The Greater Waco Chamber is an advocate for green business practices and outstanding efforts to promote environmental standards for living, working and playing.

The Go Green Committee is charged with:

• developing and maintaining an active inventory of green practices in Greater Waco;
• gaining national recognition for Greater Waco as a Green community;
• engaging the Greater Waco business communit in sustainable efforts in their businesses and in the community at large;
• increase programs, guidelines and incentives for sustainability throughout Greater Waco.

Waco We D.I.G.
By Scott Connell, Senior Vice President
Strategic Development

Green is good business. That’s not a contradiction. Sustainable practices are becoming more common in the workplace. Companies are focusing on reducing the impacts of their processes and employees on the environment. Greater Waco is front and center in this tide of change. MORE

Waco's first living roof
The 1,750-square-foot living roof is planted with varieties of sedum that require little water and maintenance. The design concept is Walk Along the River. The “river” plant is Sedum Reflexum Gray Creeper, and the “bank” is Sedum Sexangulare interspersed with Sedum Palmerii, Sedum Spectabile “Brilliant” and Sedum Kamschaticum. A design project by the Texas State Technical College Waco Landscape Design Technician Program in Waco identified the use of sedum varietals both for low maintenance and design purposes. The Lady Bird Johnson Wildflower Center also provided input.

The living roof reduces the urban heat island, absorbs air pollution, collects airborne pollutants and stores carbon. It also provides extra insluation that reduces the amount of heating and air conditioning needed inside the building. Rainwater that would otherwise run off the site irrigates the plants. Excess rainwater is retained in a cistern, and a solar-powered pump returns the water to the roof during dry periods.

Energy
The Chamber joined forces with the City of Waco, McLennan County and the Texas Clean Air Coalition to fight the building of 11 coal-fired generating plants in Central Texas. Keeping Greater Waco in non-attainment status is of particular concern to community leaders.