Green, Friendly, Conscious, Footprints, Eco, Environ-mental, Global Warming. These are all words that have become part of our ‘fashionista’ lifestyles. We buy the T-shirts, we talk the talk and we may even carry the bags – but how environmentally sound are we? Many of us approve of the message but not necessarily the sacrifices that come with it. We like having our own car, we like taking our trips overseas and we like having our electricity at the touch of a button. Let’s face it, when it comes down to time saving or saving the planet many of us will leave the saving the planet to someone else. Most of us are so busy it’s hard to find the time to devote to making significant changes in how we do things.  The Chamber of Commerce recognises that we are only human and has developed the perfect strategy for those of us who want to actually DO something about being more environmentally conscious but don’t know where to start.

The Environmental Pledge
No, don’t run! This is something even you can handle. The Chamber has developed an Environmental Pledge for Individuals and Businesses that makes being GREEN as simple as following a list. It’s the perfect start to making a big difference to the beautiful Islands we live in, and in most cases saving money too. When you take the Pledge, the Chamber will award you with a framed certificate at a formal presentation and promote you on our website as a GREEN BUSINESS. (Individuals will also receive a certificate and be listed on our website upon request.) Some of the ideas include introducing an office paper recycling programme, introducing energy saving products, planting native plants on your property, returning hangers to the dry cleaners, turning lights and electrical products off when not in use and minimizing use of plastic and Styrofoam.
 
Another Chamber initiative to keep us on the right track is the Earth Day Roadside Clean-Up that happens annually in April. Up to 1,500 people sign up for this hugely popular clean-up mission this year, which runs throughout our Islands and removes trash and debris from our beaches and roadsides. Some in teams, some with their families, and some who come out by themselves just to be part of something really worthwhile. We are always looking for sponsors and so it’s never too early to sign-up for next year. The cleaner our Islands, the better it is for our environment and the better it is for tourism and local business. Thanks this year to our Major Sponsor British Caymanian and our Brunch Sponsor LIME. Other important sponsors included: Grant Thornton, Caribbean Publishing Ltd., Conyers Dill & Pearman, CUC Ltd., Divers Supply & Sports Supply, Island Heritage, Mourant, Walkers, Atlas Insurance Management Cayman, Transocean Inc., The Phoenix Group, KPMG, Appleby, Vigoro Nursery Ltd., Kensington Management Group, FirstCaribbean International Bank, Fosters Food Fair, Dart Cayman Islands, KPA Graphics and Flowers Group, Deutche Bank (Cayman Ltd.), CIBC Bank and Trust Company (Cayman) Ltd., Cayman National, Water Authority Cayman, Greenlight RE, Island Paving Ltd., BNY Mellon, Wastewater Purification Systems and GEL Wholesale. The first 1000 clean-up troops received a free limited edition T-shirt and everyone got brunch at Public Beach at the end. If you didn’t make it out this year, be sure to sign-up for 2011!
 
We are also in the middle of a new website design that will have dedicated space to promoting GREEN BUSINESS. If you are a Chamber company that sells ‘green’ products or have already taken steps, either through our Environmental Pledge or through your own initiatives, to save valuable resources and reduce pollution then we want to promote you! Just let us know what you’re doing and we’ll be happy to let everyone else know.

For more information and/or to be sent a Chamber Environmental Pledge form contact Roberta Bostock on roberta.bostock@caymanchamber.ky or call 949.8090 ext. 129