Surplus Service is an e-waste recycling business providing an efficient, simple and secure way to dispose of used electronics and surplus equipment while avoiding unnecessarily adding material to the landfill. Surplus Service has implemented many green initiatives as part of its standard operating procedures to reduce greenhouse gas emissions. Over 85% of the electronics that come into the facility are repaired, reused or re-marketed and the other 15% are recycled, leaving nothing to deposit in the landfill.
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 audience type, action type, and more. Or read them all and get inspired today!
Sustainable Silicon Valley
Sustainable Silicon Valley (SSV), a non-profit organization, has calculated its carbon footprint to be approximately 40 tons of CO2e per year. One of the core philosophies at SSV is that you can’t manage what you can’t measure, so both of SSV’s home-based offices set out to monitor and measure their environmental impacts, just as they require all SSV partners to do.
The Bath Workshop
The Bath Workshop creates custom, blended bath and body products that are all natural and safe for the environment. They strive towards becoming a more sustainable business by focusing on energy efficiency, waste reduction, recycling and teaching their employees the best ways to reduce their own carbon footprint. The Bath Workshop invites customers to bring back their “empty” containers and offers them a monetary incentive for recycling.
The Bo Tree
UPDATE: FACILITY IS NOW CLOSED. BUT READ BELOW TO LEARN ABOUT THEIR GREEN BUSINESS ACTIONS. (AUGUST 2016)
In this Davis yoga studio, exercising is good for both you and the environment. The Bo Tree was created in 2002 by Teri Bowen as a green yoga studio and has expanded into green consulting. The Bo Tree actively promotes eco-living practices in the business community and is committed to actions that minimize environmental harm and maximize environmental benefit.
The Glass Man
The Glass Man is dedicated to conducting business with the environment in mind, and educating others along the way.
The Inn on First Street
The Inn On First was the first northern California bed and breakfast inn to be certified “green” by the State of California. As a proud member of the California Green Lodging Association and the Bay Area Green Business Association, The Inn On First has implemented a number of sustainable actions including the installation of low-flow fixtures for showers, tankless water heaters, energy saving light bulbs and in-room climate control systems.
The Living Christmas Company
Head tree-hugger and Christmas Caroler, Scott “Scotty Claus” Martin, was once ashamed by the discarded Christmas Trees that would line the streets after the holidays. Now, thanks to the Living Christmas Company, families can invite the same tree over for the holidays year after year.
The Lobster Restaurant
"The Lobster" Restaurant in Santa Monica has long been an unofficial historical landmark, almost as recognizable as the entrance to the Santa Monica Pier.
The Refill Shoppe
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.
Three Squares, Inc.
Three Squares Inc. (TSI) is leading the way as a sustainable business force that maintains balance between the people, economic growth and the planet. As a globally recognized environmental consulting firm, Three Squares specializes in developing sustainability plans for corporations, government agencies and academic institutions.
Tooles Garage
Toole’s Garage has taken a bold stance for environmental sustainability through changes to daily operations and a comprehensive set of facility improvements.
Transformative Wealth Management
Offering financial planning and fee-only investment management, Affirmative Wealth Management (now known as Transformative Wealth Management, LLC) specializes in environmental sustainability, stewardship, and impact investing for clients who want to align money and values to help make a difference. Beyond managing sustainable investments for clients, the company demonstrates cost-effective energy efficiency, greenhouse gas emission reductions. Recently, Transformative Wealth Management bought a commercial building and did a complete green renovation of the property.
Uptown Studios
Uptown Studios strives to incorporate sustainability into every part of their service by regularly engaging their employees and implementing green business practices.
Waldeck's Office Supplies
UPDATE: ALTHOUGH WALDECK'S IS NO LONGER OPEN FOR BUSINESS, THEIR ACTIONS ARE INSPIRING TO SMALL BUSINESS OWNERS STILL TO COME (AUGUST 2016)
Waste Less Living
Waste Less Living is an environmental consulting firm with a passion for waste diversion and composting. Located in Pasadena, California, Waste Less Living provides eco-friendly event planning services, zero-waste consulting, green school programs and much more.
Way To Be Designs
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.
Weston Miles Architects
Weston Miles Architects, Inc. (WMA) is an award-winning landscape and architecture business that practices innovative and sustainable building design. WMA offers architectural services for the construction of educational facilities, civic, residential, and historical renovations. WMA has been recognized for nearly a decade by the Silicon Valley Business Journal as one of the top 25 architecture and design firms in the area. Concepts from the U.S.
Wolff Vineyards
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.
Zan Media
Zan Media, San Francisco Bay Area film and video production specialists, caught the green buzz when producing their recent documentary on the California wine business, “A State of Vine”. Says partner/producer Christine Scioli, “We devoted a segment of the documentary to sustainability and saw time and time again the efforts made in the wine industry to become environmentally sensitive. It dawned on us that we took similar steps in the film and video business by becoming a 100 percent digital production company.”