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SBN Newsletter
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March, 2014
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Dear SBN Members and Friends,
Spring is here and horrible events of last year's Boston Marathon have been replaced with hope and optimism. Hundreds of thousands of us came together to make a statement to the world that nothing can stop the cherished spring celebration that we call the Boston Marathon! I was feeling great pride and joy as I joined in the fun and cheering of over 36,000 runners of all shapes and sizes representing over 80 nations. People ran for their own personal reasons and a collective reason of protecting a hallowed New England tradition. As I write this letter, I'm in a plane to Utah filled with Boston Marathon runners adorning bright yellow Marathon jackets, who said it was like running through a 26 mile, 2-7 hour cheering tunnel-- like nothing they had ever experienced. Boston is indeed Strong! Speaking of springtime traditions, on May 15th, SBN will bring together over 100 local business and community leaders to collaboratively learn how we can create a strong economy that is local, green, and fair for the 25th year. When I think back over the past 24 conferences and see how much progress the sustainable business movement has made, it's really astonishing. The first conference in 1989 was at The Longfellow Club, and at that time, the term "sustainable economy" hadn't been coined and the idea of triple-bottom line companies was also not yet brought forth. It was a rare company that included our local and global community in their mission. The small group of pioneering entrepreneurs like Ben Cohen, Tom Chappell, and Arnold Hiatt were voices in the wilderness, just beginning to "feel our oats," and not yet fully understanding the profound nature of the entrepreneurial trail we were blazing at that time.
SBN is has entered it's second quarter century of working to organize sustainable business leaders and inspire others to join the ranks of entrepreneurs working for a strong local, green, and fair economy. Please consider attending our conference on May 15th and partner with us in growing our movement that is building a genuine sustainable economy (details are below). Our precious planet is indeed robust and resilient, but it needs us all to pitch in to protect mother earth! Earth Strong!
Sustainably yours,
Laury Hammel
Executive Director, SBN
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Next B2B Networking Meeting on Tuesday, April 29th!
 Identifying Prospects, Developing Leads, and Closing the Sale-The Good, the Bad, and the Spectacular!
If the role of an entrepreneur is to find and fill a consumer need, what comes next? Join SBN, along with local entrepreneurs and sales experts for a morning of learning from the leaders who are "in the trenches" every day.
Learn how to leverage your network to grow your business! In the "Relationship Economy," entrepreneurs must identify top prospects, connect with them, and hopefully turn them into customers. One fact has proven to be true-the larger and deeper your personal network is, the easier it is to sell your product either directly to indirectly through your network.
Consider the following for our next meeting:
- One or more of your biggest sales failures
- One or more of your sales successes
Two prizes will be given to the "sales failure" that teaches us the most and the most instructive sales success story.
This will be a fun and very meaningful event, so don't miss a fantastic opportunity to learn and grow!
Registration is now open!
$10 for SBN Members and Students: Buy now!
$20 for Non-Members: Buy now!
To register please use the PayPal links above. If you prefer to pay by cash or check at the door please e-mail taryn@sbnmass.org to secure your space, or call 617-395-0250.
What: April B2B Networking Meeting
Where: SBN Offices
99 Bishop Allen Drive, 2nd Level Boardroom
Cambridge, MA 02139
When: April 29, 2014 8:00 AM to 10:00 AM
Who: Anyone! Business owners, industry leaders, students, members & non-members, sales representatives, etc.!
 Refreshments will be generously sponsored by Somerville Sustainable Cleaning, an environmentally sustainable commercial janitorial service provider, committed to delivering service excellence at an unmatched value!
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| Join us for SBN's 25th Sustainable Business Conference!
The SBN 25th Sustainable Business Conference, comprised of our Third Annual Sustainability Leadership Summit (Invitation Only) and open Afternoon Sustainability Workshops, will be held at Ryan Hall, UMass Boston on Thursday, May 15, 2014 from 8:30 AM to 4:00 PM.
The 2014 Sustainable Business Conference will explore sustainability through the lens of entrepreneurship and collaboration! Our theme this year is Sustainable Entrepreneurs Take the Lead: Examples of Partnerships & Collaborations that Build a Strong Local Economy!
We'll bring together many of New England's most successful entrepreneurs, business and nonprofit leaders, government officials, local funders, and academics with the purpose of developing new partnerships and collaborations that build a local green, and fair economy of the future.
SBN's 25th Annual Sustainable Business Conference
What: 8:30-12:30 p.m. Third Annual Sustainability Leadership Summit
1:30-4:00 p.m. Local, Green, and Fair Workshops
Theme: Sustainable Entrepreneurs Take the Lead! Partnerships and Collaborations that Build a Strong Local Economy
When: Thursday, May 15, 2014
Where: Ryan Hall at University of Massachusetts Boston
Questions? Contact SBN at 617-395-0250, or e-mail Taryn at taryn@sbnmass.org for information about attendance or to request an invitation. Stay tuned for more exciting details (such as sponsors, speakers and panelists)!
Third Annual Sustainability Leadership Summit, 8:30 AM to 12:30 PM
The 2014 Sustainability Leadership Summit will feature short inspirational keynote speakers, action-oriented breakout sessions , and "open space technology" programs that generate new plans for change, based around the five pillars of a strong local economy. In previous Summits, several innovative programs were conceived, and ultimately became became important examples of collaborations that are building a stronger local economy.
SBN's Sustainability Leadership Summit is by invitation only, but afternoon workshops are open to the public! We are always looking for new leaders to engage in our work, so if you or someone you know would benefit from attending the Summit, please contact Laury Hammel or call 617-395-0250.
Sustainability Workshops, 1:30 PM to 4:00 PM
New this year, SBN is offering optional afternoon seminars hosted by partnering organizations that are highly focused and action-oriented and open to the public. Our Sustainability Workshops will run from 1:30-4:00 p.m. Registration is required, and tickets are $25.00. Spaces will fill up quickly!
Now available for registration:
- Climate Action Liaision Coalition Presents: "Building a New Economy to Stop Climate Change." To sign up and learn more, click here.
Coming soon:
- Massachusetts Sustainable Business Academy presents a workshop on How Colleges and Universities Can Support the Growth of a Sustainable Economy
- SBN's Boston Local Food Program presents Building a Successful Local Food Business-Tried and True Strategies for Winning the Game of Local Food Commerce
Conference Agenda:
8:00 Registration and Continental Breakfast
8:30 Welcome and Introduction
8:50 Keynote Speakers
9:45 Breakout Sessions on Five Pillars of a Local Economy
- Local First
- Green Economy
- Public Policy
- Community Capital
- Local Food
11:00 Open Space Technology Action Planning
12:00 Closing Comments and Open Space Reports
12:30 Optional Networking Lunch
1:30-4:00 Sustainability Workshops
Speakers:
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Jack Clarke, Audubon Society
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Deborah Frieze, Boston Impact Initiative
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Michael Green, Executive Director of the Climate Action Liaison Coalition (CALC)
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Laury Hammel, Executive Director of SBN and owner of The Longfellow Clubs
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Chobee Hoy, Owner of Chobee Hoy Real Estate and Chair of Brookline Local First
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Alex Keally, Solect Energy Development
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Susan Labandibar, President of SBN and owner of Tech Networks of Boston
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Alex Linkow, Director of Fair Food Fund
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Katherine McDonald, Executive Director of Clean Tech Open
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Kim Mitchell, Co-Chair of JP Local First and owner of Boing Toys
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Kat Rutkin, Executive Director of Somerville Local First
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Holly Sklar, Business for a Fair Minimum Wage
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Julia Shanks, Julis Shanks Food Consulting
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Rachael Solem, Co-Chair of Cambridge Local First and owner of Irving House
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Dinesh Wadhwani, Owner of ThinkLite, Inc.
We hope that you will join us for another exciting conference designed for networking, sharing, learning and, most importantly, advancing the local and sustainable economy movement in Massachusetts and New England!
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Spring Equinox Tasting at Taza Chocolate was a fun, local affair!
On March 20th, the SBN team joined Taza Chocolate, Chive Catering, Banner Beer Company and Cape Cod Beer to celebrate the Spring Equinox! The small and intimate fundraising event took place right inside the Taza Factory Store in Somerville, MA, and included many delicious local treats and beverages. Dozens of chocolate and beer lovers gathered in the brightly decorated factory store to enjoy Taza Chocolate, local craft beer, and savory locally prepared bites from Chive Catering. We were ecstatic to team up with this sustainable catering company, as their mission aligns so well with our goal of "healthy, local food for all." Some of the standout dishes of the night were the Chile Braised Pork Shoulder on sweet Nitty Gritty corn cake with savory Taza chocolate sauce, and the Poached Pear & Valley View Chèvre Tartlets with spiced honey & sea salt. We loved their creative energy and sustainable values!
Guests enjoyed a view of the Taza chocolate-making in action through giant windows lining the store. The informative Taza staff gave out delicious samples of everything from Hazelnut Butter Chocolate, to Salt & Pepper! With all of the treats, we were lucky to host two budding local brewers who each brought some of their most popular brews. A special thank you to all who attended and partnered-- we can't wait to celebrate again! |
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SBN New & Returning Member Announcement 
SBN's network is growing in leaps and bounds! A big welcome to our newest SBN Members:
 Project Bread: Project Bread develops solutions that provide peopleof all ages and walks of life with sustainable, reliable access to nutritious food. Their signature event, The Walk for Hunger, is coming up on May 4, 2014. It's not too late to participate or support your favorite team, like fellow SBN members Edelstein and Company or Haley House!  Sparking Leadership: Ariane Cherbuliez provides coaching for leaders and their teams to become more effective and authentic, create a more positive environment, and sustain success. Welcome back to renewing SBN Members:  Ace Creative: Ace Creative is a marketing and graphic design firm based in Medford, MA thatworks with the world's leading institutions for intelligent and collaborative outcomes. From websites to identity packages to fund-raising collateral to catalogs, Ace Creative finds artistic avenues to address marketing and communications-based needs at all budgetary levels.  Cambridge Eats and Beats: An independently and family-owned collection of threerestaurants, Cambridge Common, Christopher's and West Side Lounge, which are currently getting recertified as Sustainable Business Leaders! Toad and the Lizard Lounge are the two life music clubs that also belong to the group. All are located between Harvard and Porter Square in Cambridge.  Cambridge Naturals: Located at Porter Square in Cambridge, Cambridge Naturals has been the go to community health store since 1974, selling nutritional supplements for health and wellness, pure, clean body care products and organic foods. 
Costa Fruit and Produce: Costa is a food distributor that has been servicing the foodserviceindustry in New England for more than sixty years. They are located in Boston, and just signed on to getting re-certified as Sustainable Business Leaders.
 Cuisine En Locale: provides catering and a CSA style cooked mealservice, prepared from healthy local ingredients. They are located in Somerville and are the perfect choice for new parents, busy professionals and slammed students. They just registered for the Boston Local Food Festival, so keep an eye out for them there too!
 Good Egg Marketing: SBN board member Myrna Greenfield is a marketing professional, whohelps farms, small businesses and nonprofits find the right niche, increase sales, and build relationships with customers. Haley House Bakery and Cafe: a nonprofit offering housing, a soup kitchen and support forthe homeless and working poor. They also provide training and employment for their catering service and bakery and their beautiful community café in Roxbury. On top of that, they still find time to get re-certified as Sustainable Business Leaders, truly inspiring! Interested in becoming a member? Take a look and see what you think! Feel free to reach out to Charlotte with any questions regarding your individual, student or business membership! Thank you all for your partnership and commitment to building a Massachusetts economy that is Local, Green and Fair! Remember: Think Members First! What better way to support the local economy and each other than to support SBN members who share your values and commitment to the principals of Local, Green and Fair. SBN is working on new programs to encourage and support greater B2B exchange within the network. Stay tuned for ways to get engaged! |
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 Sustainable Business Leader Program Updates
Please join us in congratulating Gentle Giant Moving Company on being re-certified as Sustainable Business Leaders! Gentle Giant achieved certification for a second time, truly demonstrating their commitment to sustainability and the local, green and fair movement.
Gentle Giant completed an energy audit, is working to upgrade their lights to LED and has developed a written Sustainability Management Plan to institutionalize sustainability into the core of the company.
Congratulations once again to Gentle Giant!
Interested in learning more about the Sustainable Business Leader Program? Contact Alex Barber at Alex@sbnmass.org to learn more about the opportunities and how you can reduce your business' carbon footprint and save money. SBLP is also seeking new participants who are committed to local, green and fair.
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Professional Headshots with Local Photographer, Melissa Blackall
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SBN proudly announces early bird vendors for the Boston Local Food Festival on September 14, 2014!
Regular vendor and sponsor registration is open, and we invite all interested farmers, restaurants, specialty food producers, and local food related organizations to participate!
SBN's Boston Local Food Festival, considered New England's largest one day farmers market, is Boston's premier food event connecting eaters and consumers to healthy sustainable foods grown and produced close to home. Attracting thousands of residents and visitors, it provides an ideal opportunity for local food growers and producers to showcase their products and connect with new and existing costumers while growing and supporting the local food movement. Make sure to mark your calendars and get ready to celebrate our best festival yet, on Sunday, September 14th, 11 a.m.-5 p.m. Early bird registration ended on April 15, and we are excited to get regular registration into full gear! Please help us spread the word to all local food businesses you think might benefit from participating.
These savvy local food businesses have already signed on to be part of this year's Festival:
*There is an additional $25 discount for SBN members or SBLP participants on all vendor fees. For prices and to register as a vendor, click the button above and fill out our online application!
The Boston Local Food Festival, considered New England's largest one day farmers market, is Boston's premier food event connecting thousands of eaters to healthy sustainable foods grown and produced close to home. Make sure to mark your calendars and get ready to celebrate our best festival yet on Sunday, September 14th, 11am-5pm!
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ThinkLite Installs Tube LED Lights in SBN Office, Saves 55% Energy!
SBN recently received our very own LED tube lights from SBN member ThinkLite. ThinkLite is a lighting efficiency company dedicated to helping businesses and governments go green without having to incur the upfront costs and difficulties associated with the change. Our office lights were 28 watt super T8 fluorescent tubes and have now been upgraded to 14 watt LED tubes, instantly reducing our consumption by 50%. Our new light bulbs will last for 20 years and have significantly better quality of light than our old bulbs did!
Did you know that 15 minutes could save you at least 50% on your electricity bill? For more information on ThinkLite or if you would like to visit our office to see the lights for yourself, please call our office at 617-395-0250.
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Tickets Flying for SBN's Hyper Local Craft Brewfest!
Calling for foodies, craft brew fans, homebrew fans, locavores, brew hobbyists, and the curious minded!
3rd Annual Hyper-Local Craft Brewfest
with a special Craft of Brewing Homebrew Showcase* on Friday Night! 3 Sessions
Friday, June 13, 2014, 6:30 - 9:30pm (plus Hombrew Showcase*)
Saturday, June 14, 2014, 3:00 - 6:00pm
Saturday, June 14, 2014, 7:00 - 10:00pm
What is Hyper-Local Craft Brewfest?
Hyper-Local Craft Brewfest is an annual tasting fundraiser presented by Sustainable Business Network of Massachusetts (SBN) that highlights and promotes local brewers of beer, cider & mead, artisan beverage makers, home brewers, and food vendors.
Hyper-Local Craft Brewfest is a unique event that not only showcases local beverage producers, but also showcases local brews incorporating local ingredients.
SBN's definition of local starts in Massachusetts and encompasses all of New England. Hyper-Local means local producers (from New England) making products with ingredients from New England. Examples in the past have included brews made with local hops, apples, cranberries, grapes and even local oysters. While having unlimited 2oz tastings from local brewers, you can also sample and purchase delicious local food from vendors like Vermont Smoke and Cure, Taza Chocolate, and more.
What makes Friday night special?
Join us on Friday night for Hyper-Local Craft Brewfest with a special Hombrew Showcase co-sponsored by Modern Homebrew Emporium highlighting home-brews and homebrewing with local ingredients.
The Showcase, featuring a Homebrew Club Jamboree, will provide a chance for aspiring brewers, brew fans and the curious minded to experiment and learn what is available in the New England region for making their products. Attendees will have an opportunity to learn more about homebrewing, interact with other aspiring brewers, hear from experts, as well as taste a selection of the brews that will be showcased during the Saturday Sessions.
In doubt? Attend on both days!
*Homebrews will only be showcased for the Friday night session. They will be provided by some of the coolest hombrew clubs in the region!
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Walk for Hunger with SBN New Member, Project Bread
The 46th annual Walk For Hunger will take place on Sunday, May 4, 2014. Join your family and friends for this walk and help raise awareness of the issue of hunger in Massachusetts.
According to Project Bread, a state-wide anti-hunger organization, more than 700,000 people in Massachusetts aren't always sure where their next meal will come from--a number almost 40% higher than it was prior to the recession. Money raised by the Walk for Hunger help support local food pantries,community-based meal programs, early childhood and school nutrition initiatives, and improve access to farm-to-table resources.
The 20-mile walk begins and ends at the Boston Common. The walk route weaves through Boston, Brookline, Newton, Watertown and Cambridge. Local entertainment and water stops help keep the walkers going throughout the day and educational elements will help walkers learn more about food insecurity and the range of anti-hunger solutions.
Registration is now open and individuals can walk, volunteer, and donate at
www.projectbread.org/walk. More information is also available by calling 617-723-5000.
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EcoMotion unConference #susunconf
Register here: SustainabilityunConference2014.eventbrite.com
Got Earth Day plans?
Bring them to District Hall and be apart of the second annual Sustainability unConference on Tuesday evening, April 22nd from 5-10PM. EcoMotion, Impact Hub Boston, MassCEC, Earthos, Greenovate, District Hall and many others are providing a platform for diverse sectors to riff off one another and collaborate on the intersections of sustainability and innovation. The event is free to the public and will reflect the unique attendees who join the conversation.
What is an unConference?
An unConference is an interactive event where participants propose topics and shape the agenda. There will be several planned exhibitors and thematic spaces, but the rest is up to you! Out-of-the-box ideas, idea paint walls, creative formatting, and props are encouraged. Programmed sessions will range from Sustainability in our Schools to Food Entrepreneurship, Cleantech and Eco-Districts to Beekeeping in the City, Women in Sustainability, Green Financing and many more!
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HEET introduces "Race to Solar" Program
The City of Boston, City of Cambridge, and HEET are launching Race to Solar to help nonprofits (such as preschools and community centers) qualify to get a solar electric installation at a very attractive rate. The program will help 40 the local nonprofits get solar installations that altogether would create one megawatt of clean renewable electricity.
In order to qualify the nonprofits have to sign up local small businesses to get energy efficiency upgrades through NSTAR's Direct Install program. The energy upgrades reduce a small business's energy consumption by 30% on average.
The upgrades are 70% rebated with 12 month interest free financing available. The energy evaluation is free and the report will identify energy efficiency opportunities such as lighting, thermostats, and much more. The work is turnkey and includes the removal of old equipment for recycling.
Please sign up your small business to get your free energy evaluation through the program. If you decide to get the upgrade, you will save money, energy and have helped a local nonprofit become qualified to get competitive rates for a solar installation.
Call 1-844-201-2420 to request a free energy evaluation. Learn more at RacetoSolar.org.
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 Save the Date for Upcoming Events!
Check out our Event Calendar for more event information & ticket purchases! RSVP to Taryn Johnson at Taryn@sbnmass.org!
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