Marlborough resident helps green up Boston
By Angela Greiner Community Reporter

(l to r) Galen Nelson, green technology director at Boston Redevelopment Authority; Boston Mayor Tom M. Menino; Peggy Harlow, director of the Massachusetts Department of Environmental Protection (DEP); Susan Labandibar, president of Tech Networks of Boston and a Sustainable Business Network board member; and Marlborough resident Jennifer Boudrie, PHOTO/SUBMITTED director of the Sustainable Business Leader Program, show off a $50,000 grant from the DEP.

Marlborough - "Green Marlborough" founder Jennifer Boudrie took the city by storm nearly a year and a half ago when she began a grassroots organization to "green up" the city. After several successful local energy-efficiency environmental campaigns and cleanups, Boudrie's efforts will move to a larger stage as she becomes director of the newly organized "Sustainable Business Leadership Program" (SBLP).

"This builds on the work I have been doing in Marlborough and expands it to a larger community," Boudrie said.

In a press conference hosted April 23 by Boston Mayor Thomas M. Menino, the city of Boston officially launched SBLP with the acceptance of a two-year, $50,000 grant from the Massachusetts Department of Environmental Protection (DEP). The initial aim of the program is to recruit 25 small to mid-size Boston-based businesses with an interest in developing strategies to reduce their environmental impact.

"For small to mid-size companies, they do not have the infrastructure that a large business would have to hire someone to implement sustainable programs," Boudrie said.

This program, she explained, is the only one of its kind in the country, although it's similar to one in California. The organization will offer companies technical assistance in evaluating and developing new strategies for energy and water conservation, pollution prevention, transportation, waste reduction, and sustainability management.

"SBLP is leading the way to help small and mid-size businesses to become more economically and environmentally sustainable," Boudrie said.

Although she will be working initially with Boston-based businesses, her goal is to create a greening-up guide useable by businesses throughout the commonwealth.

"Throughout the year, we will be pooling resources and tools of what a company would need to do and then we will share them," she said.

The SBLP does already offer some opportunities for businesses outside the Boston area. Upon request, the SBLP off ers three programs for businesses: group workshops, onsite services and customized programs.

The group workshops off er companies an opportunity to send a staff member to be trained in current practices in six areas from transportation use to water conservation. The company is also provided with a list of material for implementing more efficient strategies.

The other two options are through pre-scheduled appointments. The business owner can either choose to have an individualized service to meet a company's specific need or have a visit from a coordinator who will do an on-site assessment of the current business practices.

Boudrie described herself as an educator or advocate for the environment. She said that, in addition to working half-time for SBLP, she will continue her work with Green Marlborough.

For more information about how to get involved with the SBLP, visit www.sustainablebussinessleader. org. For more information about becoming involved with Green Marlborough, visit www.greenmarlborough. org.