On Jan. 19, 2006, Dave’s Auto Repair became the first Sarasota County Green Business Partner. Join us in this blog series over the next several months as we highlight our partners by looking back over the past 15 years of this fantastic partnership!
Through this series of posts, we will be highlighting our GBP members to show how important each is to our efforts and to recognize their importance in our community. To learn more about our partners and how to join the program visit our participating partner’s webpage.
Sarasota County Green Business Partners: A look back – 2013 (Part 2)
Certification was a breeze for owner Blake Parsons of CaliFlorida Surf and Skate Shop. Meeting program standards in energy and water conservation CaliFlorida goes beyond by designing and creating custom surf boards and skateboards to sale. Remaining wood scraps from skateboard production are sent to manufacturers who up-cycle the wood, creating beautiful wooden wrist watches and sunglasses. Some local artists also collect curved wood scraps from Parsons and craft unique jewelry.
Art to Walk On, Inc. is a unique store that carries antique and fine Oriental carpets from around the world. Carpets sold in the store come from Persia, Turkey, Afghanistan, Ireland, France, Tibet, Nepal, and pre-communist China. Owner Eileen Hampshire makes sure that the carpets in the store are all unique pieces of art that are hand-knotted and woven with handspun wool. Eileen chooses each carpet for its’ unique qualities; most are dyed with indigenous vegetables. In addition to beautiful decades old antique carpets, Art to Walk On deals with modern-production carpets and provide clients with washing, repair, restoration, and evaluations.
The NUOVO Salon Group is comprised of three Aveda-based salons: First Street Salon, Fresh Talent, and The Landings. All three salons are run with environmental responsibility as their top priority. Product bottles are made from recycled plastic. Bottle caps are returned to AVEDA for recycling. Water is reverse osmosis filtered. Lighting is energy-efficient in each location. Water is conserved through low-flow fixtures and appliances. Environmentally friendly and non-toxic cleaners are used. Mugs and glasses are offered to customers instead of single-use beverage containers, reducing waste.
The Stickney Point Earth Origins Market started with the desire and passion to provide natural and organic foods to their local communities. Earth Origins Market offers gluten free, vegan options, a selection of locally produced products, as well as extensive personal care and supplement departments staffed by knowledgeable associates. As a Green Business Partner, the Stickney Point Earth Origins Market is committed to conserving energy and water, recycling and reducing waste. Less efficient dairy cases were replaced with LED lit, energy efficient cases. Moving to single stream recycling simplified employee and customer recycling, while capturing more of the waste stream, reducing the recycling provider’s number of trips to the business and saves Earth Origins Market roughly $600 a month. Deli containers are composed of recycled content, and plastic and paper bags are composed of 100% recycled content.
Frozen treats are made to order with the flash freezing of liquid nitrogen at Sub Zero. The unique method of applying liquid nitrogen to the cream creates creamy and smooth ice cream without ice crystals. Waste is kept to a minimum, where only the numbers of ice cream or yogurt variables are abundant. Super-efficient Light Emitting Diode (LED) fixtures light this specialty ice cream and frozen yogurt shop. Environmentally friendly and non-toxic products are used to clean the establishment. The Siesta Key location was certified in 2013 and the Sarasota location on Clark Road in 2014.
Woven into the fabric of the faith is the beautiful principle Tikun Olam meaning honoring God through restoring the earth. Environmentalism, conservation, and preservation of the earth fit this ancient principle. For over three years the Temple Beth Sholom has had an active 15 member ‘Go Green Team’. Recognizing the importance of health of current and future generations the temple implements the Precautionary Principle, recognizing that many common chemical products and pesticides are detrimental to health, especially the health of children. The buildings and grounds are cleaned and maintained with non-toxic and pesticide-free alternatives. All water is filtered, and students are provided reusable water bottles, eliminating single use plastic water bottle waste. Energy consumption is reduced through a new white reflective roof, low E windows, and energy efficient copiers. Temple Beth Sholom is certified through Green Faith and is also the 1st synagogue with an organic fruit tree garden.
Octex is a leading manufacturer of precision injection molded components for the medical, electronic and consumer products industries. Octex is committed to running an environmentally responsible manufacturing operation. Cardboard, packing materials and pallets are reused again and again between Octex and the businesses they create products for. All standard recyclables are all recycled, as well as copper wire and used oil. Plastic material is reground and sent to manufacturers who create products from the reground plastic. Cotton clean room gloves are laundered and reused, eliminating excess waste. Instilling a company-wide environmental commitment, employees take pride in their quality, safety, and sustainability practices.
Diane Lane has been a licensed massage therapist since 2001. Diane is certified in the following modalities: Cranial Sacral, Deep Tissue, Kriya Massage, Lymphatic Drainage, Medical Massage, Myofascial Release, Prenatal Massage, Reiki (master), Shiatsu Stretch and Sports Massage. Diane is passionate about helping clients restore and maintain health and wellness. Diane is also dedicated to living lightly on the earth. Diane consciously conserves electricity by turning off lights and raising the air conditioning when her studio is not in use. In conserving resources further, she launders items in a water and energy efficient machine, using environmentally friendly detergents. Printer cartridges are refilled, glasses are used instead of single use cups, copy paper and business cards are recycled content paper.
Becoming a Green Business Partner was easy for the family-run seafood restaurant. Already energy conscious, The Lobster Pot has a reflective roof coating, reducing strain on the air conditioning. Regular maintenance and upkeep on appliances and air conditioning keep devices running optimally. A recent energy audit led to a lighting upgrade from halogen bulbs to Light Emitting Diode (LED) fixtures throughout the interior. Rechargeable battery-powered LED votives provide tableside, candle-light ambiance. Green choices include biodegradable to-go boxes, corn-based cups for children, recycled content towels and tissue, environmentally friendly hand soap, and green cleaning products.
Jeff Hanna and Barbara Gail are the co-owners of The Rhythm Inlet, specialists since 1994 in hand-drums and percussion from around the world, creative movement, and dance practices, and now children’s yoga, and ukuleles! They offer knowledgeable sales and service, expert repair, and distinctive and incomparable classes. As a green business partner, they communicate their sustainable actions to students and customers, they are demonstrating their commitment to reduce waste, water, and energy. The store buys locally when possible, uses reusable dishes for all events and all packaging material is recycled or reused. In honor of the skins and wood used in the instruments sold, they donate to Farm Sanctuary.
The Oscar Scherer State Park is largely known as one of the best places to see Florida scrub-jays, a threatened species endemic to Florida. The park protects scrub and pine flatwoods that were once widespread throughout Sarasota County, but now are almost entirely consumed by development. The park offers an extensive 15-mile trail system that is ideal for hiking, bicycling and wildlife viewing for all ages. The trails range from a half mile ADA compliant trail to a five-mile trail loop trail.
Since becoming a green business partner, Oscar Scherer State Park has switched to a single stream recycling program, making it easier for both staff and visitors to participate. They have also ensured that recycling containers are readily available and labeled properly. Moving forward, the park will be changing broken and burned-out lights to fluorescents and LEDs, as well as installing programmable thermostats that will be set to 78℉ cooling and 68℉ heating. Water conservation measures at the park have include installing tankless water heaters, faucet aerators in camping areas and waterless no-flush urinals, reducing water usage at the park dramatically.
William’s Wildflowers offers floral arrangements featuring Florida-native plants and wildflowers for celebrations, weddings, anniversaries, birthdays, graduations, openings or whatever you have happening! William’s Wildflowers is run by the staff of Florida Native Plants Nursery and Landscaping. They encourage the use of Florida native, low maintenance drought-resistant plants and trees; remove invasive exotic plants; use organic fertilizer, only when necessary; do not use pesticides; have native plants planted in our swales and banks to absorb nutrients; adhere to a 10- to 30-foot no-fertilizer, no-pesticide zone along retention ponds and swales; and even use horses, cows, and goats instead of mowing!
The Kimal Event Center was built as a ‘living model’ of Green Building Concepts and Sustainable Building Practices. It also provides educational and special events for the industry and the community, as well as for the Kimal Team.
The Kimal Event Center in Venice exemplifies green building practices. Sustainable lumber is throughout, from bamboo floors, reclaimed submerged cypress slabs as desk and conference tabletops, and wood sought from sustainably managed forests shows Kimal Lumber Company’s environmental commitment. Abundant natural light illuminates the event center. Energy-efficient lighting is throughout, including highly efficient T-5 fluorescent lamps as well as T-8 lamps. Cork wainscoting is in one of the conference rooms, as well. Kimal uses reusable mugs, rechargeable batteries, and refillable pens. Toner, batteries, and water bottles are recycled as well as standard program recyclables. Kimal selects products with the least amount of packaging and or have recyclable packaging. The Kimal Nokomis Lumberyard became a Green Business Partner in 2006, the Kimal Sales and Design Center in Nokomis became a Green Business Partner 2012.
The mission at Bee Ridge Vision Center is to provide the highest level of eye care and customer service possible. The Bee Ridge Vision Center strives to be the best in optometry, eyeglass, and contact lens service. Exceeding patients’ expectations and diligently working to earn the confidence necessary to be their lifetime vision guardians. As a green business partner, lens cloths from vendors and eye glass cases are reused or donated. They refill lens cleaner bottles for patients eliminating the need for new bottles. The Bee Ridge Vision Center has cut down on paper waste by implementing digital filing, billing, and e-prescriptions. The staff at the Bee Ridge Vision Center chooses to use green cleaning products, use reusable lunch containers and bags. After receiving the results of their free FPL energy audit, Bee Ridge Vision Center has begun to make changes to more efficient lighting, further reducing their impact on the environment.
Through a better understanding and working knowledge of sustainable practices and renewable alternatives Core Construction can collaborate with owners, designers and end users to provide ‘green’ solutions to both sophisticated systems and simple, everyday issues. Whether providing innovative solutions to achieve LEED certification points or implementing simple recycling programs, we promote and practice sustainability.
CORE is a member of the United States Green Building Council (USGBC) with 18 LEED accredited professionals (a number that is growing and will continue to do so), and experienced personnel to help you explore opportunities to BUILD GREEN. As a Green Business Partner, CORE Construction instills strong environmental stewardship practices across the multiple office locations. Recycling, reuse, energy, and water efficiency are categories which CORE focuses upon.
SalVinCo is a leading supplier of internationally produced 12 -volt LED Lights, 12-volt DC lights (halogen, Xenon, incandescent) and 12- volt LED Bulbs. As a green business partner, SalVinCo is doing their part to make a difference. By recycling toner and printer cartridges, reusing packing materials and using non-toxic eco-friendly hand soaps. In their office and warehouse areas, SalVinCo uses lighting changes and retrofits for demonstration purposes. They replaced their fluorescents bulbs and T-8 tube lights with energy conserving LED lights, and in their warehouse area, 400-Watt halogen lights are shown side by side with 100-Watt LED light fixtures- demonstrating the differences and why switching to LED is important.
Realtor Albert Wooster specializes in luxury, mid-century modern, green, and second homes market primarily in South Sarasota, the Palmer Ranch area, and Siesta Key. Wooster has been awarded Sarasota Magazine’s Five Star Realtor ‘Best in Client Satisfaction’ and Wave Magazine’s ‘Top 3 Area Realtors’ by Reader Vote. He was the founding chairman of the ‘Green Realtors Alliance of Sarasota’ and with his group the ‘Green Real Estate Alliance’ he helped kick start the ‘Green Realtors Alliance of Venice Area’ and the ‘Green Realtors Alliance of Manatee’. He was asked by NAR (National Association of Realtors) to participate as a ‘Subject Matter Expert’ on the course development panel for the ‘GREEN’ designation course.
Working from his home office, he uses natural light when possible. Recent bathroom and kitchen renovations include ‘energy’ and water efficient fixtures, replacing incandescent can lights with LED bulbs, and installing non-VOC emitting cabinetry for the kitchen and bathroom. Simple eco-friendly choices include using the backs of printed paper for scratch pads, recycling printer cartridges and careful route planning to show clients homes all make a difference.
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