Dana Sevakis, Michigan representative for the Apollo Alliance, spoke at EcoTuesday Southeast Michigan   as a member of our regional roundtable on sustainability.   Dana’s discussion centered on how important collaboration is for driving policy to support developing green markets in Michigan and nationwide.  Dana emphasized collaboration as the key for building policy to create market demand, as well as the infrastructure for creating efficiencies among OEM suppliers.

 
Participants agreed that coherent organization is still lacking among suppliers and creates confusion that stymies immediate and meaningful collaboration.  Dana (and the Apollo Alliance) encourages eligible businesses to join the Apollo Alliance Directory of Green Businesses, and to take advantage of the Michigan Public Benefits Fund that helps small businesses retool for the green economy.  

Overall, she encouraged unity among the business community to channel their objectives into policy making. Many participants agreed, and overwhelmingly believe the state should take a bigger role by creating a national leadership council here in Southeast Michigan.  

Among other concerns expressed that day was the lack of a national green energy policy, much like that being discussed in Germany and in other parts of the EU.  Carbon trading in its infancy in the US, and is an essential component in letting the open market helping to regulate energy use.  Developing national policy will provide major carbon emitters, like utility companies, with a market-based incentive for addressing overall carbon output.