Global Entrepreneurship Week – Jersey City Green Fair 2010

They say that the economy will only get better if small businesses sell more, gain more clients, and hire more people. This past week was Global Entrepreneurship Week 2010, which was locally organized by Rising Tide Capital here in Jersey City. The week was filled with activities, from meeting each business face-to-face to attending lectures. Yesterday I attended the Jersey City Green Fair which took place at City Hall on Grove Street. It was great seeing Alfa Demmellash, CEO of Rising Tide Capital again. We first met at the 2008 “Everything Jersey City Festival.” Our booths were next to each other. With her were Camille Parker, Development Associate and Executive Assistant, and Roger Cervantes, Micro-Enterprise Development Program Associate.

Alfa Demmellash, CEO, Rising Tide Capital and Susan Newman

Camille Parker and Roger Cervantes, Rising Tide Capital

I walked around learning about each new “green” business from solar panel installations to cleaning our homes in a greener way to Rainforest Relief. Here are just some of the business entrepreneurs I spoke with.

Alliance Cooperative Energy, LLC.

Alliance Cooperative Energy (ACE) provides a complete array of services to meet our alternative energy needs. They offer site evaluation, engineered system design, incentive guidance and more, all complying with the applicable, regional and national codes and standards. They have both residential and commercial clients. Speaking with their director of engineering, James Van Ness, I was particularly interested in how solar panels can be installed in our urban cities where the roofs are flat. He explained in detail about how they can be installed with rails and supporting foundations. I picked up one of their brochures and was pleased to see it had been printed on FSC certified paper using vegetable based inks.

James Van Ness, Alliance Cooperative Energy

Rainforest Relief

Meeting the executive director, Tim Keating of Rainforest Relief was important, because it gave me an opportunity to hear about his organization and tell him about mine, Frogs Are Green. Their organization works to end the loss of the world’s tropical and temperate rainforests by reducing the demand for the products of rainforest logging, mining and agriculture. Our organizations do different things but share a common goal of saving the rainforests. His business card was printed on reused, recycled paper.

Subia’s Organic Market & Young Living Essential Oils

I haven’t yet been to this market, but after reading the marvelous reviews on the web, I’ll be heading over here this week.

I’ll admit I don’t really know enough about what therapeutic oils do, so I was happy to learn more from Independent distributor, Priscilla Renta. They guarantee that Young Living will only sell 100% pure, natural, uncut oils that maintain the vital therapeutic potency.

“Today, using gas chromatography (GC) and mass spectrometry (MS) analysis, the phytochemical profile of every batch of Young Living essential oils is measured to evaluate each specific plant compound. Certain plant compounds must meet or exceed specific levels to ensure the oil is natural, pure, and therapeutic-grade. Only then does Young Living guarantee the oil will provide the desired results and label it Young Living Therapeutic Grade™ (YLTG).”

Subia's Organic Market Jersey city

Home Economics

Home Economics, owned by Beverly Brown Ruggia, is located in Hoboken, NJ and at yesterday’s green fair she brought with her assorted products that were good for your kitchen and home, cleaning your home, and even reusable bags for carrying lunch or grocery shopping.

Bag The Habit

I have a nylon bag that folds into a pouch and it’s in my purse every day. No matter where I am if I need to carry something home, it’s with me and it’s even machine washable. Plain and simple, I love it! I was thrilled to meet owner, Holly Tienken of Bag The Habit because she’s got all sorts of styles and shapes on this concept. Some with zippers, some without, produce bags, even a market set pouch that holds 5 grocery bags. It has a wrist band so you can take it to the supermarket and use all of them, instead of wasting all those plastic bags! Her philosophy is simple: “It’s not about hating plastic, it’s about loving your reusable bag.” I think her company has economically priced, well-designed products, and considering Jersey City is considering banning plastic bags, is very timely too!

Holly Tienken, Bag The Habit

Bio-Kleen Services, LLC. Magic Cleaning Service, LLC.

As a environmentalist and pet owner, I’m very concerned about cleaning my home with green, safe products. I was glad to meet two local green cleaning companies, Bio-KleenServices, LLC & Magic Cleaning Service, LLC. Both of these companies specialize in green cleaning for residential and commercial spaces. Their approach includes the use of non-toxic products, biodegradable packaging and environmentally sensitive technology. They also sell their own products for purchase, so you can keep your home green and non-toxic.

Bio-Kleen Services

Magic Clean Service

Nishani Wellness

With Americans being so overweight and eating really bad foods, fast food, etc… a wellness and lifestyle coach sounds like a much needed business. I talked with Nisha Moodley about what Nishani Wellness is about. A holistic approach to health and wellness, she looks at how all parts of your life affect your health. She focuses on nourishing with healthy whole foods and also “primary foods.” I don’t believe in diets, but I do believe in eating as healthy as I can. Fresh fruits and vegetables along with whole grains and protein everyday. I haven’t eaten any red meat in over 30 years. Working with a coach might be the answer for those who just don’t feel right or practice emotional eating. Stop the seesaw effect.

Nisha Moodley, Nishani Wellness

Ecological Home Awareness Kit

Here’s something we don’t necessarily pay enough attention to. Do you have a “water, soil, energy, mold, air or toxin” problem in your home? Well, I talked with Mark Pedersen about this serious issue that many people ignore, so here’s a website where you can get a kit and test your home.

Mark Pedersen, Ecological Home Awareness Kit

Viridian Responsible Energy

My electricity is on right now, how else am I blogging? I know I pay PSE & G every month, but have no idea if they are practicing green technology. I’m going to look into that. Meanwhile I met Karen Brown-Stovell and her husband of Viridian Responsible Energy. I didn’t know that many states have started deregulating the generation of electricity, which allows us to choose who to get the power from. Viridian’s Everyday Green rate plan offers 20% renewable energy, sourced from locally produced, high quality renewable sources. They are 10 years ahead of Federal guidelines which state that by the year 2020 energy companies must use 20% from renewable sources.

Viridian Responsible Energy

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