WNC hires UNR grad to help facilitate Nevada Green Business Program

CARSON CITY, Nev. — Western Nevada College announced recently the hiring of Erica Gallegos to manage the GreenBizTracker database and to supervise WNC interns who will be hired for the Nevada Green Business Program.

WNC and Nevada-based nonprofit greenUP! are working to launch a statewide green business program and to create a database for collecting outcomes that measure environmental performance for the state.

The endeavor, announced in June, is aided by two Environmental Protection Agency grants totaling nearly $600,000.

According to a Dec. 4 press release fromWNC, "GreenBizTracker motivates businesses to make voluntary behavior and facility changes that net positive and measurable environmental outcomes."

“The Nevada Green Business Program and internship program are consistent with WNC's core values and sustainability policy, and this internship provides a tremendous learning opportunity for students to get work-based experience," Dr. Georgia White, director of Career and Technical Education for WNC and project director for the grants, said in a statement. "WNC has a commitment to workforce development, particularly in manufacturing jobs, and we want to encourage all businesses to consider their environmental impact while streamlining their operations.”

The way it will work, when a business moves through an online checklist of verifiable environmental actions, metrics are calculated. These metrics document key outcomes such as greenhouse gas emissions reduced, energy saved, gallons of water saved, tons of waste diverted from the landfill and hazardous materials reduced.

"Once businesses have completed the checklist, they are recognized or certified and added to an online directory," according to the press release. "The public can find and patronize these businesses by using the online searchable directory.

"WNC will leverage its qualified staff to train interns to assist manufacturers and businesses desiring to green their operations."

Gallegos graduated summa cum laude from the University of Nevada, Reno this year with an Environmental Science degree. She previously worked with as an intern with greenUP! on the Carson City green dining district and helped organize the green team for the 2019 Nevada Day.

According to WNC, interns will be trained in pollution prevention and sustainability to help businesses become green certified. Interns must be enrolled as WNC students and will receive $15/hour during their training and service period. Interested students can apply online here, or by sending an email to erica.gallegos@wnc.edu.