Green Business Directory 2025 NEW ERA Key Changes

Big changes are coming to the Greater Stillwater Area Green Business Directory (GBD) in 2025, and we couldn’t be more excited to share what’s ahead! Since its launch in 2020, the GBD has been a valuable resource for connecting our community with local eco-friendly businesses. Now, it’s evolving to become even simpler, more sustainable, and better aligned with Sustainable Stillwater MN’s mission of promoting a healthy and resilient community.

Why the shift? Well, the idea for the directory originally came from a problem many of us faced—how do you find truly local, eco-conscious businesses without hours of searching? For example, Wendy needed help finding a native plant landscaper, and Kelsey was hunting for a print shop with sustainable practices. These challenges sparked the creation of the GBD, a central hub for businesses that are doing good for the planet and the community. But over time, it became clear that we needed to simplify the directory’s structure to ensure it could grow sustainably and remain useful for years to come.

So, what’s changing? For starters, the GBD will now live entirely on the Sustainable Stillwater MN website under one easy-to-access URL: www.sustainablestillwatermn.org/gbd. This not only simplifies things for users but also clarifies that the directory is a key initiative of our nonprofit and not a standalone project.

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The new structure will also include streamlined business profiles featuring logos, descriptions, sustainability highlights, and even a map of where businesses are located. These profiles are designed to be clean, impactful, and easy for users to scan. Plus, we’re extending membership terms from three years to five, giving businesses more stability and less paperwork to worry about.

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We’re also introducing some exciting eco-friendly updates, like digital certifications that businesses can proudly display in their marketing or physical locations—no more paper certificates to clutter your desk! And to make sure we stay true to our mission, we’re updating eligibility criteria to focus solely on businesses that actively contribute to sustainability.

For businesses already in the directory, we’re making the transition as smooth as possible. Gold members will automatically move to the updated format, while Bronze and Silver members can reapply with our new application process, which now includes essay questions to highlight their sustainability efforts.

And for our followers and customers? These changes mean a better experience when searching for local green businesses. Whether you’re looking for eco-friendly landscaping, a sustainable beauty salon, or a creative services provider, the updated GBD will make it easier to connect with businesses you can trust.

Through these updates, we’re not just simplifying the directory—we’re creating a stronger foundation for a sustainable future. We can’t wait to see how these changes help both businesses and our community thrive.

Check out the new directory at www.sustainablestillwatermn.org/gbd, and let us know what you think.

What do you think about our new Green Business Directory?

• Love it! Clean and easy to use.
• Neutral - It works, but it's cumbersome.
• Dislike. Meh, the old version was better.