Business Success Stories
Our collection of success stories are designed to give you ideas on how to implement your own climate success story. Use the filters on the left to narrow down your search by location, industry type, or action type. Many of our success stories are also Small Business Award winners, your business could be next!
Granlibakken Tahoe, a conference center and resort, has worked to preserve the area’s natural environment through waste stream reduction, energy conservation efficiency, and water conservation actions. As part of their waste management program, the company maintains separate recycling and collection bins for beverage bottles and cans, paper, cardboard, batteries and fluorescent light bulbs. Kitchen grease is collected in a special container and disposed of properly. Road sand is swept and gathered at the end of the season and reused for snow removal the following year.
Global Gourmet is Northern California’s first certified full-service catering company under the San Francisco Green Business Program. In addition to offering seasonal, sustainably farmed organic cuisine sourced primarily from the Bay Area, Global Gourmet incorporates environmentally friendly practices in their day- to-day operations. Their environmental policy details specific procedures in areas of employee education, employee transportation, waste reduction, energy conservation, office use, lighting, recycling, pollution prevention, and refrigeration.
The Rising Loafer Café and Bakery’s mission is to “contribute to the well-being of their community.” Their breakfast and lunch menus are prepared with locally grown ingredients to help reduce the business’ carbon footprint and support the local economy. They also started a back-business garden and are a certified Bay Area Green Business.
Quick Mount PV was founded in 2006 to bring cost-effective, code-compliant, waterproof rooftop mounting systems to the solar industry.
Aussie Pet Mobile Sonoma County is an environmentally innovative business that provides mobile grooming services for all breeds of cats and dogs. Base services include a 15 step grooming process, breed clips and shave downs. By coming to the customer, Aussie Pet Mobile reduces the number of vehicle trips pet owners take to drop off and pick up pets from stationary grooming sites. Their one-on-one service is provided in a self-contained vehicle that utilizes a rooftop mounted solar panel for generating salon power needs.
Crown Paper Converting is a paper converting supplier that is leading the way in energy efficiency improvements and considerable utility savings. In 2013, they invested $250,000 in 440 solar panels. Over the past three years, the solar panels have generated 334,793 kilowatt hours of energy and a savings of more than $15,000 per year. Through their website (http://live.deckmonitoring.com/?id=crown_paper), they track the solar energy generated, total CO2 offsets, tons of CO2 saved, and gallons of gas saved.
Santa Barbara (SB) Airbus is a transportation company that has implemented model green business measures in all areas of their operations. They use a water-conserving electric Eco-Power Brush and biodegradable soap when cleaning buses. Their energy and water bills are kept low by using LED lighting, motion detectors, low-flow fixtures, drought resistant landscaping, and a hybrid electric water heater. They installed 134 solar panels on the roof of their headquarters building that should pay for itself in 5-7 years while meeting 75% of their electric power needs.
It is not easy for a special events production company to be ~100% solar powered; however, that is what ShowPro has done! ShowPro has a high energy demand because they test bright lights and sound systems. To reduce their energy needs and costs, they spent $71,000 on a complete solar panel system for their 20,000 square foot warehouse. The price of the solar system was originally $224,000, but they were able to receive $67,000 in federal tax credits and a significant rebate of $86,000 from Los Angeles Department of Water and Power (LADWP).
The Refill Shoppe is an eco-conscious store offering quality bath, body, home and cleaning liquids in bulk. By allowing customers to refill their own bottle, or purchasing one of the many bottles that the store carries, customers can do their part to reduce waste in a fun way. The Refill Shoppe carries shampoo, conditioner, lotion, bath gel, bubble bath, dish soap, laundry detergent, window cleaner, castile soap and more. Fragrances and essential oils can be added to most of the products and re-useable water bottles, coffee mugs, lunch containers, and utensils are also offered for sale.
Wolff Vineyards is family owned and has been on the forefront of sustainability in the wine and grape business for over 15 years. Some of their major initiatives have resulted in significant water and energy savings. This includes dry farming 50 acres of the 125 acre vineyard and installing electronic soil moisture sensors and drip irrigation systems. Additionally, a variable speed drive installed at the main irrigation pump reduced energy usage by 40%, maximizing pumping efficiency and delivering the right amount of water needed at the optimum pressure.
New Leaf Biofuel (New Leaf) is committed to inspiring global transformation by promoting healthy growth and sustainability within their community. They partner with local restaurants to produce premium biodiesel from recycled cooking oil (like french fry oil) and supply this renewable fuel throughout the region. Their fuel is used in fleets (e.g., San Diego Unified School District) and their sustainable company helps to improve air quality, create green jobs in the community, and reduce petroleum imports.
Laura Lawson, DDS is a natural dental office committed to providing personalized care in an eco-friendly environment. They are a holistically-minded dental practice that focuses on restoring and enhancing the natural beauty of the patient’s smile by using conservative, non-toxic, state-of-the-art procedures. Their extensive services include cosmetic dentistry, gum care, whitening, fillings, veneers, crowns, bridges, partials, implant tooth restoration, and nutrition workshops and counseling.
Plaza Cleaners is a family owned and operated dry cleaning and laundry drop-off, pick-up and delivery service with over 35 years of professional alteration and dry cleaning experience. The business takes pride in being the first green cleaners in the city of Thousand Oaks and Ventura County.
Studio City Orthodontist values the health and well-being of their clients and they know that goes beyond a beautiful smile. They are the nation’s first Invisalign® only dental office providing clients a clear alternative to braces in a healthy, sustainable facility.
Geo H. Wilson, Inc., provider of plumbing and mechanical services to clients, strives to promote a “local and green” mentality on jobsites, as well as in their office. Open since 1921, they have earned respect from the community as a third generation family owned and operated business. They are proud of developing, maintaining, and improving their sustainable practices through the decades.
SRT Consultants is a water resources and wastewater engineering firm delivering creative problem-solving for complex water resources challenges. SRT Consultants takes environmental problem solving to their workspace by integrating sustainable policies, conservation initiatives, and education of staff.
Manhattan Bread & Bagel is a café and bakery that makes gourmet bagels, crafts artisan breads, and offers wonderful food for any occasion. They are known in the Los Angeles South Bay for providing fresh, high quality baked goods and partnering with local entities to achieve exceptional waste reduction and conservation results.
Daisy Rose Floral Design creates floral arrangements to fit the customer’s style, and keeps their process natural, organic, and sustainable. The company strives to minimize their impact on the environment through ultra-low energy usage, water conservation, and near zero waste practices.
Way To Be Designs’ motto is, “We don’t give lip service to sustainability—we’ve built it into our business strategies. It’s an important part of our Way To Be.” They are a full service agency with a range of talented staff, offering creative custom and branded merchandise and uniforms for mid to large size companies with high volume needs.
Metro Lighting offers custom lighting solutions fabricated onsite and a gorgeous selection of uniquely designed fixtures in their 3,000 square foot showroom. They are committed to the quality and durability of their products, as well as reusing resources, efficiency in their building, and supporting local businesses.