Notable graduates: Brandon Gador — Co-Founder of Powered Green LLC

Brandon Gador, a business student majoring in marketing, didn’t
like the prospect of graduating into a stuffy desk job. So, when the
opportunity to enroll in Professor Phil Kim’s courses in
entrepreneurship and venture creation arose, he jumped at the chance,
and throughout the process, developed a feasible idea for a business
with a UW–Madison peer.

Partnering with Edward Durkee, a senior majoring in mechanical
engineering, the two have laid the framework for a renewable energy
credit option for energy-conscious laptop users.

Their company, Powered Green, will offer consumers the option of purchasing "Energy Seals" for
the lifetime energy consumption of their laptops. These seals represent
a guarantee that an equivalent amount of energy used throughout the
life of a laptop will be produced by wind turbines. Part of the
proceeds from Powered Green will go directly towards the creation of
new wind facilities.

"For green consumers, their opportunities are limited as far as
expressing a commitment to usage," says Gador. "Powered Green will give
people the opportunity to express their commitment to green purchases
and renewable energy by placing an energy seal on the outer surface of
the laptop. Consequently, we hope doing so will help to further spread
awareness of the green movement."

Beginning May 25, credits will be available for purchase at www.poweredgreen.com, a multimedia Web site that includes an
explanation of the renewable energy credit process, a five-minute
product survey, and the Green Today blog.