2014 Award Winners

This year’s 16 award winners were selected from applicants across the state and represent a wide variety of business sectors. These businesses took a number of different actions to save money and improve their internal operations while reducing their greenhouse gas emissions and environmental impacts.

2013 Award Winners

The 4th CoolCalifornia Small Business Awards Program recognized 13 winners (3 Business of the Year winners and 10 Climate Leader winners) representing a wide variety of businesses across the state. Winners were recognized at an awards ceremony held in Sacramento on February 12, 2014. Presented below are photos from the ceremony and information on each of the winning businesses.

2012 Award Winners

“These small-business leaders from across the state prove that it only takes a few simple steps to be more sustainable,” said ARB Chairman Mary D. Nichols. “Whether it’s running a hotel or providing legal services they each demonstrated that making smart climate-friendly choices is good for the environment and for their bottom line.”

2010 Award Winners

The 2010 CoolCalifornia.org Small Business Award winners were selected from 85 competitive applicants from across the state, representing a variety of business sectors. These businesses took an array of actions to save money and improve their operations, facilities and practices while reducing greenhouse gas emissions. These steps included low cost actions such as installing compact fluorescent lights to more capital intensive investments such as installing solar panels.

Read the Press Release and News Clips on our Winners

2009 Award Winners

The CoolCalifornia.org Small Business Award Program was established to recognize small California businesses and organizations that have demonstrated leadership and made notable, voluntary achievements towards reducing their climate impact.  This was our inaugural year.

Resources

From Empty Nest to Sustainable Rest

As soon as their kids were off to college, Karen and Al decided to downsize and move out of their large family home and settled into the idea of a home with a smaller, sustainable footprint. They explored the possibilities of buying an existing home and renovating it to fit their new lifestyle and eco-friendly inclinations. With lower real estate prices, mortgage rates, available rebates for energy-efficiency upgrades and appliances, and affordable design and construction companies, the decision was an easy one for them to make.

A Green Contribution to the World

Meet the husband and wife green team — Marco Pietschmann and Bettina Limaco. Together the two started their small business, Green11, as part of their vision for the future of shopping. Green11 isn’t your average retailer. The duo has implemented a new retail model that minimizes consumer packaging, thereby significantly reducing waste from the traditional supply chain. This is all done through a revolutionary concept called the “closed-loop distribution model.”

Transportation Designed & Delivered

For Advanced Transit Dynamics (ATDynamics), helping trucking companies cut fuel costs is how it gives back to Mother Nature. A small business dedicated to developing the best-in-class technology for the freight transportation industry, ATDynamics works with carriers throughout North America to reduce their carbon footprint. One way it has accomplished this is through its flagship product, the TrailerTail®. In 2010, more than 480 of these devices were installed on the back of tractor-trailers, saving more than 36,000 gallons of diesel.