COMMUNITY BRIEFS
By Daily Press staff
Several local business have been recognized for doing their part in cleaning up the environment through their daily practices.
The Santa Monica Chamber of Commerce and the city of Santa Monica have announced this year’s winners for the Sustainable Quality Awards. For eight years, the program has honored local organizations and businesses that make contributions to the community.
As this year’s top winner, Hines Lantana is a local property manager, owner and developer. Their list of sustainable business actions include performing an overall lighting retrofit that saves approximately $60,000 a year, installing electric vehicle charging stations, and providing fair trade coffee for employees and guests. They also have extensive benefits for their employees, ranging from wellness programs to “pie day.” Once the pies are devoured, they return the tins for reuse.
Another winner, New Directions is a local non-profit that has been providing residential drug and alcohol rehabilitation and job training for homeless veterans in LA County since 1992. Their environmental actions include extensive recycling, strong environmentally sound purchasing policies, and developing a vegetable garden that works with fifth-grade students and provides vegetables for their culinary arts program. Their economic development and social responsibility actions include utilizing local volunteers and interns, extensive health care packages and the New Directions Choir, which consists of volunteer alumni. The choir promotes the message of recovery throughout the community by singing at local churches and community events.
The third winner, American Red Cross of Santa Monica, is a humanitarian organization led by volunteers that provides relief to victims of disasters and helps people prevent, prepare for, and respond to emergencies. In an effort to promote the connection between human health and the health of the environment, they recently participated in the city of Santa Monica’s thermometer exchange program, which collected more than 250 thermometers and replaced them with non-mercury alternatives. They also participate in several material exchange programs and provide electric vehicles for staff to run local errands. The Red Cross offers several community classes at discounted rates and utilizes volunteers from a multitude of community groups, providing support for their organization, as well as job training for volunteers.
Four companies will receive an “Excellence Award for Stewardship of the Natural Environment.” The companies have exhibited a commitment to the environment by incorporating sustainable practices into their everyday operations. They are: Napoleon Café, Sea Shore Motel, Bravo Cucina and Pizzeria, and Yellow Cab Company. In addition, Step Up on Second and Wild Oats Natural Market will receive honorable mention for their commitment and progress in all three categories.
This year there also are two unique awards given to businesses that are contributing to the community in different ways. The Arborview Rehabilitation and Wellness Center has only been open to the public for one month and has already incorporated sustainability into their daily operations. For their efforts they will receive the “SQA Great Start Award.” Also, the Natural Resources Defense Council will be recognized for the construction of their new Santa Monica headquarters, which is one of the “greenest” buildings in the country.
Winners will be honored at the Chamber of Commerce luncheon on May 4. The luncheon will be held at the Four Points Sheraton, located at 530 Pico Blvd., from 11:30 a.m. to 1 p.m. The cost is $25 for chamber members paid in advance and $35 for non-members. Reservations are required. Call (310) 393-9825, ext. 10.
Originally published in the Santa Monica Daily Press print edition on April 20, 2004. Read the original PDF.