Launching the Women In Green Forum was something that felt more like a calling than the birth of a conference.  I have spent the majority of my professional career focused on environmental initiatives in traditionally male-dominated industries (transportation, ports and goods movement, waste management, and others). I have also been involved in developing agendas for and organizing several of the nation’s leading conferences on environmental topics, usually working with an event planning committee on selecting topics and speakers.  I realized that many of these conference speaker rosters featured primarily male speakers.

On August 3, 2009, I was discussing this very issue with the visionary green building expert John Picard.  He agreed that there was an unmet need.  Where were the venues to encourage more women to enter these increasingly important fields?  Which events highlighted the achievements of those women who have lead the way?  I started to list off the women who had shifted the paradigm in their industries – Geraldine Knatz, Mary Nichols, Nancy Sutley, Lisa Jackson, Maggie Fox, Linda Adams, Cindy Tuck, Majora Carter and on and on.  It felt as if the other industry conferences were blind to their successes.  We needed to create a space which celebrated and inspired women’s leadership in environmental industries.  That day, I promised Picard that Three Squares Inc. would develop a forum: to honor female trailblazers, educate and motivate future female leaders, build community for women in environmental fields, and showcase environmentally-sound products and services.

Voila!  The Women In Green Forum was conceived.

Since its launch, my staff and I have been overwhelmed by support from women and men across the globe.  We receive emails daily from passionate individuals who want to network with other professionals, share their achievements, display innovative products and services in the expo, or volunteer on our guerilla marketing team to help spread the word about the forum.  To assist with agenda development, we are fortunate to have an Advisory Board made up of the best and brightest minds from academia, government, corporate, and the nonprofit organizations.

We have witnessed what happens when amazing women occupy powerful positions – they are the drivers of environmental change.  Real economic risks come with any significant venture, and self-funding an effort of this size and scope has only been possible by growing the Women In Green Forum into a worldwide community.  To encourage this type of growth, we took a risk: innovating the attendee registration experience by offering lifetime membership to the annual Women In Green Forum for all 2010 paid registrants.  September 1st and 2nd mark the birth of a network of inspiring professionals that will be sustained through the forum’s online communities via Facebook, LinkedIn, Twitter, and YouTube.

As my team and I work towards our goal, I am thankful – for the professional experiences I had prior to Three Squares Inc. and especially for those women and men who have mentored me throughout this journey.

Onward and upward!

Jaime Nack
President, Three Squares Inc.
Founder, Women In Green Forum

[And, special thanks to my sister Adina Nack for encouraging me to write this post and share my thoughts via the web.]

I read the above quote in a magazine recently and it hit me – this is exactly why we do what we do. It is a gift to be able to “work” in a field which allows you to make an impact on the world around you, but it is a choice which leads you on the path to study, work hard and continue to learn new things each day in order to pursue a career in the environmental arena.

Three Squares Inc. was a choice.  It was a choice to use the talents of a group of people to create solutions for some of today’s most challenging issues.

Most of the blog entries on this page focus on environmental topics and I wanted to start off 2010 with a different touch.  I am humbled by the talent around me and thankful for those who have supported the mission of Three Squares Inc.

Onward and upward,

Jaime Nack

We recently conducted an eco audit of the Gili Eco Villas located 2 hours (by boat) from Bali, Indonesia.  The owners have really taken major steps to have a minimal impact on the island and also give back to the community. They support the Gili Eco Trust which focuses on Biorock installations – metal structures which channel a low voltage current to create limestone and stimulate corral growth.  The corral has been damaged due to fishing boats dropping anchor and the practice of cyanide or bomb fishing.

For more information, contact http://www.giliecovillas.com

TOPIC: Navigating LEED Career Options

Three Squares Inc. presents this interactive introductory webinar to help guide you through the most popular questions relating to the new LEED version 3. Topics include:

LEED Green Associate (GA) vs. LEED AP
The career path for LEED consultants
Recent legislation’s impact on green job creation

Presenter:
Paras Nanavati, Associate AIA, LEED AP
Paras Nanavati brings six years experience in the construction industry as an architectural designer and a green building expert. He has an extensive background in all aspects of environmental planning, sustainability, and its implementation in the creative process. Mr. Nanavati earned his Bachelor’s of Architecture degree from SCI-Arc and also holds a Bachelor’s of Science in Physics from the University of Mumbai.

Reserve your Webinar seat now at:
https://www1.gotomeeting.com/register/623980840

[This introductory webinar is the first in a series of Green Building Design Webinars offered by Three Squares Inc.]

http://www.economist.com/sciencetechnology/displaystory.cfm?story_id=14302001&fsrc=rss

Check it!

Sweet Green  – Dupont Circle, D.C.

(photo courtesy of Aleza Remis)

http://www.hotelmadera.com/

Enjoy the video clip below:

Over 700 attendees representing the leading green technology firms and venture capital firms engaged in two days of presentations, networking sessions and exhibit hall demonstrations at the Pasadena Convention Center on August 1-3rd.

Three Squares Inc. was proud to be a part of the planning team and honored to work with the South Coast AQMD on such a groundbreaking event.

The event web site will feature all of the PowerPoint presentations in the coming weeks:

www.greentechconnectforum.com