Meet the Newest Certified Green Businesses
Meet some great local businesses doing their part for the environment that have been recently certified through the Local First Arizona Green Business Program. Support these businesses by choosing them for your purchases, send a note of thanks or engage with them on social media.
CoLAB Studio: “Sustainability is only sustainable if it benefits everyone” is a leading tenet for CoLAB studio, a Tempe based architecture and design group that emphasizes environmental impact in their projects and in their day-to-day operations. Standout practices include minimizing transportation emissions by working out of a home studio (also conveniently located near light rail), hosting meetings online rather than in-person and driving hybrid vehicles. They are very energy conscious, using shades on windows, night flushing (basically allowing cooler night air into the building to reduce reliance on air conditioning) and offsetting 50% of the energy use on their property with solar. When working on built environment projects, the CoLAB team focuses on less wasteful practices, which also spills over into their operations by going paperless as much as possible, recycling all acceptable materials, composting food waste and opting for recycled content paper. They avoid spraying weed killers and pesticides, use low flow water fixtures and dual flush toilets, support environmental nonprofits and participate in advocacy groups including Citizens for a Vibrant Apache Corridor. - MORE
Fair Trade Café: Stephanie Vasquez’s downtown Phoenix café is everything a local coffee shop should be – a gathering space where the community is welcomed with brimming cups of fair trade coffee, homemade baked goods and delicious sandwiches and salads. They also walk the talk when it comes to operating with the environment in mind, including composting all food waste, recycling all acceptable materials, opting for compostable and recycled content paper and to-go products, sharing energy use with employees to raise awareness, prioritizing materials that are repurposed or recycled when remodeling and decorating, offering reusable straws for sale, providing incentives for customers who bring in their own mugs and using low flow toilets and sinks. Along with this certification, Fair Trade has been recognized by the Phoenix Green Business Leaders Program and the Arizona Recycling Coalition for their outstanding efforts. - MORE
Image Craft: This locally owned printing company makes a big splash with large format printing that you can slap up on your home, vehicle, stadium, Winnebago – you name it. They also have been making huge strides in reducing the environmental impact their Phoenix facility’s operations have through their Green Team who recommends and works on implementing new practices. Their facility is very energy efficient, with smart thermostats, strong window tint, LED bulbs and a solar array recently installed. Their pollution prevention methods include recycling electronic waste, batteries, printer ink and light bulbs, transitioning away from chemical air fresheners, eliminating spraying pesticide and using a Green Shield certified pest control company only when needed. They recycle, donate to second hand stores instead of landfilling , provide secure bike storage along with showers, and have had a water audit performed to better understand water use. - MORE
Tempe City Hall: Look inside the upside down pyramid building on 5th Street and you’ll see a lot green action happening. The City of Tempe staff is working hard on preparing the city for the future with regards to climate change, being one of the few Arizona cities to create a Climate Action Plan and participating in the Global Covenant of Mayors, We’re Still In and Climate Mayors. They are continually working to lower their carbon footprint in their buildings and operations. They practice energy efficiency by installing LED bulbs, using natural light, having an energy audit performed and closely monitoring their energy use. They’ve had a greenhouse gas emissions study done, prioritize reuse of materials in remodeling, and use compost from the City’s Green Organics program on the grounds. Waste reduction efforts include going paperless for reports and manuals whenever possible, centralizing purchasing to avoid unnecessary orders, and recycling all acceptable materials. Employees enjoy great alternative transportation benefits including telecommute, secure bike storage along with lockers and showers, carpool and rideshare parking spots, and Valley Metro passes. The City’s water conservation efforts include having a water audit performed, checking for and repairing leaks regularly and using drip irrigation during dusk – dawn to reduce evaporation. - MORE