The Busch Student Center hosted the Green Economy Symposium, part one of the two-day St. Louis Green Confluence, on Jan. 25.

Held by the Saint Louis University Center for Sustainability, the conference aimed to raise awareness and discussed the future of a green economy in the St. Louis area.

“Our goal is to have most students understand that sustainability requires a cross disciplinary knowledge base,” Center for Sustainability Executive Director, Tim Keane said during a panel discussion.

Although a green economy may not be at the forefront of most students’ minds, St. Louis is currently a leading city in terms of green job growth rate.

“We hope our students can gain a basic understanding of sustainability and integrate their knowledge to find green solutions in the market place,” Keane said.

Students, St. Louis employers, educators and public policy makers were invited to attend the conference in an effort to share ideas about the future of a “green” St. Louis.

The two-day program is a partnership between the Center for Sustainability and several other regional organizations including St. Louis Green Job Board, which is funded by the Missouri Care Center.

Wednesday’s program began at 8 a.m. with welcoming remarks by St. Louis City Mayor Francis Slay.

The program featured the perspectives of employers, educators, and government representatives regarding the future of a green economy.  Panels included CEOs and research managers from various corporations throughout the St. Louis area.

The program also featured a panel discussion aired live on St. Louis Public Radio from the St. Louis Room to discuss the topic “Finding Green in the Gateway Economy.”

Joe Abernathy of the St. Louis Cardinals, John Alberici of Alberici Corporation, and Phil Rozenski of HilexPoly shared their businesses’ perspectives and future goals in sustainability.

“It’s important to define what a green economy is,” Abernathy said.  “We regard being green not as an economy but as a way to do business and as a way to manage our specific business in a sustainable way.”

“Our goal is that our products be designed so they are not seen as disposable but rather sustainable and recyclable,” Rozenski said.

Florence Hudson, the Energy and Environment Executive from IBM, delivered the keynote address sponsored by Edward Jones in an effort to describe economic opportunities for a more sustainable economy.  Following his address, St. Louis Green Jobs.com was officially launched by Executive Director, Craig Jung.

On Jan. 27, the conference hosts a Green Career Opportunity Showcase and Skills Workshop which provides job opportunities for those interested in entering a sustainable field.  For those interested in networking or meeting with companies involved with sustainability, the conference lasts from 11 a.m. until 4 p.m. in the BSC.  Several area corporations such as the St. Louis Cardinals, Monsanto, Ameren, and Alberici will be on hand to discuss sustainability and offer information about future job opportunities.