The South Carolina Nature Based Tourism Association is offering a Going Green Certification Program that encourages its members to re-think their business practices in order to reduce their impact on the environment, by conserving energy and water, reducing waste and pollution, recycling and purchasing recycled products, and implementing green building measures.

The program uses a comprehensive checklist of “Going Green” sustainable practices. Members review the checklist and self-evaluate their environmental performance in key areas related to sustainability, such as energy efficiency, transportation and resource conservation, pollution prevention, and green building. Based on the results, a participating member organization is awarded one of four “green” recognition levels. This "Green" certification recognition can be used to enhance marketing and promotion efforts. Members can increase their “green” rating by implementing a variety of sustainable measures identified in the Green Certification Program checklist. The thresholds for each level of eligibility are described as follows:

• BRONZE Level Recognition of a Sustainably Responsible Tourism Business: Member organizations that adhere to 20-29 of the “going green” practices in the Green Certification Program checklist.
• SILVER Level Recognition of a Sustainably Responsible Tourism Business: Member organizations that adhere to 30-39 of the “going green” practices in the Green Certification Program checklist.
• GOLD Level Recognition of a Sustainably Responsible Tourism Business: Member organizations that adhere to 40-49 of the “going green” practices in the Green Certification Program checklist.
• ELITE-GREEN Level Recognition of a Sustainably Responsible Tourism Business: Member organizations that adhere to 50+ of the “going green” practices in the Green Certification Program checklist.

PARTICIPATION CAN START TODAY
If your business or organization would like to participate in this worthwhile program, view the PDF of the Green Certification Program checklist and complete the form online. Tally the number of green practices your business adheres to, and print the checklist. (You won't be able to save the document with the information intact.) Then mail the print-out of your completed checklist with your total score to:

April Turner
Coastal Communities Specialist
SC Sea Grant Extension Program
287 Meeting Street
Charleston, SC 29401

You will be awarded a certificate of recognition from SCNBTA, and will receive online recognition for your "green practices" on this web site. If you have any questions please contact April at (843)953-2078 or april.turner@scseagrant.org.