Record Staff | Posted: Sunday, September 30, 2007 12:00 am
Clos Pepe Vineyards and Estate Wines has been recognized as a leader in sustainable agriculture and production, receiving Santa Barbara County wine industry/s only 2007 Green Award from the Green Award Consortium.
Others receiving 2007 Green Awards included the Chumash Resort Casino in Santa Ynez, B&H Flowers Inc. of Carpinteria, UC Santa Barbara Campus Design & Facilities and Valle Verde Retirement Community in Santa Barbara.
The prestigious awards were presented to the Clos Pepe family and other winners in a ceremony at UCSB, attended by Congresswoman Lois Capps, D-Santa Barbara, Assemblyman Pedro Nava, D-Santa Barbara, and other local dignitaries.
Clos Pepe Vineyards, located in the Santa Rita Hills between Lompoc and Buellton, is a leader in sustainable farming, according to a Green Award Consortium spokesman.
The winery does not use any insecticides, herbicides or restricted materials, the spokesman said.
Sheep control weeds in the vineyards; owls and raptors, encouraged by strategically placed boxes and perches, catch rodents; and beneficial insects are released to reduce pests.
For those and other practices, Clos Pepe scores more than 90 percent on the Central Coast Vineyard Team/s sustainability index every year.
The business uses a drip irrigation system that doesn/t produce any runoff, thus conserving water.
Legumes and clover are used to preserve or improve soil structure and nutrient content, eliminate erosion, reduce dust and provide habitat for beneficial insects.
Mulch is used in the vineyards, used electronics are donated workers for reuse and picket fences are made from wine barrels and pallets.
Clos Pepe is also a foster facility for off-track greyhounds and encourages Santa Barbara County residents to offer a home to these gentle, calm and loving ex-racers, according to winery officials.
Clos Pepe/s belief in sustainability goes further than how crops are grown, officials said.
Full-time workers are given full medical, dental and vision insurance, holiday bonuses and paid vacations because Clos Pepe believes environmental concerns are only meaningful when human beings are treated with dignity and respect, winery officials said.
Chumash Casino and Resort
Chumash Casino and Resort, located in Santa Ynez, is an environmental leader among California casinos, said the Green Award Consortium spokesman said.
To reduce traffic, the casino requires employees from Santa Maria, Lompoc and Buellton 7 approximately 1,300 of 1,645 employees 7 to take free Chumash shuttle buses to work, and customers also are offered free access to buses.
The casino conserves water by treating and reusing wastewater in toilets and outdoor irrigation by and using native, low-water plants for landscaping, the spokesman said.
To protect against stormwater runoff, the on-site creek is patrolled daily, and all parking structure runoff is gathered and treated, officials said.
In the past several months, the casino has reduced its waste stream by about 9,000 pounds per month by using paperless records, donating furniture and wardrobe items to a local thrift store and through recycling carpet, pallets and greenwaste and Casino officials also have retrofitted the heating, ventilation and air-conditioning system with economizers that slow motors in the air units when not in use, shut off sections of the facility not needing cooling, allow outside air into the facility as needed, and automatically adjust for highest efficiency.
The Casino is only five points away from achieving Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design certification for its buildings and its goal of becoming the first LEED-certified casino in California, officials said.
UCSB
The University of California, Santa Barbara, Campus Design and Facilities Department which is responsible for designing, building and maintaining all classrooms and nonresidential buildings on campus, has assumed a prominent role in the University/s efforts to address climate change, the Green Award Consortium spokesman said.
The Department is ensuring that new and renovated buildings achieve the Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design silver certification.
In addition to greening new construction, UCSB is one of just three universities in the United States to commit to having 25 buildings achieve LEED Existing Building certification over the next five years.
On an average day, one-third of faculty and staff and two-thirds of students do not drive alone to work or class, accomplished through telecommuting and alternative work schedules, offering incentives for commuters who do not drive and offering shower facilities for those who walk or bike as well as bicycle parking.
UCSB uses Green Seal-certified cleaning products, unbleached or chlorine-free paper products and low-emission building materials, carpeting and furniture and has reduced or eliminated the use of solvents.
UCSB also uses drought-tolerant landscaping, pest-resistant plants and less-toxic pesticides when possible.
The university also recycles everything possible, uses waterless urinals, is gradually installing dual-flush low-flow toilets, and has water-efficient faucets and shower heads.
Valle Verde Retirement Community
Valle Verde, with more than 380 seniors in Santa Barbara, has invested in renewable energy for its senior cottages, health center, memory support center and assisted living program.
It has installed photovoltaic panels to generate approximately 36,000 kilowatts of energy, a solar water system heats the swimming pool and individual solar water heating units on all new and remodeled apartments provide hot water.
Valle Verde uses energy-efficient office equipment, ceiling fans for cooling, natural and task lighting and energy efficient windows. The heating system has been converted from electricity to natural gas, improving efficiency from 45 percent to 95 percent, company officials said.
Water-efficient faucets and showerheads have been installed, reclaimed water is used for the drip irrigation system and drought-tolerant plants and mulch are used for the landscaping.
A comprehensive program is in place for recycling paper, cardboard, glass containers, plastics, pallets, toner cartridges, electronics, paints, solvents, cleaners, batteries, fluorescent lights, vehicular fluids and construction and demolition debris for 15 to 20 apartments renovated each year.
Electric carts are used by employees throughout the campus, and a shuttle bus service is offered to residents and employees for trips downtown.
B&H Flowers Inc.
B&H Flowers Inc., a fifth-generation family operation, has set a standard for sustainable agriculture in the operation of its cut-flower greenhouse business, the Green Awards spokesman said.
B&H collects all of its rainwater and irrigation water in a percolating pond and holding tanks to recycle the water through a completely self-contained system.
The business makes use of beneficial insects and soft or organic products when treatment is needed and is increasing the use of certified organic fertilizers.
September 30, 2007