Business environmental ‘best practices’ to be honored at BEA breakfast

Sonoma County and its many locally-based businesses are
recognized as national leaders in environmental consciousness and
innovative sustainability practices.
Such successes and reputations do not happen by accident or
without strong collaborative work.
Since 1997, dozens — and now hundreds — of local businesses have
been working under the umbrella of the Business Environmental
Alliance. The BEA was started by the county government’s Economic
Development Board to bring business, government and environmental
leaders together. The BEA works, annual reports and many special
programs have been a key part in building Sonoma County’s
leadership role in sustainable and “green” practices. The BEA
continues to lead the way in “profitability through sound
environmental practice.”
Each year since 2001, local businesses have been awarded “best
practices” awards at an annual BEA Business Leaders Breakfast.
This year’s event will be held from 7 to 9:30 a.m. on Friday,
March 11 at the Hyatt Vineyard Creek Hotel in Santa Rosa where 17
businesses will be honored.
Registration is still open for the event at a costs of $45 per
person or $400 for tables of eight. Featured speaker will be Andy
Hoffman, a University of Michigan professor of Sustainable
Enterprise. (On-line registration is available at www.sonomabea.org.)
Among the 17 honorees is Quivira Winery, of Dry Creek Valley.
The biodynamic winery was nominated by the Healdsburg Chamber of
Commerce.
Since 1998, Quivira has been actively engaged in restoring Wine
Creek, the Coho salmon and Steelhead trout spawning stream that
winds through the center of the estate.
Also from Healdsburg, the new h2hotel is being nominated for an
award by the Sonoma County Lodging Association for its
LED architecure designs and many “green” practices at the lodging
and restartant facility.
Also being honored from Windsor is Aaction Rents for being “a
leader in the quest for practical and sustainable business
practices in Windsor.”
The other BEA honorees include the Conservation Corps of North
Bay, Hope-Merrill and Hope Bosworth Inns of Geyserville, St. Joseph
Health Systems, Clone Digital Printing from Mark West, Sonoma State
University, Petaluma Green Taxi, Sally Tomatoes, Comcast, Soiland
Company, Kinde Wine Estates, Inman Family Wines, Munselle Vineyards
and Boden Plumbing.
The county’s BEA is led by chair Scott Kirk, of Spaulding
McCullough & Tansil. Other board members include Rebecca
Bautista, Tom Conlon, Chris Dawson, Mike Dittmore, Erik Kinz, Dave
Meddaugh, Doug Rackerby, Warren Smith and Carry Wicht.
Since it’s launch in 1997, the BEA has provided a “one-stop
shop” for information, instruction, rebates and incentives that
promote the economic benefits of responsible environmental
practices. The BEA laos has become a hub for the sustainability
conversation within the business community.