MBACC is Going Green
Conserving energy. Becoming eco-friendly. Recycling waste. Reducing your carbon footprint. Regardless of how you describe it, it's a national movement that can't be ignored. And unlike most trends, our community's commitment to living, working and playing while minimizing our impact on the environment is here to stay. Read More
- Fisher Recycling - Complimentary Waste Audit
- Office Depot Offers Green Office Supplies
- MBACC Goes Green
- Green Websites
- Members Offering Green Products/Services
- South Carolina Green Hospitality Alliance
- Green Plus Members
- Members Going Green
- State of South Carolina Environmentally Preferred Purchasing Policy
Fisher Recycling - Grand Strand
Fisher Recycling - Grand Strand offers MBACC and MBAHA/Hospitality Partnership members the opportunity to "Go Green - Grand Strand" by taking advantage of complimentary on-site waste audit and recommendations to create a customized recycling program for your business, as well as personalized training and education for your staff. With a one-year Recycling Service Contract, Fisher Recycling - Grand Strand offers exclusively to MBACC and MBAHA/Hospitality Partnership members one free pick up and one month of free recycling containers/bins. In addition, restaurants can join Fisher's Oyster Shell Recycling program and make a positive impact on South Carolina's marine habitat. To learn about recycling services, contact Kira Roff, president/ecopreneur, at (843) 543-9811.
Going Green at Office Depot
Maximize your savings with the Myrtle Beach Area Chamber of Commerce and Office Depot savings program. Because of your membership with Myrtle Beach Area Chamber, it costs you nothing to sign up for this program (log into the Members Only page to sign up for the Office Depot program).
Receive deepest discounts on your top purchased items found on this list. For all additional items, receive 5% discounts over everyday lowest prices.
Office Depot provides a catalog with nearly 2,200 green products and a website that allows you to access all 6,500+ of their products with environmental attributes (light green to dark green items).
| Examples of chamber member savings on green items | item # | member price | retail price |
| 30% Office Depot Recycled Paper | 940-650 | $39.09 | $45.99 |
| Office Depot Green Jr. Writing Pads | 480-710 | $6.64 | $6.99 |
| Green Heavy Duty Hanging Folder Ltr. | 810-929 | $7.69 | $10.99 |
| Zebra ECO Jimnie Retractable Ballpoint Pen | 528-336 | $15.19 | $15.99 |
| Savings over the manufacturer's brand | item # | remanu-factured | original equipment manufacturer |
| Office Depot Remanufactured for HP 15 Cartridge | 587-114 | $27.35 | $34.99 |
| Office Depot Remanufactured for Brother TN-430 Toner | 217-192 | $50.34 | $59.99 |
For more product information, shop online (with your login specifically for the chamber program) or in store with your (registered purchasing card) to receive the member pricing. To enroll, go to the MBACC's Members Only page or contact your local Office Depot representative, Curtis Richardson, at (888) 213-8948, ext. 5499.
MBACC Going Green
Going green. Conserving energy. Becoming eco-friendly. Recycling waste. Reducing your carbon footprint. Regardless of how you describe it, it's a national movement that can't be ignored. And unlike most trends, our community's commitment to living, working and playing while minimizing our impact on the environment is here to stay.
To that end, your Myrtle Beach Area Chamber of Commerce has made a commitment to connect businesses to resources to help companies implement green thinking in their day-to-day operations and employees' lifestyles at work and in the community. The chamber also is embarking on a process to become more environmentally sound as an organization.
Going green is not a new practice for Myrtle Beach Area Chamber of Commerce - it's been part of the company's business practices for close to 15 years. Like most small businesses, going green for MBACC meant taking small steps over the years. Aluminum cans were collected for donations and recycling and soon other recyclables were added to the mix: cardboard, printer cartridges, plastic and paper. MBACC also is a Santee Cooper Green Power Partner with 15 blocks or 2.65 percent of our total annual billing amount being reinvested into future developments of additional renewable resources or Green Power facilities.
As we look to step up our conservation efforts, MBACC is working with Fisher Recycling on recycling efforts. One simple act is adding more recycling bins throughout the chamber offices to encourage staff, along with visitors and members, to recycle their beverage cans and water bottles.
Sorting the mix
As environmental concerns have increased and the costs of green technologies come down, more and more businesses owners - both large and small - have begun adopting green technologies. Consumers are increasingly responding to businesses that are environmentally responsible. With this in mind, it only makes smart business sense to review your green practices. Besides, it is the right thing to do - reduce, reuse, recycle.
Green Websites
- Horry Georgetown Home Builders Association Coastal Green Council
- Horry County Solid Waste Authority
- South Carolina Green Hospitality Alliance
- South Carolina Chapter of the U.S. Green Building Council-
Grand Strand Branch - Santee Cooper Green (MBACC is a Santee Cooper Green Power Partner.
If your business is interested in signing up for Green Power, click here. ) - S.C. Green Guide
- Reduce, Reuse, Recycle
Members Offering Green Products/Services
Send us an email and we'll share your green products and services.
Coastal Pure: Commercial and Residential Mineral Ionization. Now there's an eco-friendly, affordable, DHEC-compliant way to sanitize swimming pools while slashing operating costs by more than 50 percent. Using technology developed by NASA, Coastal Pure's copper-silver mineral ionization system kills algae, bacteria and chlorine-resistant viruses without high levels of toxic, expensive chemicals. Their system can handle any size pool, including high capacity bather loads and works well with low doses of chlorine (or salt chlorine). Perfect for hotels, HOA communities, aquatic facilities. Less chlorine means saving money; a healthier pool, a thankful environment and happier customers. Your 2012 pool operating budget will thank you. Experience the difference.
Learn More: Call (843) 251-7564 and ask about the "Coastal Pure Challenge!"
CARTER ARCHITECTURE, INC., Architecture, Interiors Planning: Saving on cost, operations, and being environmentally friendly, CARTER ARCHITECTURE, INC, Architecture, Interiors Planning is a national, state and local member of the US Green Building Council. Joel Carter, AIA, ,CSI, LEED AP, principal, has been certified by the Green Building Certification Institute examination as a "LEED" accredited professional by demonstrating the knowledge of green building practices required for successful implementation of the Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) Green Building Rating System. These areas of expertise include how to implement and benefit values from design and construction features of Sustainable Sites, Water Efficiency, Energy and Atmosphere, Materials and Resources, Environmental Quality, Innovation and Design, and Regional Priorities. Carter's first Energy Conservation project was in 1978, and in the Myrtle Beach area was a demonstration home for Santee Cooper in the Plantation Point area in 1987. Green design can save in first cost, operation, operation costs and life cycle cost, can utilize local green materials to the best advantage, can reduce wasteful uses and practices involving energy and indoor air quality. Other green projects have included schools, offices and a bio-diesel facility. Current projects include a home in Murrells inlet and two medical office centers. Green building has several proven benefits beyond protecting individual and environmental health including saving money, and improving productivity. CARTER ARCHITECTURE offers discounts to local MBAAC members: Free 1 hour consultation on feasibility, renovations, additions, green design, ADA accessibility, code compliance, master planning, zoning issues, energy conservation, including residential, church, office, commercial and accommodation projects.
Learn More: Joel Carter, president of CARTER ARCHITECTURE, Inc., (843) 449-3038; fax (843) 449-4559
Shred Alert has dedicated itself to two areas of the "green market" for many years. The first, document destruction, and the second, paper recycling. In addition to those, they also recycle cardboard, X-rays, computer hard drives and other miscellaneous office use products.Shred Alert has been handling document shredding and recycling for the Myrtle Beach Area Chamber of Commerce for more than 5 years. Serving Horry, Georgetown and Brunswick counties since 2002, Shred Alert has become "the premier document destruction and recycling company of the Grand Strand and surrounding areas." Their 14,000 square foot facility will shortly be expanding into records retention and storage with the addition of another 13,000 square feet. Shred Alert has special rates and programs for all residential customers that would like to visit their facility and have their records destroyed in-person. Learn More: Adam Parness, (843) 294-4400
South Carolina Green Hospitality Alliance
The South Carolina Green Hospitality Alliance is a program of the South Carolina Hospitality Association and the South Carolina Department of Health and Environmental Control Office of Solid Waste Reduction and Recycling designed to help hotels, motels, restaurants and other hospitality facilities go green.
MBACC Restaurants
Carolina Roadhouse
4617 N. Kings Hwy.
Myrtle Beach, SC 29577
Drunken Jack's Restaurant and Lounge
4031 Hwy. 17 Business
Murrells Inlet, SC 29576
Gulf Stream Cafe
1536 S. Waccamaw Dr.
Garden City, SC 29576
New York Prime
405 28th Ave. N.
Myrtle Beach, SC 29577
MBACC Hotels
Best Western Plus Grand Strand Inn & Suites
1804 S. Ocean Blvd.
Myrtle Beach, SC 29577
Embassy Suites Hotel Kingston Plantation
9800 Queensway Blvd.
Myrtle Beach, SC 29572
Hilton Myrtle Beach Resort
9800 Queensway Blvd.
Myrtle Beach, SC 29572
Marriott's OceanWatch Villas at Grande Dunes
8500 Costa Verde Dr.
Myrtle Beach, SC 29572
Sheraton Myrtle Beach Convention Center Hotel
2101 N. Oak St.
Myrtle Beach, SC 29577
Green Plus
Green Plus™ is a program for America's small businesses to help them become more sustainable. Developed by the Institute for Sustainable Development, Green Plus™ combines online tools with advice from other businesses and university partners to help organizations assess their business performance, as well as their environmental and community stewardship, and create sustainability plans.
MBACC Green Plus members:
Avista Resort
300 N Ocean Blvd
North Myrtle Beach, SC 29582
Elliott Realty
401 Sea Mountain Highway
North Myrtle Beach, SC 29582
HTC
3480 Hwy. 701 N.
Conway, SC 29526
Members Going Green
Send us an email and we'll share your conservation ideas.
Myrtle Beach Campground Now Has One Of Only Two Electric Vehicle Charging Locations East Of I-95
Ocean Lakes Family Campground, a subsidiary of The Jackson Companies, now has the first electric vehicle (EV) charging stations in the coastal Carolinas. Ocean Lakes built two stations as part of its award-winning iCare Program aimed at reducing the environmental impact of its campground and guests. The Level 2 EV Charging Stations are open to the general public, as well as Ocean Lakes guests.
Ocean Lakes is now one of only two locations east of I-95 in South Carolina that has EV stations available for public use. According to the U. S. Department of Energy, there are only 30 EV stations in South Carolina. The closest to the coast is Monks Corner which is 77 miles southwest of Ocean Lakes or Lumberton, N.C., which is 95 miles north of Ocean Lakes.
To use the EV charging stations, EV drivers simply need to visit the Ocean Lakes main office and obtain a $5 visitor pass to the EV station. There is no additional cost to charge.
Lee's Inlet Apothecary is doing their part to help keep pharmaceuticals out of South Carolina's rivers, lakes, inlets and drinking water. The Apothecary is offering, TakeAway, a free and safe disposal of unwanted medications. The TakeAway program sends returned medications to a fully licensed and regulated incineration facility. Both the EPA and World Health Organization recommend this method of disposal over flushing or throwing away unused medications. Bring your expired or unwanted medications, excluding narcotics, by the Apothecary to be disposed. 3579 Highway 17 Business, Murrells Inlet, SC 29576. 843-651-RxRx (7979).
Myrtle Beach Area Chamber of Commerce recycled nearly 9 tons of plastic, tin, aluminum, paper, newspapers, magazines, and junk mail with Fisher Recycling over the past year (March 2010 through February 2011).
Ocean Lakes Family Campground was awarded the 2010 Earth Day Award by the South Carolina Department of Health and Environmental Control at its second annual Earth Day Awards program held April 14, 2010. The award was presented to Ocean Lakes for its iCare Program aimed at helping reduce the environmental impact of the campground and its guests. The campground's program uses the slogan "Action and Awareness Count," encouraging guest responsibility and education and focuses on recycling, pet pollution and litter.
Ocean Lakes Family Campground is the first resort in the area to dedicate a truck and manpower to collect and haul its own recyclables to the Materials Recycling Facility (MRF) in Horry County. It is part of the campground's commitment to being more "green friendly," an initiative which kicked off last summer with Ocean Lakes' iCare Program. The iCare Program uses the slogan "Awareness and Action Count" to encourage guest responsibility and education. The program focuses on pet pollution, litter impact, recycling and finding new ways to operate more efficiently. The campground owns and operates five 20-yard rear loader garbage trucks, and in January, dedicated one truck to collecting recyclables only. The truck was re-painted and bears the iCare logo to promote its green initiatives program. Since January, Ocean Lakes has delivered eight tons to the facility.
Shred Alert has dedicated itself to two areas of the "green market" for many years. The first, document destruction, and the second, paper recycling. In addition to those, they also recycle cardboard, X-rays, computer hard drives and other miscellaneous office use products.Shred Alert has been handling document shredding and recycling for the Myrtle Beach Area Chamber of Commerce for more than 5 years. Serving Horry , Georgetown and Brunswick counties since 2002, Shred Alert has become "the premier document destruction and recycling company of the Grand Strand and surrounding areas." Their 14,000 square foot facility will shortly be expanding into records retention and storage with the addition of another 13,000 square feet. Shred Alert has special rates and programs for all residential customers that would like to visit their facility and have their records destroyed in-person. Also, many times throughout the year they partner with local banks, nonprofit organizations and news media stations for "Shred Days." That's where the general public can come to a specific location and receive free on-site shredding from a specially designed shred truck, in order to stomp out "Identity Theft," which is considered today as America's fastest growing crime.
Springmaid Beach Resort installed low water rate flow shower heads, sensor activated towel dispensers, and amenity dispensers in all guest rooms (no individual plastic bottles). Their recycling program includes recycling bins at each high volume waste area, and bulk recycling containers at restaurant sites, pier and maintenance/housekeeping areas. Their payroll role system is moving to a paperless process. They use green certified paper products in guest rooms and public areas. They do not use plastic foam takeout containers in their restaurants since it is not biodegradable. And Springmaid Beach Resort is doing its part "to keep reusable items out of the landfills." The resort has donated 500+ spreads to local charities and 450 patio plastic chairs to various community members.
Congratulations to Springmaid Beach Resort for recycling 35 tons of material. From Feb. 14-25, John Williams, assistant general manager, and the Springmaid group have been hard at work with Fisher Recycling to recycle 900 mattress/box spring units from their resort. This tonnage totaled 68,400 pounds of material. In addition, the plastic wrap from the new mattresses and box springs was also set aside, picked up and recycled through Phoenix Recycling/Waste Zero. This totaled 1,900 pounds of plastic wrap.
Hilton & Kingston Plantation Resorts was a finalist in the chamber's first Operating Green annual membership award category, have created innovative and cost-saving measures that save energy and water and reduce solid waste. Whether it's buying hybrid/alternative fuel vehicles, preparing locally grown fresh food, or using drought tolerant landscaping material, these earth-friendly initiatives are part of their commitment to reduce, reuse and recycle whenever possible.
Staybridge Suites uses environmentally safe chemicals, employs energy tracking with actions plans to improve usage, and encourages employees to submit conservation ideas.
Lee's Inlet Apothecary & Gifts reminds us to keep our water clean by not flushing unwanted medicines down the toilet, unless specified on the container. "You should put the unwanted medicine in a sealable bag, add coffee grounds or kitty litter to make it undesirable for humans and animals, and throw it in the trash."
"A lot of people throw away home goods, clothing, etc. that are still very useful only because they don't want to deal with them and just want it out of their home," observes John Griggs with State Farm Insurance. "Truth is that the items may be easier to get rid of than they think. If they ask their co-workers or fellow congregants at church, they will be surprised how many people would like to have what they no longer need. In giving it to those people, they have not only done a good deed, but also saved some much needed funds."
Murrells Inlet Marsh Walk changed out all of the light bulbs on theto the more efficient CFL bulbs; moved the printed community newsletter distribution from four times a year to twice a year and added an enewsletter twice a month. And, for the first time ever, they used the Santee Cooper Green Power program to light the Murrells Inlet Christmas tree at Morse Park.
Blue Wave Adventures Dolphin Watch and Eco Tours employed the use of four stroke engines on their boats. This reduces fuel consumption, there are no oil residues put into the water through the exhaust, and the emissions off the motors are much cleaner than two stroke or diesel boat motors. They also make sure that any rubbish onboard stays onboard and that it gets to the recycling bin at the end of the day. It is also a habit of their to pick up from the ocean any garbage, such as plastic bags, balloons, drink bottles, etc., that we see floating about. Additionally, their trips focus heavily on the environment and educating our guests about their impact on the oceans and, in particular, dolphins, no matter where they live. "We always close our tours by encouraging guests to get involved with the environment in some way. Every little bit makes a difference."
Ripley's Aquarium employees were given a reusable cup made from recycled plastic that they can use for all refills of water, soft drinks and coffee. By using this cup and offering large water dispensers, thousands of plastic bottles, aluminum cans and paper cups are eliminated each year.
Ocean Lakes Family Campground is testing its first solar water heated bathhouse as part of its successful iCare Program. The campground's iCare Program is aimed at helping reduce the environmental impact of the campground and its guests. The program focuses on pet pollution, litter and recycling and storm water runoff.
"The shredded paper from your shredder works great for outdoor mulch," suggests Angie Shoemaker with RE/MAX Beach & Golf. "Just put it on the ground then put leaves over it and it keeps the weeds down."
Canaan Sewell, a REALTOR® at Coldwell Banker Chicora, holds the Green Designation from the National Association of REALTORS®. According to Sewell, the Green Designation helps "consumers who care about energy efficiency and sustainable building practices identify REALTORS who can help them realize their green real estate and lifestyle goals."
Lisa Terrill, with Watermark Real Estate Group, has earned the EcoBroker designation. Terrill helps clients buy and sell properties with green features, save money, and live comfortably, through energy efficiency and environmentally sensitive choices.