The second annual All Things Green Conference and Expo was held Wednesday, March 31 by the Macomb County Chamber of Commerce at the IBEW NECA Training Center in Warren. The event, according to Chamber CEO Grace Shore, drew a crowd of over 200 people when it was held the first time in April 2009. This year, she said, the same amount of people were expected to attend.
Shore also said that in addition to the expected turnout, there were 30 vendors at the event who were present to publicize their green companies.
“It’s a day-long series of mini seminars, and they focus on everything from energy optimization to new products and services,” she said. “While there are seminars going on, there is also an expo. There are 30 booths of various types all related to the [green] industry.”
Among the guest speakers who were present for the seminar portion of the Expo was Allan O’Shea, the chairman of the Manistee County Board of Commissioners, who also spoke at last year’s event. O’Shea gave a talk this year on renewable energy, which he titled “Growing Sustainable Communities with Renewable Energy.”
O’Shea said he thinks it is important for these communities to grow “one job at a time.” He said he also believes that change is something that will come about in the economy with the help of positive attitudes.
“It’s all about the attitude. We need to embrace change,” he said. “Just think back to Henry Ford. He changed the world, and he changed Detroit. And nobody really saw it coming.” O’Shea said he believes Detroit is on the verge of an “energy renaissance.”
Among the 30 vendors represented Wednesday was Roncelli, Inc. Roncelli is the largest general contracting company in Macomb County, according to Marilyn Lane, who works in Business Development for the alternative energy division of the company.
“I’m involved in the alternative energy division that Roncelli has incorporated into their portfolio about three years ago,” Lane said.
Also present were several other vendors including the Building Science Academy, The Engineering Society of Detroit, Repower America and many more.
All Things Green, which was put together by the Chamber of Commerce’s Green Task Force, was held at the IBEW Training Center partially because of the building’s green elements.
“We like having it here because of the wind turbine, and they have a solar panel, too,” Shore said. “The building itself is interesting.”
The next All Things Green Conference and Expo is expected to take place at the same location next year.
Source: GreeningDetroit.com
Author: Jennifer Griffin, Contributing Writer and Public Relations, GreeningDetroit.com
