Sustainable Initiatives by Andrea Dean » green coach

Who is that Woman Behind the Green Cape?

admin — Thu, 04 Mar 2010 05:07:37 +0000

Susan Cox is the woman behind the green cape- the real life Green Power Woman whose imagination had fueled Green Power Girl, and the Green Power Heroes.

Read the story by Andrea Dean in the March/April 2010 issue of Ke Ola Magazine. Hard copies on the news stands now.

Growing Farmers in North Kohala

admin — Wed, 18 Nov 2009 23:04:03 +0000

Check out my article The “Cool Factor” Bonds Youth and Farming in the November-December issue of Ke Ola Magazine.

The article is about the Uluwehi Farms / Hawaii Youth Agriculture Project CSA (Community Supported Agriculture) in North Kohala. The project is growing food and farmers.

One of our “green businesses” in Hawaii is farming, but the high cost of land and inputs, and the low cost of imported food, have driven many farmers off the land. It is generally agreed that in order to re-localize our food production we need to have more farmers, and that means making farming an attractive and financially viable career option for our youth. Dashiell Kuhr of Uluwehi Farms / Hawaii Youth Agriculture Project / The Kohala Center (growing food and farmers takes many hands!) is one of the people helping to foster agricultural entrepreneurship among youth on Hawai’i Island.

Related Links:
North Kohala Food Forum
Hawaii Island School Garden Network
Hawaii Homegrown Food Network
Podcast on the Kohala Center’s Food Self-Reliance Program

Big Vision for the Big Island- Step by Natural Step

admin — Tue, 17 Nov 2009 07:22:27 +0000

Check out my new story in this month’s Innov8 magazine (the Go!/Mokulele in flight magazine) about The Natural Step framework. The Natural Step is a framework/process that helps companies and communities plan for sustainability. The County of Hawaii just adopted The Natural Step as it’s framework for sustainability planning.

11-13-09: Tyler Mongan on the Honu Guide- a Guide for Sustainable Living in Hawaii

admin — Fri, 13 Nov 2009 21:21:36 +0000

In this podcast I interview Tyler Mongan, Founder and Publisher of the Honu Guide- a guide for sustainable living in Hawaii. The Honu Guide is a resource book that is published once a year. The Honu Guide features well written articles on sustainability issues in Hawaii, and has a coupon book and resource directory that links people to green goods, services and organizations. Their distribution model is also innovative- organizations can sell the guide as a fundraiser for their organization. Schools take note- the Honu Guide is much healthier than a Krispy Kreme doughnut fundraiser! As a green business owner and writer- I think the Honu Guide is a great way to get the word out about my work.

If you are an itunes user, you can subscribe to my podcast through itunes and receive automatic weekly updates. Or you can listen below:

Scenes from the COC Hawaii 4th Annual Sustainability For Business Forum

admin — Tue, 10 Nov 2009 08:07:41 +0000

I was recently a speaker at the Chamber of Commerce of Hawaii 4th Annual Sustainability For Business Forum on Oahu. I spoke about the Business Case for Sustainability and using the Natural Step framework for Sustainability Strategic Planning.

Day 4: Andrea & Mary’s Girls Business Retreat Week

admin — Sat, 31 Oct 2009 08:07:20 +0000

Well the days are flying by. I finally got a new home page mocked up today. None of the info is correct, and there is still old stuff on the page, but let me know what you think of where I am going with the design.

We just installed Twitter Tools for WordPress and I am posting this blog post to test all of the cool functionality. Gotta go!

The Natural Step: A Roadmap for Hawaii Green Business

admin — Wed, 07 Oct 2009 00:20:08 +0000

Sophia Bowart, Guy Kaulukukui, Samantha Birch, Giovanna Gherardi, Alex Frost and Andrea Dean (not pictured) meet to discuss using the Natural Step Sustainability Primer in Hawaii.

If you want to become a green business, organization or community- you need a plan to get there. And you need to have a common definition of sustainability that everyone can agree upon. Many businesses here in Hawaii are taking the first steps towards sustainability, picking the low hanging fruits (conserving energy, waste, water), but few are looking into the future. How can planning for sustainability help you to take advantage of new markets? How can planning for sustainability help you avoid future resource problems? How can you communicate sustainability to your customers, your suppliers?

I was a part of a group of 30 sustainability leaders on Hawaii Island who were trained in how to use The Natural Step framework for strategic planning for sustainability. The Hawaii County Resource Center and the Kohala Center partnered to bring The Natural Step senior trainers Sarah Brooks and Mike Purcell to Hawaii to train us.

Now a group of us are working to localize The Natural Step for Sustainability Primer, highlighting local examples of sustainable practices.

Sustainability Strategic Planning with The Natural Step Framework on Hawaii Island

admin — Sat, 25 Jul 2009 07:29:59 +0000

I am looking for a few Sustainability Business Leaders who would like apply The Natural Step framework in their businesses.

I was recently part of a group of 30 sustainability leaders on Hawaii Island who were trained in how to use The Natural Step framework for strategic planning for sustainability. The Hawaii County Resource Center and the Kohala Center partnered to bring The Natural Step senior trainers Sarah Brooks and Mike Purcell to Hawaii to train us. Following are snippets from the training in which we applied the Natural Step framework towards sustainability issues in our County.

Mike Purcell, Natural Step Senior Trainer

Sarah Brooks, Natural Step Senior Trainer

Lynn VanLeuwan

Stefan Kropidlowski

Kathy Pomeroy

Ryan Peters

Help Me Create a New Name for My New Green Business Group

admin — Sun, 28 Jun 2009 05:58:16 +0000

I am just not that good at coming up with witty, marketable names for my classes. Help me!

My first Green Business Coaching Group is wrapping up in July and I am launching a new Green Business Group/Class in September. The new Group will feature different green business topics being taught each week by me and special guest speakers. Coaching techniques (active listening, powerful questioning, asking for commitments and accountability, etc) will be incorporated in the conversation in order to enhance learning and help participants to achieve their goals. Participants will also be able to help drive the agenda- asking for classes on topics of interest to them. People in the current group have really enjoyed the conversations that we have had and the connections they have made with each other. Feeling connected to each other and exchanging ideas has been a rich part of our group.

The New Name

Some basic info:

The class meets on the phone- it is a tele-class (or tele-seminar), we also use a web component when we need to for presentations. So– participants can be from anywhere in the country, not limited to Hawaii, where I live. The class meets twice a month for a hour each time for three months.

It is a Class/Coaching Group. I was previously calling it a Green Business Coaching Group, but this concept seemed too hard to explain. Everyone understands what a class is and I will incorporate coaching into the class.

Here are some of the words that I have been playing with, but unable to put into any great order:
Connect (Connection)
Engage (Engagement)
Achievement (Achievement)
Accomplish (Accomplishment)
Regenerate
Action
Stimulate
Accomplishment
Network with linke-minded….
Advancement
Progression
Expansion
Innovation
Resource
Evolution
Innovate (Innovation)
Eco preneur
Eco innovation
Aina innovation
Green Business
Green Biz
Sustainable business class series
Sustainable Business
Sustain biz
Greenasiannce
Socio eco
Green biz innovators class series
Eco biz
Green Team…..
Green Biz Blast
Hawaii Green Innovators
Eco Innovators
Going Green Hawaiian Style
Hawaii Eco-preneurs
Green Business Instutute of Hawaii
Green Biz Grow and Connect

If I choose a name that you come up with, I am happy to offer you a place in the Green Biz Group (or whatever it’s called!)- a $390 value.

Integrity and Stewardship in Action- Kuleana Green Business

admin — Fri, 21 Nov 2008 22:48:06 +0000

Pictured at right: Kenneth Sheeks- Hawaii Skylights & Solar Fans, Michael Kramer- Natural Investments LLC & Kuleana Green Business Program founder, Andrea Dean.

On Wednesday night at the Kona-Kohala Chamber of Commerce after hours, my company was recognized as a participant in the Kuleana Green Business Program.

The Kuleana Green Business Program recognizes businesses that promotes ethical and socially responsible business practices and environmental stewardship. Chamber businesses apply to the program and are evaluated based upon the following criteria:

• Product/Service Quality
-Unique products / services that deliver benefits to consumers, society and the environment.
• Community Relations & Benefits
-Activities that help the community to flourish socially, culturally, and economically.
• Customer Relations
-Strategies to provide outstanding service and attain customer loyalty.
• Employee Relations
-Policies for hiring and retaining employees, and for promoting accountability
• Environmental Stewardship
-Actions to minimize the business’ impact on the land, and efforts to conserve and regenerate resources.
(Source: Kuleana Green Business Program website)

Some of us think all businesses should integrate social and environmental strategies into their operations. Just the application process to Kuleana is a learning experience. Apply today! The committee has people to help you with your application.