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Talk of the Bay: We like 'green,' but not really paying for it

Americans really like the idea of supporting green businesses when they travel and try to be environmentally responsible in their own lives. Few, however, are willing to pay more for a quiet conscience.

By Times Staff
Published October 7, 2007

We like 'green,' but not really paying for it

Americans really like the idea of supporting green businesses when they travel and try to be environmentally responsible in their own lives. Few, however, are willing to pay more for a quiet conscience. More than half of U.S. adults say they're more likely to pick an airline, hotel or rental car company that uses environmentally friendly products or practices, says a recent poll conducted for the Travel Industry Association. But only 14 percent make choices that way, the survey reports, and only 13 percent say they'd pay higher prices to support environmentally responsible travel companies. And many say they put their beliefs into practice by turning out lights when they leave a room (85 percent).

Selling boats beats stocking them

Passport Marine Inc. of St. Petersburg is launching what it calls a first-of-a-kind national boat selling franchise. With hopes of reviving the boating industry under his logo, CEO Jim Dillon said his innovation is to let franchisees sell a wide range of pleasure craft without the expensive proposition of stocking the boats. The Passport dealer network will share inventory of brands like Egg Harbor, Buddy Davis, Topaz, Predator and Italian import Sessa Marine. In three years, Passport sales have grown nearly 1,400 percent.

Office space pricey in St. Petersburg

No sign of a slump in office space in downtown St. Petersburg. The city's central business district boasts not just the highest rents, at $25.87 per square foot, but one of the lowest vacancies in the region, at 7.8 percent. The larger Tampa central business district remains a sore spot in the market with average rents of $20.85 and vacancies of 14.5 percent. St. Pete edges out Tampa's Westshore, the area's biggest concentration of offices, for the highest rents. The numbers, taken from the third quarter that ended Sept. 30, were published by real estate firm CB Richard Ellis.

Biotech startup in financial pickle

A biotech startup with Tampa connections has run into financial trouble. Biovest International Inc., a subsidiary of Accentia Pharmaceuticals of Tampa, has laid off 15 of its 50 workers after posting a $93-million deficit. Accentia has lent more than $30-million to Biovest, but is restricted from making additional investment. Biovest of Worcester, Mass., is developing personalized cancer vaccines. Last year, it announced plans to build an $80-million cancer center at the University of South Florida. Company officials did not return calls seeking comment on the project. Biovest stated in regulatory filings the earliest its vaccines could be approved would be mid 2008.

[Last modified October 5, 2007, 23:20:55]