[Scpg] What's next? An award to Monsanto for putting up solar panels on its roof?

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Green Program Certifies Five Local Businesses  [including McDonald's]
http://www.noozhawk.com/noozhawk/article/090909_green_program_certifies_five
_local_businesses/ 
By Frances Gilliland 
The businesses are recognized for saving resources  while saving money 
The _Green Business Program of Santa Barbara  County_ 
(http://www.greenbizsbc.org/)  announced Wednesday the certification of five local businesses,  
including _Movegreen_ (http://www.wemovegreen.com/)  in  Goleta, _Santa 
Barbara Airbus_ (http://www.santabarbaraairbus.com/)  in Goleta, _Le Reve Organic 
Day  Spa_ (http://le-reve.com/)  in Santa Barbara, _Silvergreens 
Restaurant_ (http://silvergreens.com/)  on Chapala Street in  Santa Barbara and 
_McDonald’s_ (http://www.mcdonalds.com/)  on State Street in Santa  Barbara. 
The Green Business Program is a countywide effort partnering local  
governments, special districts, nonprofits, utilities, chambers of commerce and  
waste haulers. It offers certification for businesses in the office/retail,  
restaurant, automotive and lodging sectors. In the coming year, other 
business  types will be added to the program. 
The Green Business Program certifies businesses that go above and beyond  
complying with applicable regulations and required measures to implement  
additional actions in areas such as waste reduction and recycling,  
environmentally preferable purchasing, energy efficiency and conservation, water  
conservation, air pollution prevention and transportation using a checklist  
tailored to their industry type. 

The program is free, voluntary and offers assistance and incentives,  
including an official Green Business certification decal and free promotion upon  
completion of the required and recommended actions. The goal of the program 
is  to help businesses become models of sustainability, while saving money 
and  enhancing the environment. 
“This group of businesses represents a wide range of outstanding locally  
owned enterprises,” program director Frances Gilliland said. “From green  
building and water conservation to biodiesel-powered trucks and educational  
campaigns for customers, these companies are benefiting our community and 
saving  money at the same time.” 
Movegreen Inc. 
“The Green Business certification is great because it reinforces and 
supports  our business ideals and what we have fought so hard to create,” partner 
Patrick  Wilkinson said. “It has also helped refine our company and 
establish goals for  future improvements in our business services and practices.” 
Movegreen is a full-service moving company in Goleta. All of Movegreen’s  
trucks are new and run on B20 biodiesel, a blended fuel made of 20 percent  
biodiesel and 80 percent petrodiesel. To reduce the waste of cardboard boxes 
and  packing supplies, such as newsprint and bubble wrap, Movegreen reuses 
and  recycles all packaging materials. It also offers reusable plastic 
containers to  eliminate the use of cardboard boxes. 
Movegreen has teamed up with _All Green Recycling_ 
(http://www.allgreenrecycling.com/)  to offer free  e-waste recycling and has partnered with the 
international nonprofit _Trees for The  Future_ (http://www.treesftf.org/)  to 
plant 10 trees with every move. The company also purchases carbon  credits 
through _CarbonFund.org_ (http://www.carbonfund.org/)  to offset its 
greenhouse  gas emissions from the tailpipes of their trucks and the electricity 
consumed by  its office. 
Movegreen also offers its employees innovative incentives for using  
alternative methods of transportation, including a $25 rebate on the cost of a  
bike purchased to commute to work. 
Santa Barbara Airbus 
“The program adds a new dimension to our company mission statement: ‘
Improve  our customers’ lives and our community through passenger transportation  
services,’” administrative manager Margaret Clemency said. “The entire 
staff has  embraced the challenge and new responsibilities with a zeal that 
delivers  benefits far exceeding the costs.”
Santa Barbara Airbus, based in Goleta, is  a transportation company that 
provides day trips, charters and scheduled service  to LAX and other regional 
destinations. Each full bus or van takes cars off the  roads, thereby 
reducing traffic and vehicle emissions. 
The staff has embraced the Green Business Program by implementing measures 
in  all areas of their operations. An Eco-Power Brush is used to decrease 
water use  when washing the buses, and biodegradable soap also is used. In 
addition, the  staff can earn cash rewards for using alternate forms of 
transportation, and  Airbus participates in _Traffic Solutions_ 
(http://www.trafficsolutions.info/)  programs to  provide Emergency Ride Home services to 
employees who ride-share. 
To encourage employees to ride bicycles to work, Airbus provides on-site 
bike  storage and shower and locker facilities. The company actively works to 
reduce  the amount of paper it uses and has redesigned its day-trip calendar 
from a  10-page glossy newsletter to a two-sided leaflet. Airbus employees 
are required  to recycle everything possible, including scrap metal, and 
they run a recycling  program for passengers. 
Le Reve Organic Day Spa & Boutique 
“The benefits of becoming a certified Green Business include the obvious as 
 far as saving money on utilities, and then the bigger benefits like being 
able  to spread the word, be part of a like-minded community, educate and 
having that  great feeling of being pro active and making a difference at Le 
Reve, in our  homes and in our world,” owner Shannon Neels said.
Le Reve was founded on the  philosophy of choosing organic and biodynamic 
products. It offers a range of  skin-care products and services, and the 
staff is dedicated to green purchasing,  including all paper products used in 
the spa and in promotional materials. 
The spa has switched to compostable water cups, and is continuously looking 
 for new and better containers and packaging. Employees recycle all 
possible  materials, and have recycling bins inside the spa to make recycling easy 
for  clients and staff. As they update and remodel their space, they are 
using  FSC-certified wood as well as salvaged materials. Le Reve employees are  
encouraged to bike, carpool, bus or walk to work and can earn one paid 
vacation  day per year by achieving goals set forth in the transportation 
program.  
Silvergreens, 791 Chapala St. 
“Even though completing the certification was a great milestone for us as a 
 company and restaurant, there are always areas to improve and learn more 
about  making economically sound choices and sustainable business practices,” 
operating  partner Brian Rocha said. “The Green Business Program helps in 
being this local  resource for us, and that support serves as a great asset 
to our team.” 
Silvergreens is a locally owned restaurant with a goal “to be involved,  
contribute and give back to our community.” The restaurant was designed to 
Built  Green Santa Barbara standards, and achieved its highest certification 
rating of  three stars. 
The restaurant’s tabletops are made from local, reclaimed wood from fallen  
trees. Much of the food-service equipment and appliances are _Energy Star_ 
(http://www.energystar.gov/)  certified,  and Silvergreens utilizes lighting 
systems that are energy efficient. The  restaurant also has eliminated the 
use of Styrofoam to-go containers, uses  biodegradable products and features 
organic coffee from local coffee roaster _Green Star  Coffee_ 
(http://www.greenstarcoffee.com/) . 
Management also developed a Commuter Benefit Package for their associates,  
featuring a prize raffle for those who use alternative transportation and  
offering pre-purchased bus passes to employees who choose to ride the bus to 
 work. 
McDonald’s, 3940 State St. 
“Many small efforts can make a big impact, and we are proud of the results 
we  have achieved through our partnership with the Green Business Program,” 
owner  David Peterson said. “Our staff is learning at work what they can do 
in their  personal lives to continue to make a difference, and we hope to 
set an example  for other businesses in our community.” 
Peterson and his staff have upgraded many fixtures in the restrooms,  
including installing waterless urinals, and have upgraded the irrigation system,  
thereby realizing significant monthly water savings. Energy-saving measures 
 include installing new, energy-efficient hand dryers and an Energy Star 
ice  machine. New recycling containers have been placed in front of and behind 
the  counter. Used cooking oil is collected by a local company to be 
converted to  biodiesel. Employees also now participate in a ride-sharing program 
that  includes raffle prizes for those who don’t drive alone to work. 
_Click here_ (http://www.greenbizsbc.org/)  for  more information and to 
view a list of all certified Green Businesses. 
— Frances Gilliland is program director of the _Green Business Program of 
Santa Barbara  County_ (http://www.greenbizsbc.org/) .  
http://www.noozhawk.com/noozhawk/article/090909_green_program_certifies_five
_local_businesses/
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