So your company is diving into the green movement. How do you tell the world in an honest, valuable way? We’re glad you asked.

Nathan Schock hosted a breakout session at Plain Green 10 on how to communicate a green message for your business. He should know, he’s the Public Relations director for POET, one of the very best in the world at sharing their sustainability message. (Full disclosure: POET also happens to be a sponsor of the Plain Green Conference, which doesn’t change how great we think they’re doing with their branding.)

Nathan is also a communications ninja. He’s a prolific blogger and tweeter, and posted his slideshow online prior to his talk, asking his Twitter followers who could not be there to submit questions that he would answer during the session. Now, he’s posted his slides, with real time audio from his talk, on Slideshare.

Enjoy.

Local Green Experts Series

(Following is a guest column, the second in our new Local Green Experts series.  Whitney Parks is founding director of Chartreuse Research and a project designer at Koch Hazard Architects.)

by Whitney Parks

photo by Dean Isham

This year, Plain Green will open with an exciting event, a community service project, integrating hands-on learning, sustainable building concepts, and community stewardship.

The Project

The Sioux Falls Chapter of Architecture for Humanity and Sioux Falls Seminary have partnered to organize the construction of a Straw Bale Shed, April 27 and 28, before the Plain Green 10 Conference. Sioux Falls Seminary’s Summit House, located near downtown Sioux Falls in the Pettigrew Heights Neighborhood, will be the building site for the new straw bale shed. Sioux Falls Seminary students living at Summit House hope to eventually use the structure as a Tool Lending Library for the residents of the Pettigrew Heights Neighborhood for simple home maintenance and repair.

Want to get involved?

If you are interested in learning about straw bale construction, would like to help build the fi rst straw bale structure in the City of Sioux Falls, or if you would like to volunteer your time for a good cause, join the building team. Spend two days bale raising and plastering with a straw bale specialist from Nebraska, Joyce Coppinger, Managing Editor and Publisher of The Last Straw Journal.

Participants will learn sustainable construction skills with hands-on involvement while building the straw-bale shed. Space is very limited and an application is required. Though there is no fee, space is available for Plain Green attendees only. Register here today. After registering, you will be emailed an application. Team selection will be completed by April 13, 2010.

This Community Service Project is made possible by Koch Hazard Architects and Chartreuse Research, in partnership with Architecture for Humanity Sioux Falls Chapter, Sioux Falls Seminary and other supporters.

Local Green Experts Series

(Following is a guest column, the first in our new Local Green Experts series.  Anita Kealey is founder of the South Dakota Institute of Design and Technology, .)

By Anita Kealy

She will grace the Miss America runway, not in sequined gowns out-sourced or manufactured in foreign workrooms. Instead in a wardrobe consisting of recycled textiles woven from media (cassette) tape combined with sustainable products such as bamboo, raw silk and reclaimed fabric remnants, all USA made (better yet in South Dakota).

Morgan Peck is a Sioux Falls native, studying Political Science and Economics at the University of South Dakota. She has held many campus leadership positions, including President of Pi Beta Phi sorority, Vice President of Political Science League, Student Government Association Senator, and University Technology Fellow. Currently a Presidential Alumni Scholar at USD, Morgan has also earned pre-acceptance to the University of South Dakota Law School as a Law Honors Scholar.

Since 1989, the Miss the Miss America Organization initiated the platform concept, requiring contestants to support an issue of personal and societal relevance. Morgan’s decision to promote activism and understanding by Getting Involved in Government Locally (G.I.G.L.) stemmed from her interest in politics and what she believes citizens of all ages need in order to contribute to problem-solving discussions in their communities.

Morgan is a graduate of O’Gorman High School where she garnered many local, state and national awards for her forensics activities. She was a three-time qualifier for two different national speech tournaments, and consistently placed among the top performers at these events. Morgan first graced the stage of the Sioux Falls Community Playhouse at the age of 8, when she played Molly in the 1997 production of Annie. She has since appeared in over 30 theatrical productions.

Vote for Megan!

The Miss America Pageant is Going Green! The 2010 Miss America Contestants tell “Green T” (Tamara Henry) what being green means to them. Now you get to vote for which one you think has the best insight on why Green Is Gorgeous. The contest will end on Saturday, January 30, 2010 and the winner will be announced in Las Vegas immediately following the pageant, which airs on TLC. Vote for Megan here.