The Soquel Creek Water District (District) Board of Directors unanimously adopted resolution 17-01, the Green Business Pledge to become a Green Business under the Monterey Bay Area Green Business Program, at the board meeting on January 17.
The Monterey Bay Area Green Business Program is part of the California Green Business Program that is endorsed by the United States Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and the Department of Toxic Substances Control (TSC).
It is a certification program to encourage businesses and public/governmental agencies to adopt best business practices which meet or exceed environmental standards.
Environmental stewardship is a core value of the District and activities we perform,” says Ron Duncan, District General Manager. “Whether they are policy decisions or day-to-day tasks, we should consider the impact to the environment and ways to protect it.”
The District will have a phased process for becoming a Green Business. The District will aim to certify the administrative office building first and to certify the auto shop area and District operations (pumps and wells) in the future. The pledge states that even if the District is not able to complete all necessary environmental steps now, it aims to do so in the future as time and resources allow.
Many of the District’s standard business practices are already “green” but improvements can always be made with new products and better technology to decrease energy use, conserve water, reduce office resources like paper and purchase less toxic cleaners.