FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Contact:
Kerry Parker, Public Works Department
510-747-7959
Public Works Leads in the County for Going Green
A move, started several years ago by the Alameda Public Works Department to go green, has paid off. On June 23, 2015, the last of Public Works’ three main facilities were certified as a Green Business by the California Green Business Program, a state program that awards such certifications. With its facilities now certified for meeting heightened environmental standards, the Public Works Department is the first public works agency in Alameda County to win such recognition for all of its facilities.
Alameda’s conservation and sustainability efforts contribute to a statewide move to have more green businesses. Businesses certified by the California Green Business Program have saved 822,677 metric tons of carbon dioxide this year, with a total savings of more than $3 million, according to the group. That is the equivalent of planting 43,583 acres of urban trees a year for ten years.
Alameda’s nonprofit Community Action for a Sustainable Alameda (CASA) applauded the City for being part of a community-wide effort for climate protection.
“CASA was formed to support the City of Alameda to achieve its greenhouse gas reduction goals,” said David Burton, the president of CASA. “We can think of no better demonstration of the City's leadership in this area than their commitment to certifying its departments as Green Businesses. We congratulate the Public Works Department for shepherding the other departments through this process.”
The City was also congratulated by the Alameda Marketplace, where all eight vendors have recently been green certified. The Marketplace now joins 20 more businesses in Alameda’s Downtown District who achieved green business certification.
“Alameda’s Downtown District strives to be ‘the Greenest Business District in America,’ and the City’s certification adds to the growing number of businesses who are going the extra mile to review all of their processes, purchases, equipment, and facilities to ensure they are doing what it takes to be green,” says Donna Layburn, owner of the Marketplace and president of the Downtown Alameda Business Association.
“These businesses, like the City, have probably had green practices but this takes their commitment a step further,” Layburn says. “We are proud to have the City join us in this important commitment to the environment.”
Going Green - Businesses can go green in a number of ways, including using less water, electricity, gas, and paper. By contacting the Bay Area Green Business Program, local businesses can receive free technical assistance and then submit their application for green business certification.
As one of the largest departments in the City that serves other departments in such areas as janitorial services, the Public Works Department had the most work to do and the most to gain by adopting more conservation measures.
According to Kerry Parker, a recycling expert for the City who also inspects green businesses in Alameda for compliance with the California Green Business Program, the City started working toward green certification in 2012. The idea began when, during her green business inspections, owners asked her if the City was also certified. Business owners were asking, "Why isn’t the City of Alameda walking its talk?”.
“The City of Alameda is one of the largest employers in the City and they wanted to be a model while saving money at the same time,” Parker says. Its efforts came years after the City installed energy-efficient lighting in its offices.
The latest efforts included installing low-flow toilets, using recycled paper for both bath tissue and paper towels, and printing on both sides of copy paper. By switching to recycled toilet paper and janitorial paper towels, the Public Works Department has saved $1,500 per year. Less paper usage means less City trash going to a landfill, fulfilling another goal of green businesses. By having printers default to double-sided, Public Works reduced its paper usage and saw copy paper expenses drop 37 percent. To meet Green Business Certification requirements, the Public Works Department also replaced existing toilets at its three facilities with 1.28 gallons-per-flush toilets and put aerators on all faucets. Water use plummeted at these facilities by more than 40% from usage in 2011. (For more on the how City departments have saved 120,564,277 gallons of water during the drought, see this staff report.)
More Green Business Certifications To Come - Public Works has also coordinated with other City departments to have their buildings and operations certified as a green business. In the last six months, Alameda’s City Hall, Main Library, and the Recreation and Park Department’s Administration Building won green business certification. Next up for green business certification are Alameda’s police and fire stations, and Mastick Senior Center. (See the graphic below for a summary of City facilities that have gained certification and those up next for certification.)
For more information about going green, please contact Public Works Program Specialist Kerry Parker at 510-747-7959.
