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January 2014
RebatesWashington, D.C. Offers Rebates for Property Managers  

 

Washington D.C.'s Department of the Environment and the Anacostia Watershed Society recently launched two new rebate programs to assist property managers in improving their stormwater management practices, in some cases covering up to 100% of the costs.

 

The RiverSmart Communities initiative provides rebates for properties investing in sustainable stormwater management solutions that may include permeable pavements, cisterns, bioretention, or Low Impact Development practices; while the Green Roof Rebate program provides refunds for installing green roofs.

 

>> See value of rebates, learn more
G4What Should You Report, and How? 
Click to see full info graphic
For many companies, the beginning of a new year is the time to start thinking about non-financial reporting.
 
While reports can take different forms, Ernst & Young has identified the transition to the Global Reporting Initiative's G4 reporting as one of 2014's top sustainability trends for businesses.
 
Over the years we have seen many companies grapple with what and how to report. 
 
While the GRI is a good framework, it is important to remember that every company's reporting needs are different. 
 
What should you do if the GRI G4 does not work for you? 
 
 
LEEDNew LEED Achievement - 440 9th Avenue Certified

Congratulations to the Paramount Group. Their building at 440 9th Avenue in NYC has been certified LEED O+M: Existing Buildings (v2008), achieving 37 out of 38 attempted points. 
 
Great Forest managed the LEED certification process and guided the building on upgrades and credits required. Work performed included waste audits, a transit survey, as well as water fixture and reflective roof upgrades.
 
See the building's scorecard here.
 
See more LEED highlights.
CoatRecycling Warmth - One Coat at a Time

With the new year greeting us with a blast of extra cold weather, we were glad to have been able to help Twinbrook Partnership with a holiday coat drive for their community in Rockville, Maryland. 

 

Great Forest worked with Capital Asset Recovery to provide 30 collection bins at 15 locations throughout the community. 

 

>> See how many coats we collected.

 

 

 
MakingMaking A Difference: 
Shaping the World's Sustainable Development Agenda for the Next Decade 


2014 is a crucial year. 
 
This is the year that hundreds of countries and the world's leading organizations will decide on a list of Sustainable Development Goals (SDG) that will determine the key issues the world will pay attention to beyond 2015, when the current  Millennium Development Goals expire. 

"What is agreed to this year will set the world's sustainable development agenda for at least the next decade," says Richard Fuller, President of Blacksmith. 

"So it is critical that the world agrees to make this issue part of the SDG because it affects over 200 million people worldwide, including many children."

So on January 6, Blacksmith began the new year speaking at the U.N. to get the message across. >> Find out what this global issue is, listen to the U.N. presentation (audio) 

>> Making a Difference: Training Women in Senegal
Great Forest Inc.
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A pioneer in the industry with over 20 years of experience, Great Forest is one of the leading sustainability consultancies in the country. We improve environmental performance and reduce costs for clients nationwide ranging from Fortune 500 corporations to property management companies, hotels, retailers, financial and educational institutions, and municipalities. 
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