4Site has teamed with Seven-Star, Inc. as their ambassador to organize the first ever Green Cities™ Huntsville Summit. This summit will accelerate the dissemination of knowledge and training in the areas of sustainability for industry, commerce, and government through the generous cooperation of the US Space and Rocket Center and endorsement by Mayor Tommy Battle of the City of Huntsville, 4Site is excited to announce the Green Cities™ Huntsville Summit. This premier event will provide a venue to engage our regions’ most progressive and innovative thinkers through a process to envision and identify resources needed to address the challenges of planning and developing our community’s future sustainability.

Mr. Mike Italiano, founder, President, and CEO for Market Transformation to Sustainability (MTS) and Capital Markets Partnership will speak at the event. His long career includes founder of the U.S. Green Building Council (USGBC) and LEED. He is a Director of USGBC, USGBC CEO Board, and the Sustainable Furniture Council.

Mr. Steve Cochran, an internationally recognized leader, speaker, writer, and advocate of sustainable enterprise, will facilitate the dialogue and planning portion of the Summit. Mr. Cochran is the founding chair of the Washington DC-based United States Partnership for Education for Sustainable Development, and a consultant in national and international sustainability imperatives.

This summit will determine the agenda for a Green Cities™ Alabama conference for our region in the fall of 2009 which will focus on advancing the business and science of sustainability. We see this event as a catalysts for accelerating the community and the region towards a more sustainable and vibrant future, economically, socially, and environmentally. As Seven-Star’s local ambassador 4Site is proud to be responsible for bringing this historic event to Huntsville.”

For more information visit www.greencitiesalabama.com

Friday, March 20, 2009

By GINA HANNAH
Times Business Writer
gina.hannah@htimes.com

There's a lot of talk these days about going "green" - doing business and daily life in ways that protect the environment.

But what does green mean? And what really works?

Local businesses and environmental organizations are planning a daylong festival to educate the public about what it takes to go green - as well as dispel some of the movement's misconceptions.

"There's a lot of bad information out there," said Lori Severin, project manager for 4Site, a Huntsville-based planning and design company. Green U, to be held at the Huntsville Botanical Garden on Sept. 26, "is going to allow people to come and get the facts."

Green U's mission is to educate the public about products and services that promote economic sustainability. The idea for a green festival of sorts arose when 4Site developed a master plan recently for the Botanical Garden.

Similar festivals have been held in other cities, including St. Louis, Orlando, Fla., and Denver.

"We're trying to make this event to where the consumer can come and look at the products that truly have sustainable characteristics," said John Allen of Southern Construction & Design, who is recruiting vendors for the event.

Allen said the committee organizing the event is working to ensure the vendors are providing products and services that are truly eco-friendly and not just "green-washing" their sales pitch.

"We're going to be asking those people who want to promote their businesses what their focus is," he said. "We don't want people to come out and they've just changed their logo from blue to green.

"There's confusion in the marketplace and green-washing really hurts the sustainable practical applications."

Green U is an early step toward what Severin hopes will be the Huntsville area's progression toward being a more sustainable community. From recycling to driving a hybrid to switching to energy-efficient light bulbs, all consumers can find ways to conserve, she said.

To set the example, the event itself will aim to be 90 percent carbon-neutral, using recycled materials as well as locally grown and produced food and products. Trash produced during the event will be mulched.

Visitors also can have the $5 admission waived by doing something green that day, such as taking public transit or riding a bicycle to the event, or by bringing a cell phone to recycle, said Paula Steigerwald, CEO of the Botanical Garden.

She said she's expecting about 80 exhibits at the event.

"It'll be a Panoply of Green," she said.

Full details about Green U will be available at the garden's plant sale April 17-19, and is part of the garden's ongoing effort to educate the public about going green via classes for children and adults, Steigerwald said.

"We really wanted to have some kind of a green event that kind of inspired folks to do the right things," she said. In addition to exhibits, there will be a local farmers' market, workshops on composting, sustainable gardening and other applicable topics.

"When people start talking about green this or eco-friendly that, I think they have an emotional response," Allen said. "Once you move past the emotional response and look at what's practical and the fact that we're saving the environment as well and saving resources - that makes sense."

Chamber members are encouraged to attend the July 15 Business After Hours, which will be held in the Main Street Shopping Village from 5-7 p.m.

Participants will be able to visit the sponsoring stores for fun giveaways, heavy hors d'oeuvres, and beverages (beer, wine and soft drinks). This event is presented by 4Site, Inc., McCurry Real Estate and the Chamber of Commerce of Huntsville/Madison County.

Attendees should remember to bring as many business cards as possible for networking as well as to enter in the sponsoring stores giveaways. At registration, participants will receive a postcard with a list of all the sponsoring stores. Once all the stores have been visited and the postcard has been returned with all the appropriate initials, participants will be entered into a grand prize drawing.

The participating stores are: 4Site, Inc., McCurry Real Estate, Radiant Day Spa, Thrivent Financial—Kelly Moise, Alabama ReBath, Farmers Insurance, Moselys Technical Services, Inc., Sabghi’s Jewelry, The Masters, Sullins Eye Care, Bookout Photography, Donatos, D & L Bistro, Super Suppers, and Main Street Café’/Deli.

To attend this event register online at www.huntsvillealabamausa.com. For questions or more information, please contact Alinka C. Johnson at 256-535-2051.

Seen in initiatives - chamber of commerce of huntsville/madison county

4Site, Inc. is relocating to Main Street South Shopping Center.  Their new address is 7500 South Memorial Parkway, Suite 209, Huntsville, AL  35802.  They plan on opening their new doors early November.

Midfield city leaders commissioned 4SITE, Incorporated, of Huntsville, Alabama, to facilitate a design initiative focused on identifying key land-use trends and future development opportunities within their city limits.  The public process revealed local concerns regarding commercial development, civic presence, housing, multi model transportation needs, storm water management issues, historic preservation, and much more. The end result was a detailed report, created by 4SITE, outlining necessary recommendations.  Mayor Richardson, of Midfield,  states, “It’s our bible. We’ve used it as a basis to re-launch the economic viability of our community.”

According to Jerry Cargile, a Principal Partner of 4SITE, “At 4SITE, we use the phrase “Envisioning Tomorrow’s Legacy Today,” and we are very excited when we can help communities, like Midfield, re-discover a vision that takes them in a positive direction toward the future.”

For the past several years, 4Site has worked with communities across Alabama to create strategic plans for their future. Their work includes Master Plans for Chelsea, Tarrant, Center Point, and Pinson, as well as residential design guidelines and other supportive development documentation.  Call 4Site for more information at 256-539-1221

The Huntsville/Madison County Chamber of Commerce celebrated it’s annual Small Business Awards.  Among the many finalists, 4Site, Inc. was one of 3 finalists in the Business Services division.  The other 2 finalists were Advanced Federal Services Corporation and Snelling Staff Services.  Jerry Cargile and Rick Campbell were present to receive their recognition.  The event took place at the VBC South Hall, over 1200 members were in attendance.

4Site, Inc. a local,  land planning company that provides surveying and landscape architect services related to designs for residential and commercial site development has been awarded the new Athens based land development project “The Meres”.  The Meres is a new subdivision located in Athens on Linton Road.  4Site is working with the developers, Strickland Home Builders.  “We are proud to be developing this one-of-a-kind, planned community in Athens”, Rusty Strickland states.

“We are very excited to work with the guys at Strickland Home Builders.  We feel this is a perfect fit for this type of development.  Our company provides environmentally aware, low impact land design services.  These services include land planning, civil engineering, surveying and landscape architecture”, comments Jerry Cargile, one of the owners of 4Site, Inc.