Most of us are aware as individuals that we must preserve planet resources in order to maintain life on earth. However, many of us might not fully understand the requirements of sustainability. On a personal level, we all need to do our part. And today, we must also better understand what corporations and other businesses are also doing to help sustain our planet for those of us here now; and how companies are doing their part to make things safer for future human development.

It all begins with awareness and knowledge. My own level of knowledge increased significantly as I began working with my first sustainability client, Go-Green Auto Centers (GGAC). They were a New York-based company that provided infrastructure for maintenance on Alternative Fuel Vehicles (AFV) back in the early 2000's. Auto service centers around the country were trained and certified to become ‘green shops’ that offered services, products and on-going maintenance to hybrid and electric cars. Even back then AFV’s were increasingly in demand by mainstream consumers, who sought to better the environment and decrease their reliance upon gas, fuels and oil, which are more and more expensive by the day.

As I began to help GGAC with business strategies that included international expansion, it occurred to me how important it is to continually educate consumers on the alternatives to having their cars fixed and maintained by the auto dealers where they bought their cars. There are now other options to save consumers’ money, and not allow the dealerships to run monopolies on the AFV market. Customers can now purchase eco-friendly products, warranties, parts, etc. and feel very good about helping the environment. Consumers also have the power to decrease this nation’s reliance on fuels and oils from overseas.

GGAC ultimately did not make it as a company, but it had a crucial role of educating regional auto shops within the U.S. and helped those service centers educate consumers. They partnered with other business entities to helped them expand the mission of ‘going green.’ GGAC aligned with New York universities, national politicians and governmental organizations as well as industry-related products and service companies such as Leviton for charging stations, BioRemedi Products, Parts Authority, N-Viro Clean Products, Green Earth Technologies, EZ Detailer and more. Collaborative efforts like these will continue to grow and expand long-term solutions to providing more and more resources to the end consumer, who is conscious of improving the environment. One day, we will be fully green. It's just innovation and it's going to happen.

Companies today are focusing on important initiatives like wind power solutions; biotechnologies to save energy, improve water, raw materials and waste; bio refining, lithium-ion batteries and other nano-scale electrode technology; solar energy; renewable energy & geodynamics; and more. Progress will be made.

As we begin to map out future international strategies for early adopters like GGAC, it be imperative to share learnings and discover and align to help with each country’s environmental needs. Businesses who think and act globally will find solutions that will help home base as well as the rest of the world.

Our demand for energy will double. This is why I can’t think of a better way to have more of an impact than finding and aligning with resources from around the world. Hiking tariffs and ruining global relationships is only temporary. It will take time to mend broken relationships but I am optimistic that we will embark upon different and perhaps even better ways to find solutions for our ecosystem – solutions that could positively impact the next generations.