19 Aug Eight Local Businesses Recognized for Exceptional Sustainability Efforts
Last night, August 15th, the City of Austin’s Green Business Leaders program recognized more than 65 new businesses that have achieved Platinum, Gold, and Silver levels since last year. To date, 104 companies have achieved membership in the program.
In addition, 8 businesses were presented with special recognition for innovation excellence.
“These organizations have taken great strides to incorporate sustainability into their day-to-day business operations,” said Lucia Athens, the City of Austin’s Chief Sustainability Officer. “They are to be commended for making choices that support a bright, green future for the entire Austin community.”
The eight recipients of the 2013 Austin Green Business Leaders Awards are:
Best Overall – Center for Maximum Potential Building Systems
The organization demonstrates a strong commitment to sustainability with operational decisions that include a green building demonstration project as their headquarters, using solar power for heat, composting and marine toilets to conserve water, composting on site, and providing fitness equipment and exercise areas for employees.
Energy Efficiency – Office Depot
Office Depot has made significant investments in energy efficiency that include the installation of high efficiency lighting, solar panels that provide 12% of the store’s electricity needs, efficient HVAC and water heater systems, and a white reflective roof to improve building insulation.
Water Efficiency – AMD
AMD has a 1.2 million gallon rain water collection system that, combined with water collected from HVAC condensate, is used to irrigate landscaping and clean outdoors. The company was able to collect 29 million liters of water in 2012 and did not require any municipal water for irrigation.
Sustainability Education – St. David’s Episcopal Church (Note: Austin EcoNetwork was a finalist!)
St. David’s Episcopal Church hosts numerous educational outreach events for members of the congregation, as well as the larger Austin community, that involve teaching demonstrations, information on green products, environmentally-themed films, and performances by local artists. The organization also offers regular environmental tips for parishioners through a newsletter, web site, and social media.
Resource Efficiency – East Side Pies
East Side Pies composts all vegetable food scraps on site, as well as organic materials brought in from employees who don’t have composting at home. In addition, all of the restaurant’s produce is sourced from local farms or edible on site xeriscaping.
Innovative Transportation – Rackspace
Rackspace encourages video-conferencing for meetings, and offers an in-house-developed online carpooling sign-up program, bicycles and lockers/showers for staff, and a daily shuttle service between their Austin and San Antonio offices to reduce the number of cars on the road.
Healthy Work Environment – Texas Mutual Insurance Company
Texas Mutual Insurance Company provides a comprehensive employee wellness program that includes online health improvement tools, health risk assessments, wellness coaching, annual flu shots, Weight Watchers at work, and onsite fitness centers and yoga classes at each office location.
Community Stewardship – MHD Enterprises
Electronic recycler MHD Enterprises has committed to hiring 75% of its workforce from rehab centers. The company offers coaching, training, and opportunities for advancement to encourage employee retention and reduce instances of relapse; in fact, MHD has experienced a 90% success rate of employees with no relapse.
Austin Green Business Leaders award recipients were selected by a panel of judges from the City of Austin, representing expertise areas for each category in the Office of Sustainability, Austin Water Utility, Austin Energy, Austin Resource Recovery, Health & Human Services, Economic Growth & Redevelopment Services, Watershed Protection, and Public Works Department.
About Austin Green Business Leaders:
Launched in April of 2012 by the City’s Office of Sustainability, the Austin Green Business Leaders program has had more than 285 businesses download the scorecard to become a member. The program has recognized a total of 104 businesses, 14 at the Silver level, 38 at Gold, and 51 at the Platinum level. Becoming a member is free and involves three steps:
1) Go to www.austintexas.gov/
2) Get points for what you’re already doing and identify where you can improve. The scorecard offers tips and resources that make it easy to take action.
3) Return your scorecard and get recognized for your accomplishments!
By resolving to go green, local businesses can help protect the environment, save money, and make Austin a more livable place. Green business is good business.
For a complete listing of the businesses that have been recognized, go to: www.austintexas.gov/
About the Office of Sustainability:
The City of Austin’s Office of Sustainability was established in September 2010, when Lucia Athens, a leader in sustainability and green building was hired as the Chief Sustainability Officer. The Office works to ensure a bright, green livable future for Austin by advancing local sustainability and climate action, as well as provides leadership and coordination for initiatives across the City organization and the Austin community. To that end, the Office oversees activities with City Departments to accomplish operational objectives sustainably, manages the Climate Protection Program, and promotes partnerships with community members, organizations, and other government agencies to establish sustainability programs and practices.
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