Saint Louis University
IN-4: Innovation 4

St. Louis was chosen to be a pilot region in the National Climate Prosperity Project along with Denver, Portland, and the Silicon Valley. Each of these regions is developing a climate prosperity strategy based on its unique comparative advantages and implementing it through regional public‐private partnerships. In St. Louis, the pilot project is led by the St. Louis Regional Chamber and Growth Association (RCGA). The St. Louis Climate Prosperity Project engages area businesses, educational institutions, elected officials and governmental entities, and other civic organizations in the 16-county metropolitan region to broaden support around green savings, green opportunity, and green talent. Saint Louis University’s Center for Sustainability has partnered with the RCGA to support and advance the goals of the Climate Prosperity Project. Saint Louis University joined the RCGA’s St. Louis Green Business challenge as an inaugural member in January of 2010. The challenge was designed to encourage member institutions to adopt sustainable business practices that improve energy efficiency and indoor air quality, reduce waste and water consumption, as well as increase clean transportation options. The Center for Sustainability is also collaborating with the RCGA to help develop a regional Green Talent Strategy. The Green Talent Strategy aims to identify growth in green occupations in the St. Louis region, align job training providers with employers in green industries, and develop action plans to meet the growing talent needs of the regional green economy. In January of 2011 Saint Louis University hosted and helped organize the “St. Louis Green Confluence” to present the Green Talent Strategy to the St. Louis community and bring St. Louis area employers, educators, public policy makers and, citizens together to explore the future of the region's green economy. The two-day event was a collaborative effort between the Missouri Career Center, Illinois Work Net, the St. Louis Regional Chamber and Growth Association (RCGA), the St. Louis Higher Education Sustainability Consortium, St. Louis Green.com and SLU's Center for Sustainability. It featured a green economy symposium with expert speakers, a green career opportunity showcase with education workshops, and the unveiling of a new Web portal for green jobs. Climate Prosperity Project: http://www.climateprosperityproject.org/ St. Louis Green Economy Profile http://www.stlrcga.org/documents/mm/StLouisGreenEconomy.pdf