Did you know that 1 ton of 100 % recycled paper saves the equivalent of 4,100 kWh of energy, 7,000 gallons of water, 60 pounds of air emissions, and three cubic yards of landfill space?

Attendees at our first Go Green Business Summit learned about staggering statistics like this and ways that their businesses can be more eco-friendly.  More than 70 business leaders and environmental experts gathered to discuss innovative approaches, best practices and new trends in greening their businesses. The program was sponsored by Lackawanna County, PPL and WBRE/WYOU.

Commissioner Corey O’Brien described houw Lackawanna County is improving its environmental footprint.  Everything from eliminating gas guzzling county vehicles to implementing a county-wide recycling program in all county offices.

Michele Dempsey, DX Dempsey Architecture, Brad Bason, North Central Digital Systems, Jamie Reeger, Environmental Institute of Lackawanna College and Marlene Satter, SRA International, provided presentations on a host of informative topics.

A panel discussion with area experts and trend setters (including Danielle Fleming, Danielle & Co, Tom McLane, McLane & Associates, Shannon Cross, Outlook Construction, Jay Barton, WBRE/WYOU, Pam Fendrock, PennFuture and Nancy Crickman, EMAP) and a keynote address on Tomorrow’s Trends by Tom Tuffey, PennFuture rounded out the program.

More than 15 vendors were on hand to provide attendees with resources and assistance in making eco-senstive choices for their businesses.

Be sure to check out our upcoming training programs.  And, be sure to check out the other articles on this blog about what local businesses are doing to improve their environmental footprint.

If you attended the Go Green Business Summit, we’d love to know what you thought of the program.  Please feel free to share your comments and best-practices for greening your businesses.

It is, to say the least, inspiring when a story of someone’s success is brought to our attention. It doesn’t even matter in what field the success was achieved. Regardless of the relevance to our own grind, we feel excited and motivated when we hear a story of “risk and reward”. 

Six years ago the writing of one such success story began. In 2002, Danielle Fleming, of Danielle and Company, located in Scranton, Pennsylvania, began an entrepreneurial journey that has allowed her to become an incredibly successful business woman.

Ms. Fleming’s education in the fields of psychology and behavioral therapy was the starting point for her business success. Danielle and Company is a business that specializes in the creation of luxury bath and beauty products. The products are the result of a research project that Ms. Fleming had undertaken, which involved the use of handmade soaps and the study of the human psychological response to different scents. When the research project was over, the demand for Danielle’s handmade scented soaps lingered.

Because of the demand for her products, Ms. Fleming began selling her handmade organic soaps at local farmer’s markets. Since then her business has seen tremendous growth. “It is amazing to me to look back at our growth.  We started in my kitchen at home and then went to a 400 square foot retail store and moved our way up to a 6,500 square foot facility with more space to expand to 30,000 square feet”, said Ms. Fleming. The business will now have even more exposure because of the move from its long time location in Clarks Summit to a beautiful venue on Adams Avenue in Scranton.

Ms. Fleming’s business and her line of products are unlike any other bath and beauty offerings. “We are focused on the whole person, the mind, the body and their impact on the environment when people use our products”, said Ms. Fleming. This philosophy has given Danielle and Company products national exposure, including features in national magazines and their use by such celebrities as Janet Jackson and Howie Mandel. The products are also sold in spas and hotels worldwide.

In addition to unparalleled products, Danielle and Company believes in the importance of preserving the environment. All of the products are made with 100 percent natural ingredients. The company’s new location is also eco-friendly, complete with energy efficient machines and appliances, compact fluorescent light bulbs, and the use of non toxic paints.

Ms. Fleming holds the belief that success requires dedication, commitment, and perseverance. She also sites the help of local business organization as being conducive to the success of her business, especially the University of Scranton Small Business Development Center and MetroAction. “MetroAction has helped my business by providing great seminars for entrepreneurs like myself to expand their knowledge base”, said Ms. Fleming. “It has also helped my company’s growth by providing us with a low-interest loan”.

The success of Danielle and Company is hinged upon Ms. Fleming’s commitment and drive to succeed. She encourages other entrepreneurs to take chances. She says, “Being an entrepreneur is hard work, but if you have the desire and commitment, it will bring you to places you never dreamt of!  Go ahead and leap…the net will appear”.