They say that virtue is its own reward, and Wolin-Levin president Robert B. Levin (shown here receiving a plaque from C2 Intl. president Hans Herrmann…Mr. Levin is on the right) agrees. By acting on his commitment to be environmentally responsible, he has been rewarded with substantial savings on his electric bill.

If this goes against conventional thinking about the economics of “going green,” then Cost Containment Intl. and Community Green Energy (CGE) think that it’s time for the conventional thinking to change.

Wolin-Levin has agreed to “green up” its electricity by purchasing Renewable Energy Certificates (RECs) from Community Green Energy equal to 100% of its annual use. Wolin-Levin will also purchase its electricity through a contract negotiated by Cost Containment, Intl.. This new contract will knock a substantial percentage off of Wolin-Levin’s energy bill.

Both the REC purchase and the new energy contract will help support CGE’s Chicagoland Green Energy Initiative, which has a goal to fund 1,000 new renewable green energy installations in the Chicagoland area. Initiative members fund the Initiative through their everyday business activities. C2 is a charter member of the Initiative, and with this new contract, Wolin-Levin joins them as a CGE supporter.

The REC purchase means that Wolin-Levin can claim their electric use is completely green, which gives them a substantial marketing advantage in the competitive luxury condo market. Their support of the Chicagoland Green Energy Initiative means they will also be helping to bring renewable green energy to their community. And the reduced energy bill shows that what’s good for the environment is good for business, as well.

“We all want to do the right thing when it comes to the environment,” says Levin. “Joining the Initiative and working with Cost Containment made it not just the right choice, but the obvious choice. We’re making Chicagoland a healthier place, and we’re saving money in the process. What’s not to like?”

This is the the kind of talk that Fritz Kreiss, the founder of Community Green Energy, like to hear. “We created CGE because we think green energy isn’t just good energy, it’s good business,” says Kreiss. “For too long, green energy has been pigeonholed as a moral issue. It’s not. America needs it, and America needs to be a leader in it.” CGE has created an economic model that uses traditional business incentives to spur investment in green energy. “Even in these tough times, the American economy is still the most powerful economic engine in history. There is plenty of money to invest in green. We just created a new way to aim enough of it in the right direction.”

That’s an approach that fits well with the Cost Containment Intl. approach. Our focus has always been on aiming your money in the right direction: back in your pocket. Community Green Energy offers an approach that turns a green commitment into a solid business advantage: a new twist on the classic win-win approach.

“Make no mistake: we have a profound belief in green energy,” says Kreiss. “But CGE wants to open the door to everybody. If you join your local Initiative because you have a personal commitment to green energy, that’s great. If you join your local Initiative because it helps you build your business, that’s also great. Just join.”

“Right now, a responsible manager has to make the bottom line their top priority” says Levin. “The traditional equation says green energy is a luxury you can’t afford. CGE and Cost Containment changed the equation. As an individual who has a commitment to a better environment, I’m really pleased. As a good manager, I’ve done my job. When someone offers you a plan like that, you take it.”

You can learn more about CGE at their web site…click here to go there, and you can learn more about RECs by clicking this link.