Kansas City Businesses Embrace Climate Protection

While the signatories represent a fraction of the 8,000 companies that belong to the chamber, interest in the partnership is growing, in line with the chamber's "sustainability" priority for the coming year, said the chamber's new chairman, Bob Regnier, president of the Bank of Blue Valley.

"Promoting sustainability is a top priority for The Chamber," said Regnier. "The goals for our new business partnership are to reduce regional greenhouse gas emissions and to increase economic competitiveness."

The effort is more than just hot air. Kansas City Power & Light is distributing wind generated power and implementing new energy efficiency programs to reduce demand while reducing carbon output.

YRC Worldwide, one of the largest transportation service providers in the world, is ensuring that its trucks no longer idle and are routed more efficiently.

BNIM Architects is designing to LEED certified environmental and energy standards.

InkCycle, Inc. is removing suspended solids, silts and dyes from wastewater using no filters or separation chemicals.

The new Climate Protection Partnership is being initiated by the chamber's Energy Policy Task Force. "We've been meeting for the last year," said Task Force Chair William Downey, president of Kansas City Power & Light.

"The group was formed for two reasons," Downey said. "First, as a response to growing environmental concerns. Secondly, because we looked around and realized we have a tremendous concentration of energy-related businesses in the Kansas City region, many of them headquartered here. The new partnership we've developed is a proactive and voluntary response from the business community."

"The chamber's role here is as a facilitator," explained chamber President Peter Levi. "Through mobilizing and educating our thousands of member businesses, we can potentially have quite an impact."

Interest in the Climate Protection Partnership is growing as evidenced by the sold out Energy Policy and Climate Protection Symposium organized by the task force on November 8.

"We're asking members of the partnership to reduce their greenhouse gas emissions," Regnier said, "and we're suggesting a number of ways to do that. We'll also provide technical assistance and a forum where members can share best practices."