The 6th Annual San Francisco Green Business Awards Reception was held January 18, 2012 to celebrate the wonderful successes our newly recognized Green Businesses of 2011 have achieved!

Congratulations to all the following businesses who have met our high environmental standards in 2011!

Visit their listings in our Green Business directory.

Did you know the San Francisco Green Business Program is part of an even larger California Green Business Network (CAGBN)?  With support from the California Department of Toxic Substances Control (DTSC), the San Francisco Green Business Program, and other government run Green Business Programs around the state make up the growing green business community in Califorinia.

With the passing of AB 913 that was signed by Governor Jerry Brown in October 2011, all government run Green Business Programs that are part of the CAGBN are certified programs of the state. 

What does this mean to you as a recognized Green Business or a business interested in pursuing Green Business recognition?  It means that by meeting the high environmental standards set by the San Francisco Green Business Program, you are officially recognized not only by the City & County of San Francisco but by the state of California!

Learn more by checking out the video posted by the DTSC here.

Please come join the SF Green Business Program team and the SF Department of Environment staff for our holiday open house tomorrow, December 6, 2011 at 5:30pm at the EcoCenter at 11 Grove St., San Francisco 94102.

Stop by to meet and greet with staff from all the divisions in the SF Department of Environment.  Learn about all the great and exciting work happening here while munching on yummy free treats and drinks.

Enjoy the start of the holiday season with some Green cheer!

Calling all in process businesses! Have you had your site visit? Received your final list of To Dos? Met all compliance requirements? And are sooo close to completing the recognition process? Well get on your feet, get the ball rolling, and connect with the SF Green Business Program again! If you are able to complete the Green Business recognition process by December 31, 2011 with compliance and full verification, you can be including as a 2011 recognized Green Business. Our annual awards reception is just around the corner in January and you too can be one of the amazing businesses receiving our Green Business Award plaque. Contact Anna Frankel, Green Business Coordinator ( This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it ) or Kevin Kumataka, Green Business Associate ( This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it ) to touch base about your business. We are both here to help your business complete this process by December 31, 2011 so you may be included in this prestigious awards reception. Please contact us so we may best assist you to become a recognized Green Business of the City & County of San Francisco!

One of our newest members to the SF Green Business family, CompoClay, is celebrating their one year anniversary! CompoClay provides home accent products, garden décor, and building products made from CompoClay: a material made of minerals, water, and sand. Please, join one of our recognized Green Businesses, CompoClay, for this exciting one year milestone on Thursday, November 17, 2011 at 5pm at the CompoClay Showroom and Resource Center located in Crocker Galleria in San Francisco. For details and more information about this celebration, visit www.compoclay.com.

The Green Festival is here in San Francisco again this year! November 12-13, 2011 at the San Francisco Concourse Exhibition Center (635 8th St.) come be part of a nationwide event promoting sustainability and environmental awareness. Visit a host of information booths from the San Francisco Department of Environment, non-profits, universities, businesses and more! Check out vendor booths for green products and services. Drop by one of the stages to listen to renowned speakers, activities, leaders, or just hang out and enjoy some great music and performances. The Green Festival is for everyone so bring your kids to the Green Kids Zone with fun interactive craft projects, face painting, and educational videos. To see the full schedule of events and speakers, visit www.greenfestivals.org.

For all of our Green Businesses and all others who are interested in just learning more about green business, the Green Festival will be also hosting Green Business Seminars. Hear from environmental business leaders on a variety of topics that can help and educate your business about all of the ways it can become greener and better.

Did you know that in addition to running the Bazaar Bizarre and working full-time in science education, Jamie Chan and her husband Blas Herrera also own Urban Fauna Studio, the best little fiber arts shop in San Francisco? It’s enough to make a girl feel downright lazy. Ever the overachievers (and responsible business owners), Blas and Jamie recently went through the process to make UFS a certified green business. Jamie agreed to share their experience with me so we can all become green businesses, too.

First a little background on their business: Urban Fauna Studio sells independently made and eco-friendly craft supplies and tools. They focus on ecologically and socially considerate manufacturing practices, products made in the US and handmade items. They host a growing community of consignment artists and crafters, all of whom are committed to bringing quality handmade goods to their customers. At UFS you can also explore the fiber arts through a revolving series of workshops (see their calendar for details). Blas has a background in environmental science and Jamie is a science educator. Both of them come from families that have long enjoyed the fiber arts, crafting and DIY.

Lauren O. Venell is a product designer in San Francisco, CA.

The San Francisco Green Business Program has recently launched their new website where environmentally savvy shoppers can be directed to companies that not only offer green products and services, but whose business have also been certified as meeting green practice goals. From local bars to environmental consultants, from architects to office supplies, from chocolates to dentists, you can find a growing number of firms that have shown their commitment to the environment by going through the program.

Beausoleil was certified as a green business a few months ago and we have been waiting for the new website to proudly announce our certification. Our link can be found under services/architects and engineers/Beausoleil Architects or you can click here: Beausoleil

SAN FRANCISCO, Calif. – February 3, 2009 – San Francisco-based architectural firm, BAR Architects was recently declared a Certified

Green Business by the City of San Francisco after three years of applications, inspections, interviews and enhanced regulations. BAR's dayto-day operations were thoroughly reviewed to assess the firm's internal green business practices including the firm's ongoing efforts energy conservation, pollution reduction and sustainable waste and water use.

In order to be designated as a San Francisco Green Business, a business must be in compliance with all Federal, State and local regulations and implement a minimum number of resource conservation, waste minimization and pollution prevention practices.

Some of BAR's conservation practices include:

• Providing standard recycling bins as well as those for paper, electronic waste and compost.
• Double-sided printing is encouraged and paper printed on one side is collected and bound into notepads for internal use..
• Use of permaware and recycled content paper products including compostable flatware and utensils.
• Eliminating the use of bottled water.
• All appliances and electronics are Energy Star rated and lights are controlled with dimmers, timers and/or motion sensors.
• Over 40% of the firm's technical staff is LEED accredited and BAR provides ongoing education on sustainable design practices.

If you think green business practices mean recycling soda cans and reducing paper use, you're not getting the big picture.

All kinds of businesses can apply for the city of San Francisco's green certification, from offices to restaurants, hotels and even dental offices.

Dr. Namrata Patel runs a green dental office in San Francisco, and has been through the city's process for certification, which includes visits from several agencies. Among the ways her office minimizes its impact on the environment:

• Using digital imaging exposes patients to 90 percent less radiation than X-rays.
• Steam-based instrument sterilization contains no harmful chemicals and reduces water use.
• A water filtration system allows for the environmentally sound disposal of old mercury fillings.