Green West: A sustainable business expo starts tomorrow

L.A.'s got a new green building ordinance, and a green business certification program in the works. To keep your business ahead of the curve, check out Green West, a 3-day green biz conference and expo that starts tomorrow.

Green West isn't a crunchy hippie event. It's a rather slick business conference about making green by going green. According to the organizers, the green market's a $250-billion opportunity that's "growing at exponential rates" -- which explains the exponential growth in the number of press releases I get about green products and services these days.

When: May 20-22, 10 a.m. - 4 p.m. each day
Where: South Halls (Halls J & K), Los Angeles Convention Center, 1201 S. Figueroa St., Los Angeles
Cost: $70 per one day, $110 for two days, $150 for three days. Purchase tickets online.

There'll be a free welcome reception, an expo hall to wander through, a network lounge for hobnobbing, a green careers center for job seekers, sustainable cooking demos, and lots of panels happening throughout the day.

I thought the six keynote speakers featured were pretty telling of L.A.'s business priorities. On the politics and policy side we have L.A. City Councilman Eric Garcetti, Long Beach Mayor Bob Foster, and an L.A. Department of Water and Power representative. Of the three business speakers, two -- Planet Green and Fox -- represent TV channels, leaving my friend Gil Friend, president and CEO of sustainable consulting company Natural Logic, as the lone business keynote from outside the entertainment industry.