Seo Addresses Congress on behalf of Green Small Biz

I became a fan of Danny Seo at the ULI conference on sustainability in Pittsburgh earlier this year. He spoke during one of our luncheons and I give the man so much credit for addressing a highly conservative group using Paris Hilton references and photos of a t-shirt that read "Club Sandwiches, not Seals". No one at my table got it. At all.

But, Danny pressed forward.... the ultimate professional.

And, the ultimate environmental lifestyle expert. Since he was young, he pursued a simply green lifestyle and made it his mission to promote this to the public. He turned this into a multimedia business venture including books, television, and articles. Thanks to his calling, he was invited to address Congress and share some of his solutions on how small businesses can continue to lead the way in sustainability. Here's a sample of his comments (as quoted from his wonderful blog, Simply Green):

My testimony today will address several points:
(1) how the Green
Revolution is more than just a trend;
(2) how small businesses can compete
with major corporations; and
(3) what needs to be done to help small business
in their quest to go green.

First, there are two movements going on in consumer taste and
interests. What I believe we are seeing in the consumer marketplace is a
major shift---a cultural one---where consumers are looking for products and
services that gives value to their lives, homes, families and communities.
It’s about quality, not quantity.

What we are seeing is what I’ve been calling The Meaningful Life.
If our lives, home, family and the community we live in aren’t disposable,
then the products we use in our everyday lives shouldn’t be either.

And as we see this rejection of cheap goods and services and the
emergence of green and sustainable living at the crossroads, what we have here
is something very interesting. Going green is more than just better
for the planet, it represents good quality and value.

Now, there has been much attention in the media lately about major
corporations and manufacturers going green and how it might affect small
business. Small business should welcome the Green Revolution.

Here’s why: going green is not like adapting quickly to consumer tastes
and fashion trends; it’s a philosophy rooted in the very big idea of saving the
planet. So as consumers seek out green products, they’ll want
what’s really, truly the real deal. They want authenticity. A
smaller business can create a corporate DNA that has sustainability through and
through, while a larger corporation will struggle because of their
size.

He goes on to suggest specific solutions and I encourage you to visit his blog and read the testimony in its entirety.

He's absolutely right in his assessment: Small businesses are in a key position to embrace the Green Philosophy. The decision-makers are on the front lines in the organization, not in some 25th-floor corner office... detached from the everyday business. If the small business owner makes the decision to ban disposables in the breakroom, they are there rinsing out their coffee cup with everyone else. If they implement a green philosophy, they're right there living it.

That's authentic. That's in the corporate DNA. That's also very powerful.

I know it's possible because I'm living it every day. I work for a small business that implements a green philosophy. The president of our company is the 'recycling queen'. Her recycling bin overflows while her regular bin sits empty. She inspires us to live greener. That's as authentic as you get.

I would also question which makes a greater impact? One large corporation that goes carbon neutral? or 1,000 small businesses that do it?

Maybe we need to meet with the wonderful non-profit organizations that support small businesses and offer lunch and learns? Or offer to speak at their events? Let's get the word out that they can do it, too!

Thanks Danny for inspire us to be simply green.