MiaGreen is currently accepting booth reservations & sponsors. Please see their current special, or check out details on their website.

Capablanca signing the UN agreement

This is a guest post by Fernando Capablanca, president and chief executive officer of Union Credit Bank (UCB).

Now, more than ever, businesses are embracing an eco-friendly attitude. We encounter the infusion of environmentally friendly living in our everyday activities from supermarket chains with organic-only aisles to clothing stores selling apparel made of organic cotton. It’s becoming increasingly clear to many that the earth is in dire need for us to change and adopt a more sustainable lifestyle.

Therefore, it should come as no surprise that several banks are also embracing eco-friendly ways of doing business. Leading the pack in this movement is Union Credit Bank (UCB), a Miami-based community bank. UCB is the first community bank in the nation to sign the U.N. Environment Program Finance Initiative, which aligns the bank with environmentally friendly principles.

This pairing allows UCB to offer its customers “green” services such as hybrid car loans and green home equity lines of credit. Customers are offered loans at a reduced interest rate to help them purchase a new hybrid vehicle, an environmentally friendly home or a business as well as make improvements on their current home or business. Green incentives have also been implemented to encourage green builders. UCB provides funding with higher loan to value rations to help green builders borrow enough money to cover higher costs of construction, which later translates to an increase in asset value.

Beyond all of these initiatives, the bank truly understands that reducing carbon imprint begins from the inside. UCB’s Miami headquarters, located at 1150 South Miami Ave, is completely environmentally equipped; the building is registered as a “green building” and is considered to be a historical site. This alone has allowed the bank to acquire benefits such as tax incentives and zoning incentives.

The bank’s second branch located in the city of Doral (map), is entirely eco-friendly.

All the furniture, carpeting and flooring are made out of recyclable material. Not to mention the fact that UCB effectively reduces power and paper usage by encouraging paperless statements, offering electronic marketing brochures and installing a recycling program.

More recently UCB is in talks to sign an agreement with the Certified Green Partners as well as considering the possibility of adopting the Equator Principles.

About the author: Fernando Capablanca is president and chief executive officer of Union Credit Bank (UCB), a full-service Miami-based bank. With more than 40 years of banking experience, Capablanca founded UCB in 2006 and has overseen the bank’s expansion in South Florida.

Admission is $10 (there is a coupon for buy one get one free), but we have several free passes available. Please comment below with how many you would like and why. We’ll contact those we can for mailing addresses to send out the passes in time.

From the press release:

In particular the Expo will highlight all major governmental green programs and incentives in place or to be launched soon for the residents in Miami-Dade County plus presentations and exhibitions by major experts and suppliers on hot green topics and products. The Opening Session on Saturday, August 15 at 10:30 am will be: “Green Programs & Financial Incentives to Benefit Your Family Now”. Major politicians and celebrities involved with the green movement and initiatives in our community have been invited to the ribbon cutting ceremony and opening session.

At the Miami Living Green Expo family attendees…
o Find hundreds of green products and services on the floor.
o Bring & exchange old showerheads for a brand new high-efficiency model and home conservation kit absolutely FREE!
o Sign up to receive FREE recycling pick-up day alerts in their homes.
o Find out how they can get two FREE trees from Miami-Dade County’s Adopt-a-Tree program.
o See and explore new hybrid vehicles & busses.
o Win a Miami-Dade County “GREEN” shopping bag with hurricane preparedness supplies.
o Learn ways to save energy, water…and money!
o Learn how to get FREE outdoor air quality forecasts!
o Get FREE evaluations of their landscape to improve water efficiency.
o Win prizes every hour by the stage courtesy of Miami-Dade County
o Meet Vanessa Hauc, Journalist of Telemundo Network and major green advocate.
o Attend special presentation and book-signing session of major expert Dr Rob Streisfeld (Doc Rob), author of bestselling book “A Healthier Ever After”.
o Bring their kids to learn from Michelle Piwko, Miss Earth Florida 2009 & Aubrey Carr, Miss Teen Earth SW Florida “The Beauty of Going Green: Fun Activities for Learning to Take Care of Our Planet”.

o Attend major featured presentations:
o Andrea Rodriguez on her book “The 1 Word Revolution”, a simple guide to going green from the inside out”.
o Gabriele Marewski on “Edible Landscaping”.
o Lisa Harr on ““How to Save on Your Utility Bills AND Build Value in Your Home”.
o Attend sessions on: “Green Fashion”, “Go Green at Home and Save Money!” , “Job Opportunities in the Green Economy!…”, “Losing Weight Eating Organic (Spanish Speaking Session)”, “How to Prepare a Delicious Organic Dish in Minutes (Spanish Speaking Session)”, “A GREEN home may reduce your mortgage payments by 7 years (Spanish Speaking Session)” and more to be announced…

o Win an autographed “Mr. Marlin” Jeff Conine bat and 2009 season tickets. Meet “Stanley” the Florida Panthers mascot…
o Free Bounce House for Kids and entertainment for the entire Family!

Put on by the same group as the successful MiaGreen, this Expo will focus on the consumer. The Expo will highlight all major governmental green programs and incentives in place or to be launched soon for the residents in South Florida plus several exhibitions and presentations by major suppliers and experts on hot green topics.

Miami Living Green Expo is 2-day bilingual Expo showcasing green & eco-friendly products, services, education and entertainment. Saturday and Sunday – August 15 & 16, 2009 from 10am to 5pm daily. Admission is $10 (there is a coupon for buy one, get one free) and kids and seniors are free.

Sponsors, Partners, & Exhibitors so far include ADT, Atlantis Natural, ASI Building Products, Bank Atlantic Center, Bath Fitter, Breathe Green, Broward Chamber of Commerce, Chic Awning Concepts, Creative Mindworks, Doc Rob, Earth Plumbing.com, Eco Graphics Media, ECOMB Environmental Coalition of Miami Beach, Eco-Logical Solutions, El Nuevo Herald, FL Green Energy, LLC, Florida Earth Pageants, Florida Foam Adhesive, Florida Panthers, ForeverGreen TV, GH Import & Export Corp., Global Green Savings, LLC, Green Art USA, Green Business League, Greener Miami, i Eco Moda, Iguana-RID, LLC, Live Green Care Blue, MDC Solid Waste Management , MDC Water & Sewer Department, MiaGreen 2010, Miami-Dade County, Natural Awakenings, NewBornMom, Open Realty Inc., Paradise Farms Organic, Prestige Solar, Principal Financial Group, Rain Tube, Real Estate Hoy.Com, Relax the Back, SaveWithInsulation, Solar Led Innovations, The Miami Herald, WowGreen.

If you want to sponsor and exhibit please call 305-412-0000.

Check presentation to Dream in Green at City of Miami Commission Meeting
Thursday, June 25, 2009
Through the Gateway to Green event, the city’s first green building conference that took place in April 2009, the City collected proceeds over $5,000. Mayor Manny Diaz will join the City Commission to present a check for these funds to Dream in Green to go towards a joint collaboration between the City of Miami, Dream in Green and Home Depot, called the Home Energy Saver Challenge. Through this program, 50 Homes in the City of Miami will partake in a 6 month program that will monitor the energy use of each home and provide homeowners with training to teach them about low cost methods to reduce energy.

Location:
City of Miami City Hall, 3500 Pan American Drive
9:00 a.m.

Launch of the Park Rangers Program
Thursday, June 25, 2009
Mayor Manny Diaz will join City Commissioners to officially launch the Park Rangers program. For the first time in the City’s history, the City of Miami has rangers dedicated to ensuring the safety of residents, cracking down on vandalism, and enforcing rules at parks throughout the City. This program is a continuation of the City’s efforts to invest in our parks and provide neighborhoods with a quality park system. Joining officials for the launch will be the 24 Park Rangers who have been dedicated to this effort.

Location:
Virrick Park, 3255 Plaza St., Coconut Grove
1:00 p.m.

Green Commission Meeting
Friday, June 26, 2009
Miami’s Green Commission will meet to discuss recent environmental initiatives’ accomplishments such as Gateway to Green, tree plantings, and Bike Miami Days. In addition, commission members will go over possible grant opportunities and policies related to LEED standards.

Location:
City of Mami City Hall Chambers, 2500 Pan American Drive
8:00 a.m.

District 5 Teen Green Clean Summer Youth Employment 2009
Friday, June 26, 2009
Orientation will take place for the participants of the District 5 Summer Youth “Teen Green Clean” Employment Pilot. The program will provide 100 youth ages 14-24 an opportunity to receive Environment Training on how to keep their community clean and recognize visual pollution. The youth will take part in environmental educational courses that focus on sustainable living, environmental protection and public communication. They will also work on neighborhood beautification projects around the district. This program will take place over the course of 8 weeks.
For more information contact Sonia Succar: ssuccar@miamigov.com

Fruit & Vegetable Community Garden Planting on the Miami River
Saturday, June 27, 2009
Commission Chairman Joe Sanchez, Miami River Commission, Babson College Alumni, Hands on Miami volunteers, Miami-Dade County & City of Miami will partner to create a fruit and vegetable community garden and beautify the Miami River. Over 50 Babson College alumni and Hands on Miami volunteers will join the Miami River Commission to create the first-ever riverfront vegetable garden on the historic Miami River, plant a variety of fruit trees, construct two raised planter beds, a rain barrel and a composter and help remove litter and debris along the shoreline of the Miami-Dade County Public Housing Agency’s elderly housing development Robert King High Towers. For more information contact Ashley Chase: miamiriver@bellsouth.net

Location:
Robert King High Towers
1407 NW 7 St
9:00 a.m.

Green Dwellers is still open for business! By appointment only and through their online store. Visit GreenDwellers.com for more info. [updated 8/30/09]

We’re sad to see them go: Green Dwellers, an eco-boutique in Plantation, is closing their doors. You have just a few more days to buy up their inventory at cost. Here is the message from the store’s owner:

Dear Friends,

Though business has been good despite our economic times, I have decided to close my brick and mortar store in order to spend more time with my family, but will continue to offer some of the same great green products online via GreenDwellers.com Owning the first green boutique in South Florida has been a very exciting venture and I got to meet all of you but also a very demanding task for a mom. This lifestyle change will allow me to work at home and continue to educate and speak about the importance of going green and making healthier choices for your home.

I will continue to sell my organic mattresses & pillows and some baby products through sharing of space with the new tenant. In the meatime, I must liquidate the physical inventory as well as the IKEA furniture used for display to make room for the new tenant so I urge you to come take advantage of this one-time, limited time, in-store only opportunity! Spread the word and bring a friend!

Thanks for your business and support!

Mylene D’Arelli

Be sure to call ahead to make sure their doors are still open! I don’t expect they will be open past June 14, 2009. We wish them the best of luck in the future. Thanks for getting the green ball rolling in brick & mortar in South Florida, Mylene!
View Larger Map
5215 W. Broward Blvd.
Plantation, FL
954-533-2295

When: June 11 & 12, 2009, Thursday & Friday, Conference: 8:30 am to 5:00 pm, Exhibit Hall: 10:00 am to 5:00 pm

Where: Miami Beach Convention Center (Hall C), 1901 Convention Center Drive, Miami Beach, FL 33139

View Larger Map

In Brickell, where I live, a new 35 story office building is being built (1450 Brickell) and it is pre-certified as LEED Gold. LEED certified buildings operate at lower cost and have many environmental benefits compared to normal construction.

Also in Brickell, some local residents are working with their condo building to offer recycling for its residents. This is a challenge for many Miamians, including myself, even though it is the law for condos to provide recycling. Find more information on What Doesn’t My Condo Recycle?

Someone in Sunny Isles mentioned to us that their condo recently REMOVED recycling from the building, because it was such a mess. This is the big issue…if people do not put recyclables in the right spot, the entire process gets botched and all of this potentially recyclable material becomes trash. If we want to have recycling in our buildings, education to residents must be key.

We’ve also heard from friends in North Bay Village that a mom is driving around in a three wheel electric vehicle, and has managed to fit 2 car seats in the back! Now that’s green.

What’s going on in your neighborhood? Can you recycle in your condo (what building is it?)? Let us know in the comments section! Also let us know if you’d like to see this as a regular feature and would like to keep your eye out for green in your area!