Morning:
14°c
Berry goes for business vote with green web directory
Katharine Barney, Evening Standard18.04.08
Sian Berry has launched a website to encourage people to use green businesses in London.
The "Greens Mean Business" site includes a directory of environmentallyfriendly businesses in the capital from high street beauty store Lush to independent retailers, interviews with founders of ethical companies and greener living tips.
It is part of Ms Berry's business manifesto launched today as she visited green traders including a microbrewery and a package free grocer in Islington.
The Green Party mayoral candidate has pledged to change planning rules to make 50 per cent of floor space in all new commercial developments available at affordable rents for small businesses.
If elected Mayor, Ms Berry will also increase the advertising space on the Underground, giving priority to local business and free space to community groups.
She has promised to close London City Airport and use the land as a new green industries park to encourage enterprise in the growing environmental sector. Ms Berry said: "Smaller businesses put more of their profits back into their community, building economic as well as environmental sustainability. And we all prefer having a wide range of unique businesses, instead of empty ghost-town high streets and bigbox retail parks.
"Everyone says they want to save our small shops, but we need real action to make it happen. My policy of 50 per cent affordable small business premises in new developments will mean that we will lose no more high streets to megadevelopments.
"I'm proud to support the Evening Standard's Save Our Small Shops campaign, and whether I'm elected Mayor or Assembly member I'll work to make sure it succeeds."
