Making Headlines and a Healthy Environment

Monterey County Weekly Monterey County Weekly is an independent newsmedia company located in Seaside, California. At their core is their weekly newspaper, published every Thursday since 1988, plus three weekly e-newsletters to over 30,000 subscribers, a website (online since 1996) featuring daily news, arts and entertainment and mobile site.

Monterey County Weekly has taken countless actions to reduce their greenhouse gas emissions, including transforming their headquarters into a LEED™ Platinum certified building, a first for a commercial business in the tri-county area (Monterey, Santa Cruz and San Benito).

Energy efficiency is a specialty of Monterey County Weekly. This green business relies on on-site solar power for all of their energy needs and generates more energy than they consume with their 33 kW solar array. From energy efficient machines to natural lighting from skylights, they take steps every day to reduce their energy usage and their use of other resources. Monterey County Weekly’s high regard for the environment is apparent in the way they run their business and they are well known for their extensive reporting on environmental issues.

Monterey County Weekly encourages employees to follow green principles in their daily lives including using alternate forms of commuting. Monterey County Weekly is the sponsor of the local green business conference. They also created an annual fundraising campaign for local nonprofits, including a category to support local environmental charities. They are unique in their commendable efforts to have a low-impact on the environment, and serve as a role model for green businesses.

What actions did Monterey County Weekly take to save energy?

Monterey County Weekly installed a 162 panel rooftop solar array at their headquarters, which covers all of their energy needs totaling 33 kW. This has saved them thousands of dollars in electricity! Taking that a few steps further, they purchased energy-efficient machines and ENERGY STAR® rated computers for their work. They installed automated thermostats at all of their furnaces to control the energy used for heating. Monterey County Weekly replaced all lighting with more efficient LED lighting, but also use skylights to reduce the need for artificial lighting. To reduce heating and cooling needs, they also replaced all windows with double-pane insulated glass.

What did Monterey County Weekly do to save other resources?

Monterey County Weekly recycles nearly 80 percent of their waste, and their staff make sure to print all documents double-sided to reduce paper use. They recycle toner cartridges for the printer and dispose of all batteries in an environmentally-friendly manner. When remodeling their offices, Monterey County Weekly installed recycled-content carpet and used paint containing zero volatile organic compounds (VOCs). To save water they installed low-flow toilets and faucets, as well as drought-resistance plants and a drip irrigation system.

What other green actions did Monterey County Weekly take?

Monterey County Weekly composts all yard and food waste. Monterey County Weekly takes an active approach to promote alternate transportation. By encouraging employees to take alternate forms of transportation such as biking or carpooling, and in fact, nearly 40 percent of employees rely on biking, walking, carpooling, or telecommuting to work. Monterey County Weekly has also written green principles into the employee handbook to ensure that all staff uphold a level of environmental awareness.