Green businesses get recognized for policies
PICO BOULEVARD It might not have the international prestige of the Oscars or Grammys but local businesses with an environmental flair are nevertheless pleased to accept this award, on their own or someone else’s behalf.
A dozen Santa Monica companies on Monday took an emerald-colored trophy back to the office, the awards symbolizing their role in greening the Earth by incorporating environmentally-friendly practices with business operations.
All were honored during the 13th annual Sustainable Quality Awards at the Sheraton Delfina, the winners — ranging from a hotel to an architecture firm — recognized for their successful marriage of business practices and environmentalism, whether it be installing compact fluorescent light bulbs or printing on 100 percent post-consumer recycled paper.
Hosted by the Santa Monica Chamber of Commerce and City Hall, the event itself was also sustainable, from the trophies — made from 100 percent recycled glass — to the food waste, which was later composted.
The SQA was founded as a way to recognize green businesses, launched a year after the City Council adopted the Sustainable City Plan, a time when there were no Toyota hybrid vehicles or CFLs.
“The most common green business practice was counting the money in the drawer at the end of the day,” Dean Kubani, the environmental programs manager for City Hall, joked at the luncheon.
The number of green businesses has grown in Santa Monica since that first awards show, the city now having the highest concentration in the United States with more than 250.
Among the winners were four businesses that received the grand prize, their environmental undertakings far more extensive, such as the 9 kilowatts of solar power installed at The Lobster and the LEED certified projects designed by Duvivier architects. LEED — Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design — is a green rating used by the United States Green Building Council.Santa Monica is home to the highest concentration of LEED certified buildings in the country, according to Kubani.
Many of the award recipients have a Green Business Certification and/or have undergone the Business Greening Program at Sustainable Works. Among the most recent to receive the certification was The Lobster, whose menu features seafood that is sustainably caught or farm-raised.
“It feels awkward to accept an award for doing something that’s right,” Jack DeNicola, the restaurant general manager, said.
The restaurant is also planning on installing a solar water heating system.
“Doing the right thing is rewarding in itself,” he said.
The event was hosted by “Earth Talk Today” co-hosts Peter Kreitler and Alexandra Paul, who had a role in 1990s beach drama, “Baywatch.” The keynote speaker was Gay Browne, the founder of Santa Monica-based Greenopia, a directory for everything green in Los Angeles.
She conceptualized the idea for Greenopia after the difficulty she experienced in building a green home in the Pacific Palisades, the seemingly endless hours spent researching developers and interior designers that specialized in sustainability.
Approximately 15 percent of the businesses in the guide are from Santa Monica,a considerable number that can be attributed to green business friendly Santa Monica, she said.
“Its commitment to green business is unbelievable,”Browne said, pointing out that a New Yorker recently told her that Santa Monica is the most progressive green city in the country.
For some winners, the award comes long after they first began instituting green practices.
Taxi Taxi started by converting its fleet of high-end European vehicles into biodiesel, the line eventually phased out because it was proven unfeasible.
The taxi company today now uses hybrid vehicles and is the first in the county to operate a hybrid fleet.
The business won an award for excellence in stewardship of the environment and economic development. It saves an estimated $77,000 a year in gas by using the hybrids as opposed to conventional vehicles. All of their marketing materials are also printed on 100 percent post consumer recycled paper.
“Hybrid is the future,”Ayman Radwan, one of the partners of Taxi Taxi, said. “You can gas up anywhere and it holds 40 miles to the gallon.”
“The customers love it and the drivers love it,”he said.
Originally published in the Santa Monica Daily Press print edition on May 13, 2008. Read the original PDF.