BetterWorld was out in force a few days ago at the Live Green Green Confessions party at The Warehouse in D.C. Live Green makes eco-friendly living and business practices easier and more affordable in DC and beyond. They are a membership organization providing support to green businesses and discounts on everyday green products and services for consumers....

While BetterWorld focuses on creating change at a national and global level, BetterWorld employees also give 1-2 or more days of volunteer time to support their local community. I’ve been putting my local time and energy into the formation of Think Local First—a soon to be non-profit and BALLE (Business Alliance for Local Living Economies) network—serving on the board as the Community Development Coordinator....

The smiles could not have been any bigger! Diane, center of picture, just witnessed the raising of the exterior walls of the first home that she and her two daughters (Amber and Daria) can truly call their own. Diane was recently disabled in an automobile accident. Her new Habitat for Humanity home is in Manning, SC and it is scheduled for completion sometime in March....

The BetterWorld train today finds itself at the Harvard Business School, at the annual Social Enterprise Conference. We were invited to participate in the conference career fair but have been able to sit in on a number of amazing sessions this morning and afternoon. Currently, we’re in a packed house at the Burden Auditorium at the keynote panel with David Gergen(HBS, CNN), Bill Drayton(Ashoka), Jonathan Greenblatt (Ethos), and Clara Miller (Nonprofit Finance Fund), the house is packed, well over a 1,000 here while the snow is piling up outside....

The D.C. Convention Center is buzzing for sure – – Van Jones blew the roof off last night and thousands of students, government and business leaders have descended on D.C. to learn, share ideas and march on the Capitol this Monday. We’re on a panel with Greenpeace, Green America, Climate Solutions and Rainforest Action Network: Challenging Corporations: How to Hold Corporate America Accountable, should be a lively discussion!...

We had the great fortune this week to meet with Gloria Freshley, Casey Repp and Erin Fitzgerald from ShoreBank Pacific. ShoreBank Pacific is an amazing voice and catalyst in the fight for corporate social and environmental responsibility and a true pioneer in the banking industry. They are the first commercial bank in the United States with a commitment to environmentally sustainable community development and believe that long-term community prosperity goes hand-in-hand with a healthy environment....

One of our favorite recurring trips is up to Ventura, CA north of LA to visit one of the true beacons of walking the triple bottom line, activism and cool. One of the folks key in keeping the Patagonia machine ticking, Alex Yanez (pictured with Ali), was our guide as we saw everything around the Patagonia campus, from the the latest Patagonia gear to the new ground they are forging in their environmental initiatives and programs....

With a mission to tech up non-profits around the world, TechSoup is clearly delivering: From June 2007 to June 2008 the retail value of their technology product donations distributed came to a whopping $312M, while saving social benefit organizations $296M through the distribution of 901,000 products. That my friends’s IMPACT....

Earlier this week, on a snowy,windy day next to the Hudson River north of NYC, we were fortunate to spend some quality time with our customer, Eileen Fisher, at their fab new HQ in Irvington, NY. Barbe Crowley, EF’s Facilities Director, provided us with a great tour and introduced us to so many wonderful folks who are the creators and shepherds of EF’s amazing vision and clothing design and delivery, popular in all corners of the U....

…what a wonderful world it would be! We had the great fortune to spend a couple days in Ann Arbor last week with the team from Zingerman’s, exploring ways we might be able to work together and learning more about the great business model they have developed. No matter what you read about Zingerman’s Community of Businesses, nothing can really prepare you for seeing this amazing collection of businesses in action....

The BetterWorld train passed through Philly this week and we were fortunate to meet with some of our customers and partners, plus one exciting new company on the horizon, here’s some highlights: e3bank We met with the management team at e3bank outside of Philadelphia, e3bank will be doing for the banking industrywhat BetterWorld is to the telecoms industry – providing a bottoms up sustainable model for the future....

After living in D.C. for almost 20 years (Christine and I since moved to Charleston, SC), it was just magical to be there this week and feel the energy and anticipation of the coming inauguration. Never in my time in D.C. was energy level this high, the hope, the expectation. As BetterWorld was founded and continues to be based in the D....

As we come to the final moments of 2008 and the first of 2009, its always a great time to take inventory and give thanks. Even though the BetterBlog is generally reserved for stories about our customers, partners, events and inspiration that we encounter, we always like to create a signpost of the year past and look out across the horizon to where we are going in the next year and beyond....

A few days back, we had our socks knocked off at Sun Microsystem’s main campus in Menlo Park – – we met with Ann Bamesberger and Michael Dunn who have spearheaded the Sun Open Work and Sun Ray initiatives for many years. The work that Sun has done in these areas is not only commendable from the environmental benefits they hold for all of us, but they demonstrate Sun’s true pioneering spirit and commitment to the environment and society....

A few days ago, we stopped by to see our customers and friends at the Ella Baker Center in Oakland – – their impact is being felt not only in the East Bay area where they are based but all over the country and world now as Ella Baker co-founder Van Jones has now created their sister organization Green For All, which is leading the charge for the Green Job movement....

Jay, Jacob and I were fortunate late last week to attend our first Sustainable Business Alliance monthly luncheon in Oakland and get to see some old friends and meet many new ones as well. BetterWorld is now a member of SBA and is exploring more ways we can become involved in the coming months with this great organization....

Every so often, your sense of reality is turned on its head – – well, that happened to us this past week upon our first visit to the Delancey Street Foundation in San Francisco. Situated in the heart of the revitalized Embarcadero waterfront is a massive 400,00 sq. foot facility (pictured above), with a restaurant, cafe, housing, community rooms, courtyards, movie theater, event facility – all completely self sufficient, run by the residents of the Delancey Street Foundation....

Congratulations to our long time customer and partner, Seventh Generation on being ranked the “Number One Best Company on Earth” by the Better World Shopping Guide (no relation to BetterWorld Telecom). Other BetterWorld Telecom customers making the top ten list include Honest Tea and Patagonia and we second the enthusiasm for these three great companies and all the contributions they have made towards the betterment of business, the environment and society....

Betterworld Telecom wrapped up the week in attendance at the Eco Build Expo in Boston this past Friday who’s theme for 2008 was “Revolutionary Green: Innovations for Global Sustainability”. Attendees included vendors from the green building space who showcased their goods and services. Majora Carter, Executive Director of Sustainable South Bronx in New York, was just one of the many talented speakers that discussed how the economy and green-collar jobs are becoming more popular in today’s society and she urges businesses to get back to their local roots....

This past weekend, I was most fortunate to spend a weekend in residence at Island Wood on Bainbridge Island, WA with the Bainbridge Graduate Institute during one of their student intensives. It is hard to put into words what an amazing place Island Wood is, but equally difficult is trying to describe in a few words the powerful engine for change and sustainability that has been created at BGI....

Out in San Francisco, the Mecca of sustainable business and progressive thinking, I just finished up with Green America’s (Co-Op America’s new name) Green Business Conference. It was an opportunity to strengthen connections with folks we know and develop new relationships with many new wonderful companies and organizations. Amidst the worst financial crisis since the Great Depression, the Green community remains optimistic about the exponential growth of responsible business and public awareness....

On Tuesday November 11th members of the Betterworld team joined with 1Sky to help prepare for the November 18th Climate Leadership NOW rally that will take place in Washington DC. Volunteers, members and socially minded people from across the 50 states will gather on November 18th to welcome the president elect and the new congress by calling on them to make climate an immediate priority in 2009....

The Christmas season is almost upon us, but for one family in Manning, SC, their holiday gift should be delivered a week early. Drenita and her 4 year old daughter Aniya are anxiously awaiting moving day in December when they finally get to move into their brand new home. For months, Drenita has been working right along side area volunteers, friends and family to achieve her dream....

We were fortunate this week to be able to present at the first Green Telecom Summit, held in Berlin. Along with Verizon, BetterWorld Telecom was the only other U.S. telecom carrier presenting at the conference. The focus of the conference was the overall impact of climate change – what are the challenges we are facing in society as a whole and how can the telecoms industry work to reduce the impact?...

The BetterWorld team was out in force again at this year’s DC GreenFest – – we don’t have the final numbers but it seemed the largest for sure to date and the crowds were very active. As always the case, our friends from Seven Star, Coop America, and Global Exchange put on a great show and deserve the highest congratulations....