Summary of Greenstar Programs In Anchorage, Fairbanks, and Central Kenai Peninsula

Abstract

The Green Star® Program is a voluntary program created in 1990 to encourage businesses, schools, non-profit organizations, and government agencies to educate employees, reduce waste, conserve energy, and recycle materials. The program began as a cooperative agreement among the Anchorage Chamber of Commerce, the Alaska Center for the Environment, and the Pollution Prevention Office of the Alaska Department of Environmental Conservation. Since its inception, the program has expanded to include over 400 Alaskan business firms, government agencies, schools, and non-profit organizations employing over 60,000 people in Alaska. The program has also expanded to include chapters in several others states. This report is a summary of some of these cost-savings and benefits as reported by participants in the Green Star® programs in Anchorage, Fairbanks, and Central Kenai Peninsula. This summary is based on interviews with selected, knowledgeable participants in the programs -- including awardees, enrollees, and board members. This report also describes the current status of these three programs -- including the characteristics of the current membership, available financial resources, and long-term goals of the programs.