Jumpstarting the New Green Economy

Thanks to the “Jump Starting the New Green Economy” conference my eyes were opened to a new sustainability hero, the independent restaurateur. For the past 17 years, Francis Schott has been a partner in the highly successful, independent restaurant, stageleft, which sits next to the George St. Playhouse in New Brunswick, NJ. What makes the restaurant special is that its management does all it can to use locally grown ingredients for the creation of its entrees and desserts. As Schott sees it, this practice of buying locally adds yet another layer to the networks that restaurants naturally create whereby the fabric of community is drawn together tighter.

Every human endeavor, including this one, starts with an idea. But an event that involves hundreds of people, especially one to discuss both the crisis and the opportunity of our times in an innovative way, very quickly takes on a life of its own. 
At some point, it’s important to step back from the logistics of the event [...]

When things finally start to come together for a conference like this, some serendipitous things begin to happen. People who were previously unavailable decide to show up; exhibitors sign up, even though times are tough all around; all sorts of interesting people begin to materialize, and bring new and often remarkable insights.
The “new green economy” [...]

Carol McClelland, PhD, Founder and Executive Director, Green Career Central
Carol McClelland, Ph.D., a pioneering career-change consultant, has spent seventeen years helping thousands of clients, students, and readers discover fulfilling careers that align with their personal values.
As the Founder and Executive Director of Green Career Central, Carol is once again on the leading edge of her field. When the green [...]

One of the ways we’re seeking to leverage the Conference is to provide a launchpad for new initiatives. These initiatives will be presented during 3-hour action-learning workshops on Thursday, May 21 starting at 2 p.m.:
Transition New Jersey
A project of Community Green, the TransitionNJ.org initiative is designed to assist communities to start transition programs in their [...]

Douglas Cohen, M.A.- Applied Behavioral Science is Chair, National Youth Initiatives, US Partnership, Education for Sustainable Development; and Founder, The Leadership Center.
Douglas Cohen practices Social Architecture focused on sustainability as a driver of large scale change.
He is practitioner of collaborative, cross-sector solution seeking, addressing key social equity and economic justice and spiritual dimensions of the [...]

Jonathan Cloud, Director, Sustainable Business Incubator
email:jcloud@fdu.edu  phone: 908-306-9075  - http://fdu.edu/ise
Jonathan Cloud is a lifelong environmentalist, community organizer, and entrepreneur. An early pioneer in passive-solar design and construction in Canada in the 1970s and 80s, as well as an environmental community activist, he received a UN Environment Award in 1985, in recognition of his work in renewable energy, [...]

Andrew Jones, Advisory Board, New York
With a strong interest in the environment from an early age, combined with extensive travel and diverse fields of endeavor led Andrew to a permaculture design course in 1999 and ever expanding opportunities to design, teach and promote sustainable solutions. Fifteen years of experience in humanitarian aid and development reflects a commitment to working to [...]

Martin Johnson founded Isles in 1981 with two other Princeton University students.  Since then, “Marty” and Isles have received national and international recognition for their sustainable development work.
Mr. Johnson is a founding director of numerous other development organizations and projects, including: the New Jersey Regional Coalition, New Jersey Community Loan Fund (now New Jersey Community [...]

Jun H. Choi is the Mayor of Edison Township, New Jersey, a community of over 100,000 people and the 5th largest municipality in the State.  He was sworn-in onJanuary 1, 2006.  His administration is focused on fiscal responsibility, land use policy reform, economic revitalization, police reform and public safety, education, rebuilding public trust, and bringing [...]