The 18th annual Net Impact conference, held at the Ross School of Business at the University of Michigan, highlighted visions for a sustainable decade in the areas of waste, community development, natural resource conservation, professional sector growth, energy, and clean technologies, among other fields.
Net Impact is a web of young business students and professionals across the country who support socially-responsible business models. It hosts conferences for individuals to network and learn about positive change in the business community.
Three notable initiatives:
1. RecycleBank
Homeowners rewarded with points for recycling that are redeemable at over 1500 businesses.
2. TerraCycle
This business collects hard-to-recycle materials and sells them for re-purposing. According to Gunther, “the company gets paid by brands whose products it recovers, by manufacturers who buy its materials and by marketers who use its logo on finished products.”
3. Waste Management, via Greenpolis
WM intends to put interactive kiosks on public streets where people can redeem cash and points for recycling, as well as improving its website to better engage potential recyclers.
In the Trail Towns:
What incentives are needed in your community to encourage residential and commercial recycling?
If your waste contractor agreed to adopt three recycling practices or incentives, which three would be most effective for your business?
Great Allegheny Passage Sustainable Business Network 