Thursday, April 23, 2009

What does it mean to be Green?



I wish I had made this post yesterday, as it would have been apropos of Earth Day, but better late I suppose. We are very excited, regardless, about our Green Business Certification.

So what does it mean to be Green? Well, after submitting the application and filling out extensive questionnaires about our business practices, it ultimately means that we meet or exceed all the stringent guidelines proposed by the County of Alameda for waste management and recycling, that we comply with all environmental regulations, and take steps to conserve natural resources, prevent pollution and reduce waste.

We had inspections by PG&E, EBMUD and the City of Berkeley. Some of our practices include using environmentally-friendly cleaning products, use energy-efficient lighting and use practices (ie.timers), and use supply vendors that reduce waste in their packaging whenever possible, to name a few. We passed all of our inspections with flying colors!

Goodness, it feels good to be Green!