( LENOIR, NC ) With the announcement of its new Green Commission in November 2008, Caldwell County took the first step toward becoming a major player in the emerging green economy in North Carolina.The first action of the newly chartered Green Commission was to send its members on a fact-finding mission to gather solid ideas that will promote a green economy by attracting green businesses and jobs to western North Carolina.Alan Wood, senior project manager of the Caldwell County Economic Development Commission, one of the Green Commissions members, explained that it is very important to first get a handle on the overwhelming amount of environmental information that exists in the marketplace."It is so important for us to take a long-view approach to promoting the green economy in North Carolina, " Wood said, "We cant tackle everything and succeed. We must bring it all down to a common denominator of key goals we can set that are realistic, attainable and will stimulate a green economy in Caldwell CountyFormer county commissioner Herbert Greene heads the Green Commission which is comprised of one member from each municipality, the community college, the Chamber of Commerce, the N.C. Department of Commerce and Caldwell County Economic Commission.Green activities are already taking place. Caldwell County Community College and search engine giant Google, who has a data center in Lenoir, have partnered ( along with others ) to harness methane recovered from an abandoned county landfill, and are using it to heat a greenhouse that will be built on the landfill site. The methane project was initiated and driven forward by Caldwell Countys board of commissioners. Other green initiatives already in place in Caldwell County include a sustainability program at the community college and a bio-diesel company, which has been in production for several years.To contact Caldwell County Economic Development Commission, view the website at http: //www.caldwelledc.org or call 828-728-0768.Caldwell County Economic Development Commission facilitates the marketing of Caldwell County to encourage job creation, retention, and investment. The commissions goal is to establish the county as a desirable destination for business, industry, retirement, and tourism.