Out of 275 sustainable businesses registered in Sacramento, 14 were awarded at the 4th Annual Sustainable Business of the Year Awards Ceremony and Pollution Prevention Expo on Friday Oct. 8.
“We understand right now businesses are probably more concerned with the economic climate then climate change,” said Genevieve Shiroma, president of Sacramento Municipal Utility District (SMUD).
The awards were handed out to businesses that have gone above and beyond compliance with the Business Environmental Resource Center (BERC) which put on the event held at the Sacramento Municipal Utility Districts headquarters.
BERC is a free technical resource center that’s mission is to promote business success while enhancing environmental quality on behalf of the government. BERC works hand in hand with other environmental agencies in the Sacramento area.
Key-note speaker for the ceremony, La Ronda Bowen, Ombudsman for the California Air Resources Board, said that California has a worldwide representation for innovation and leadership and businesses in Sacramento are sending a critical message to the rest of the state, nation, and the world.
“Your leadership demonstrates that cleaning the environment also includes the bottom line,” said Bowen.
Also there to speak was Sacramento’s voice in Washington D.C. Representative Doris Matsui of Congressional District number 5. Matsui said planning for the future is like planting a tree for shade, people of today’s generation might not see the benefits, but future generations will.
“Green is the way to go,” said Congresswoman Matsui.
Sacramento Metropolitan Air Quality Management District was awarded for their work in revolutionizing air pollution awareness by implementing spare the air day and implementing air alert ozone maps which quickly became a part of weather reports. The Sacramento Metropolitan Air Quality Management District was established in 1960 and is celebrating 50 years of service to the area.
Sacramento Sustainability Forum was awarded for its work to promote sustainability by making efforts to engage the community and raise awareness. Sacramento Sustainability Forum is a free monthly venue for connecting businesses, non-profits, government agencies and interested citizens.
Also awarded was DMC Green. This company is the first company in the United States to open a retail electric vehicle charging station. They now have 7 electric charging stations in Sacramento and have a plan to open thirty more covering California from the Oregon border to Mexico.
Others awarded were the City of Citrus Heights, California State University of Sacramento, Aerojet, Elk Grove Unified School District, Hines Properties, Vinh Phat Market, Winco Foods, the Sacramento Area Sewer district, and the California Environmental Protection Agency. The Cal-EPA headquarters was called “the Taj Mahal of green buildings” and is the first to earn sustainable certification in the new transportation and air quality category.
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