Leaders in Green Programs
Finally, there is good news for the environment: A growing number of organizations have put sustainability programs in place, hoping to be a positive force for the environment—something especially important at a time when green initiatives are more than needed.
One early adopter of green living programs is Rancho La Puerta Fitness Resort & Spa, a 3,000-acre destination fitness resort and spa in Tecate, Baja California, that has embraced environmental sustainability since opening in 1940. When other people started thinking about the environment, says spokeswoman Aida Alibegovic, Rancho La Puerta was already ahead of the curve. “Now that the green trend is in, we are sticking to our roots,” she says. The resort’s extensive list of environmental initiatives includes a biological marsh that captures “gray” water and returns it to a creek, and an organic garden that supplies the ingredients for the resort’s dining hall.
Another forward-thinking company is Black Mountain Ranch LLC, developer of the 1,800-acre Del Sur planned community. “We made a decision 20 years ago that we would preserve more than half of our property for permanent open space and habitat conservation,” says Fred Maas, president and CEO of Black Mountain Ranch LLC. “When you start with a business decision to give up some of your most valuable assets, it becomes a part of your culture.”
Mass takes his role in that culture very seriously. “If we don’t take a step forward in sustainable living, who will?” he asks. “Global warming is in every person’s lexicon right now. [But] it’s incumbent upon us to lead the way for others to follow.” One of Del Sur’s greatest environmental accomplishments is The Ranch House, the community’s information center. With green features that include sunflower husks in countertops, wheat waste in cabinets and ceilings and a porous concrete driveway for groundwater filtration, the building was awarded a Platinum LEED (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design) certification, a program of the U.S. Green Building Council and the worldwide standard for sustainable, high-performance, low-energy-use buildings. In addition to being San Diego’s only platinum-rated structure, the 3,000-square-foot Ranch House is the only private-sector building in California to achieve the platinum rating, and is in fact the highest-rated Platinum LEED building in California.
As with the construction industry, energy companies are finding green practices to be in their best interests as well. San Diego Gas & Electric’s progressive Sustainable Community Program primarily works with new-construction commercial projects, schools and multifamily buildings. SDG&E engineers “provide design assistance and make recommendations about how to make the building more energy-efficient,” says project manager Sally Muir. “Once it’s installed, we inspect it, and then we give them an incentive check.” Through this program, SDG&E also installs solar-power systems. One such system is located at the Reuben H. Fleet Science Center, where a 100-kilowatt photovoltaic system on the roof is connected to the city’s grid. “It’s just like generating power in Balboa Park,” she says. “Instead of importing [power], it’s generating on site.”
Other companies that have aggressively pursued environmental sustainability include Pardee Homes, a development company that builds homes with environmental features such as water-saving faucets and glass that reduces energy loss, and the Children’s Museum/Museo de los Niños San Diego, which is currently building a new state-of-the-art facility that includes a number of sustainable-design features. With such a wide array of innovative leaders in this field, plenty of resources and inspiration exist for other businesses interested in reducing their own environmental footprint.
A number of companies are doing all they can to show how everyday choices can help reduce humankind’s global footprint. One such environmental technology company, Sabertec, specializes in the development of emissions-reduction technologies. Last summer the company launched the Blade, an add-on that fits on a car’s tailpipe, which improves gas mileage by up to 30 percent and reduces emissions of greenhouse gases, pollutants and toxic particulate material.
“The Blade attaches to the tailpipe of your car and reduces hydrocarbons, carbon monoxide and the top three greenhouse gases: carbon dioxide, nitrogen oxide and methane,” says Bill O’Brien, CEO of Sabertec. “In addition, it increases fuel economy significantly. By not installing the Blade, you are paying $600 to $800 a year for your privilege to pollute.”
Wanting to expand upon the company’s goal of being a positive force for the environment, Sabertec has launched the Blade Your Ride Scholarship Program as an opportunity for students who are passionate about the environment to earn money for college. One crucial component of the application process, a video, should demonstrate the student’s commitment to take action and explain how he or she reduces his or her impact on the environment, while inspiring family and friends to do the same.
For more information, see bladeyourride.com.
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