Southlondon.biz, the enterprise arm of Merton Chamber of Commerce, is launching a new service to help small businesses across south west London to go green.

The service, funded through a two-and-a-half year contract worth more than £500,000 with the London Development Agency (LDA), the Mayor's Agency for Business and Jobs, will assist 850 local businesses with their waste and energy management.

Working closely with local authority specialists, a team of outreach workers will visit businesses to help them review their waste and energy and identify ways of reducing waste, to recycle and to manage energy in a cost effective and environmentally friendly manner.

The service will be available to businesses in five London boroughs - Croydon, Merton, Kingston, Sutton and Wandsworth, and will focus on businesses that traditionally do not actively seek support from publicly funded business support agencies. Businesses may also be offered small grants to help them implement appropriate solutions.

Speaking of the new service, Diana Sterck, chief executive of southlondon.biz, said "We are very excited about launching this new service so that we can help businesses become more cost and energy efficient while also supporting local authorities and the LDA in their objective to green businesses.' "When I walk around business communities I am amazed to see the potential for recycling and resource management, both of which could save businesses money over time."

Mel Barrett, director of business development at the LDA, said: "Helping businesses to become more energy efficient is a key priority for the London Development Agency. Through support and information services such as the Go Green programme, businesses will realise that reducing waste will not only help save the environment for future generations, but it will also save them money in the long run. What more of an incentive do they need?"

Southlondon.biz has also just announced that it is to be the sponsor of the Green Business of the Year category at the Green Guardian Awards being held at Sandown Park on November 17.

If you are interested in working on this project, see the recruitment pages in this week's paper for full details.

And any business interested in finding out more about the outreach service should contact Diana on 020 8944 5501 or email Diana.sterck@merton chamber.co.uk