Phoenix Green Chamber of Commerce - Launch Event!

By Myra Richman

On November 18, 2008, at The Farm at South Mountain, the newly formed Phoenix chapter of the Arizona Green Chamber of Commerce launched its organization. The Phoenix Green Chamber of Commerce is a nonprofit organization committed to strengthening the voice and influence of businesses united to promote green public policy and a more sustainable and environmentally-sound economy. As one of the first local chapters of the green chamber initiative, they showed great pride in

Founder Mara DeFilippis has followed her bliss and began working on the formation of the organization about 18 months ago. The turnout at the event and the spirit of the attendees were phenomenal.

Starting with a great deal of positive buzz and excitement about this organization in the community, business owners and professionals from a wide variety of industries were poised and eager to learn what they can do to support a healthy environment and embrace the unprecedented opportunities in the emerging green economy.

State Legislator Kyrsten Sinema gave a passionate speech about our planet, and what we can do to make things better and healthier for us and future generations.

"With the tremendous interest in greening business practices, there is a real need for this organization. We see this organization as a resource for the burgeoning sustainability industries; the Chamber is a portal for information, education, connectivity," said Mara DeFilippis, founder of the Arizona Green Chamber of Commerce and CEO of the Phoenix chapter. "We also want to provide recognition and real incentive to those championing sustainability and building green businesses in our community." The scope of their mission and objectives is significant, and guests learned about the far-reaching benefits of membership in the green chamber.