This week we highlighted the Malkis’ vision in founding Green Cities and Jerome Ringo’s focus on the human element of sustainability. Creative Loafing’s  Joshua Michael Poll reviews the latest Green Cities event and highlights the 1 MW Solar Electric System at the Orange County Convention Center and Orlando’s Mayor Buddy Dyer’s announcement of “Green Works Orlando”. Here’s a list of posts about Green Cities from this week, in case you missed them:

EcoFactory Interviews Apollo Alliance’s President Jerome Ringo

What is Sustainability? Interview with Georgia Malki

EcoFactory Interview with Joseph Malki

Green Cities in the news this week:

Creative Loafing Recaps Green Cities Florida

For me, this was a breath of fresh air. Often when in a green convention, you’re likely to meet a huge mass of straight-ticket voters who hold the party line no matter what. Joseph Malki seemed pleased to rock the boat a little in revealing that he was a self-proclaimed radical green Republican. It was startling for a minute, and then it made sense. In order for the green movement to stick, it needs to have firm supporters on both sides of the aisle. Joseph Malki could be that guy.

Joseph talked to us about the science of sustainability, and made the point that business and government aren’t cooperating on green initiatives in a meaningful way. Joseph argued that green was turned into an ideology by progressives, activists, and the political left. He cited numerous instances where green initiatives turned out to be disasters, namely biofuel and CFL life-cycle risk-assessment.

It all makes sense to me. Creating meaningful change with this momentum requires a scientific, codified approach if we want it to last longer than the current administration. Joseph Malki may represent the future generation of green conservatives, or even the green movement as a whole.

-by Nate Kharrl of ecofactory

We here at EcoFactory managed to catch Steve Cochran at Green Cities™ Florida and talk to him a bit about Open Space. It’s quite an impressive concept, to think that you can solve problems that might take weeks of meetings by doing an Open Space session for a few hours. I didn’t have the chance to ask everyone what they accomplished in sessions on May 21, but judging by past successes, I’d say some good things were accomplished.

Cochran told me that he’s done Open Space sessions with groups of all sizes, most recently with attendees at the Green Cities™ Alabama Summit. Seems like it always produces some good ideas. I can believe that, considering that some of my best classes in college were based on the sort of discussions that Open Space tries to foster.

Here’s how Open Space works: You gather a bunch of people together and encourage them to bring up topics on a particular theme. Those topics are written on pieces of paper, and anyone interested in that topic follows the piece of paper to the sidelines, where a discussion will start on the topic. Essentially the idea is that the people, not the leadership, set the agenda. If you get a bunch of people together in one room and encourage them to think freely to bring up solutions, odds are you’re going to come up with something original and creative.

The only requirements Open Space puts on participants govern how the discussion works, rather than what is discussed. Principles like “if you’re not contributing or learning, move on” and “when the discussion is over, it’s over” indicate that the direction is not to force accomplishment, but instead to foster it.

I hope that the Green Cities™ Florida Open Space session managed to accomplish some great things. Certainly there were some big movers involved in the discussions, with people coming from businesses, non-profits, and government offices. The biggest thing I brought away from the whole event was that there are people out there with big dreams for a greener planet. Let’s hope those dreams come true!

New to the environmental movement, editor Gabe LeBlanc had the idea behind Ecofactory about two years ago and gives most of the credit to the work of Al Gore and a shift in worldview after becoming a father.   Ecofactory is the one stop spot for the “world’s green thinkers” as it not only gives you the latest environmental news from around the nation, but also offers a spot for the audience to respond and contribute content in the form of blogs and even videos.  Fresh off the success of their beta site, Ecofactory has developed a unique platform for those seeking to learn more about the green movement, which is constantly evolving from the ideas of both the original creators and users.

“I really feel that the Ecofactory project has been a liberating experience for me in that it has freed me from any guilt of apathy,” LeBlanc says. “Plus, I am always learning and working to become more green. The education I receive through my own research and as an editor reading others’ works has helped me evolve to think differently about my own habits and about the importance of being involved in the green movement in general.”

The past year brought upon a wave of new environmentally oriented sites.  Ecofactory went with a big idea of combining various services into one interface to make itself stand out.  Between the balanced reporting, an online community with numerous outlets for contribution and the soon to come “Shop Green” section Gabe LeBlanc has created an online resource that could very well change the way people connect members of a community.

On Twitter?  Of course you are.  You can keep up with the goings on at the Ecofactory by following them at: www.twitter.com/ecofactory

Taylor Huff gave us some inside information about the topics covered at Green Cities Florida. Experts in sustainability, land use planning, green building, and clean technology will be on hand to give high-energy presentations, hold round table discussions, and help individual business owners and municipalities find their niche in this growing market.

Green Cities focuses on environmental sustainability, pragmatic training, and insight into environmental business opportunities. Taylor Huff informed us that many speakers have illuminating topics about how to tap into government stimulus money to help fund new green initiatives, and how to increase your company’s profitability.

“A wide array of courses will be there, that can appeal to virtually anyone,” said Huff of the many training tracks available. “Our goal is to power people to be profitable and sustainable.” This event is ideal for companies that are ready to launch on a full scale green initiative, but need to set realistic goals that are geared to increase profitability. Courses on LEED and SMaRT certification will be given, as well as other continued learning opportunities. “This is a great opportunity for people who have been displaced from their jobs or lost a business,” said Huff. Getting aligned with green careers and starting green businesses is a key reason to attend Green Cities Florida.

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