Los Angeles, CA
A local chamber of commerce that promotes environmental policy as a key to the city's economic viability.
As a part of their mission to advocate governmental policies and programs that help local businesses flourish, the Los Angeles Chamber has taken giant leaps out of the normal activities of a chamber to actively pursue environmental policies that marry economic growth with reducing emissions and conserving vital resources. They see this agenda as both critical to the future economic health of the city and as an opportunity to grow new industries.
There are two key ways the Los Angeles Chamber works to achieve green growth goals. The first is by actively educating members about the impacts of new or proposed 
environmental regulation and then working with businesses and elected officials to develop workable policies with achievable environmental goals. The second is to work with local municipal agencies and universities to develop and grow Los Angeles-based companies to solve environmental challenges with innovative business practices and products. Both of these methods are working to maintain a strong economic base for the city.
In its effort to inform environmental regulations, the Chamber has been a constant commentator, among other things submitting a list of recommendations last fall to the California Air Resources Board (CARB) calling for a market-based system to reducing greenhouse gas emissions. The recommendations advocated that such a system would create sufficient incentives for facilities to determine and implement cost-effective reduction measures and suggested CARB refrain from imposing costly and restrictive control measures. The Chamber has also contributed substantive recommendations to other entities regarding the California Renewable Energy and Alternative Fuel Act, the City’s Green Energy, Green Jobs Initiative, and a host of other legislative issues. The Chamber’s voice has had a positive impact on local businesses, helping to harmonize business and sustainability goals.
As a green growth leader in Los Angeles, the Chamber partnered with the City of Los Angeles and three major research universities, UCLA, USC and CalTech to develop a network and set of business incentives that will grow local business talent, making Los Angeles the home of clean tech in the US. With over 900 clean tech companies already identified, the Los Angeles Chamber recently partnered with the Los Angeles Community Redevelopment Agency and UCLA to tour the Los Angeles Clean Tech Corridor, the epicenter of Los Angeles’ clean tech plan. Some of the highlights of the tour included the Los Angeles Department of Water and Power Research Center, which will provide office and lab space for projects researching renewable energy technology and the CleanTech Manufacturing Center, a former school bus manufacturing site repurposed for manufacturing related to clean technologies. Finally, the Los Angeles Chamber has also been pushing the City and department leadership relentlessly to use innovative financing models to help Los Angeles meet its climate change and sustainability goals. The Chamber views the opportunity to develop a robust solar portfolio in Los Angeles, one of the sunniest cities in America, as the best way to show its true star power.
Most recently, the Chamber in partnership with the Los Angeles Community College District is working to launch a voluntary green business certification program to help small and medium businesses become environmentally friendly. Businesses are assessed based on their performance in the areas of recycling, water conservation, energy reduction, and employee training and education efforts. While the program is voluntary, businesses that successfully complete it can save over $1000 a year and have a marketing advantage to the green conscious consumer base in Los Angeles.
Los Angeles is breaking away from its old stereotypes of sprawl and smog by making huge strides in clean-tech investment. The insistent advocacy of the Los Angeles Area Chamber of Commerce for both business-friendly environmental policy and sustainable company practices is leading Los Angeles to a cleaner and more vital industrial future.