.
To be known as the Los Angeles Green Business Certification Program, the effort initially will cover three business sectors: auto repair, restaurants and office-retail.
The new city program was announced at a news conference at Ciudad restaurant in downtown Los Angeles on December 9, 2009. The LACCD was joined at the news conference by its program partners, the Los Angeles Area Chamber of Commerce, Green Seal, Inc., Green Globe and dineLA, a part of LA INC., The Los Angeles Convention and Visitors Bureau.
"We are very pleased to be involved with a group of such esteemed partners to deliver the Los Angeles Green Business Certification Program," commented Steven R. Peacock, CEO and Managing Director for Green Globe International, Inc. "There is no question about the city's commitment to green and this team has the capability of developing, managing and promoting a cutting edge green business certification system that everyone involved with will be proud to be a part."
Councilman Richard Alarcon has spearheaded the city's effort to create the Green Business Certification Program since March 2007.
"In today's economy, businesses are looking at ways to save money and draw in more business, and the Green Business Certification Program will do just that," Councilman Alarcon said. "Today's vote by the City Council means that after years of a collaborative effort, we will have a new incentive program for businesses that are working to reduce their impact on our environment. I look forward to working with the Los Angeles Community College District and its partners to get the program up and running quickly, so we can start certifying our environmentally friendly businesses."
A $150,000 grant from the Los Angeles Department of Water and Power will help to pay for the district's how-to workshops for businesses that seek green certification.
The Los Angeles certification effort will strive to protect the environment by conserving energy and water, as well as take steps that will help businesses reduce costs.
As an example, city officials point to the Westin Bonaventure Hotel & Suites, which expects to save about $225,000 a year because it incorporated such green practices as composting food waste and installing energy efficient lighting.
Businesses interested in the Green Business Certification Program can take the pledge to "go green" and enroll at http://www.lacity.org/ead/environmentla/cgbp/pledge.html. Seventy businesses have already signed-up at the site. Businesses may begin applying for certification in approximately six months.
The Green Globe brand and program, which traces its roots back to the United Nations Rio de Janeiro Earth Summit in 1992, where 182 Heads of State endorsed the Agenda 21 principles of Sustainable Development, has primarily been used in the travel and tourism industry but is now being expanded to include a growing number of environmentally responsible businesses in a variety of market sectors. The Green Globe brand is an ideal symbol for the world's increasing awareness of environmental responsibility and response to global climate change.
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About Green Globe International, Inc.
Green Globe International, Inc. is the worldwide owner of the Green Globe brand, which includes the leading sustainability certification and benchmarking programs, carbon footprint calculation and offset programs, and a broad range of consulting services. Green Globe International has been admitted as an affiliate member of the United Nations World Tourism Organization. The World Travel & Tourism Council (WTTC), the business leaders' forum for the travel and tourism industry, is a 5% common stock owner of Green Globe International. For more information on the company and its programs, please visit www.greenglobeint.com or call +1 310-984-6807.
Green Globe services in the Asia Pacific are distributed, managed and sold exclusively by Green Globe Asia Pacific (GGAP) through EC3 Global. If you would like further information on GGAP, please visit www.greenglobe.org.
The Green Globe International, Inc. logo is available at http://www.globenewswire.com/newsroom/prs/?pkgid=6582
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This release contains forward-looking statements with respect to the results of operations and business of Green Globe International, Inc., which involves risks and uncertainties. The Company's actual future results could materially differ from those discussed. The Company intends that such statements about the Company's future expectations, including future revenues and earnings, and all other forward-looking statements be subject to the "Safe Harbors" provision of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995.