2000 Green Award Recipients

These recipients were honored in 2000 for taking actions above and beyond their basic missions to protect, preserve, and improve the environment in such areas as solid waste reduction and recycling, water conservation, energy conservation, hazardous waste reduction and recycling, and prevention and reduction of pollution of the air, water, and soil. Take a look at our Green Awards Archives for more information about the retired program.

• Allen Associates (Santa Barbara)
• Bianchi Motor Company (Santa Barbara)
• Kilovac Corporation(Carpinteria)
• Lotusland (Santa Barbara)
• Santa Barbara Montessori School (Santa Barbara)
• Environment Education Award: Rick Spettel's Landscaping (Santa Ynez Valley)

Allen Associates

Allen Associates is a general contractor in Santa Barbara that actively promotes sustainable building practices. The firm recycles approximately 75 percent of its waste at new construction sites and 90 percent at deconstruction sites including drywall, carpet, wood, metals, and concrete. Items from deconstruction projects such as track lighting and cabinets are often incorporated into other construction projects. Allen Associates also searches for methods for reducing the amount of construction material needed and uses materials that are non-toxic and have recycled content. Solar panels and natural heating and cooling systems are designed into projects to reduce energy consumption. A computer network, motorbikes, and electric bikes are used on-site to reduce the need for vehicle use. In addition, Allen Associates actively educates other contractors about sustainable building practices through a number of associations, workshops and national meetings.

Bianchi Motor Company

Bianchi Motor Company is an autobody repair shop located in Santa Barbara. Jack Bianchi, the owner, has developed a recycling system that reduces waste by 86 percent. All metals, cardboard, plastic containers, catalogs, and paper are recycled. Hazardous wastes like oil and paint are sent to a hazardous waste facility where they are recycled. In addition, the company takes plastic laundry bags, plastic car cover bags and hangers to a local company for recycling. Southern California Edison conducted an energy audit of the facility at Jack's request and as a result, energy efficient lighting was installed.

Kilovac Corporation

Kilovac Corporation is a local electronics manufacturer that recently achieved ISO 14000 certification for its voluntary environmental management system. Through this system, all environmental aspects of the facility and operations are controlled and documented in a framework that receives continuous review. All employees make suggestions for improving the system and it is audited twice yearly by an independent third party. As a result of this system, Kilovac has reduced hazardous wastes by 10.5 tons per year, reduced its water usage by 15 percent or 1,439,252 gallons per year, eliminated the use of chlorofluorocarbons (CFCs) as well as reduced air emissions to a level that exempts the company from having to obtain permits from the Santa Barbara County Air Pollution Control District, and eliminated the use of styrofoam packing peanuts. In addition, Kilovac recycles all paper, cardboard, glass, metals, plastic, fluorescent lightbulbs, and batteries.

Lotusland

Lotusland is a local public garden that has been transformed into a sustainable garden over the last 15 years. To protect its collection, Lotusland employs integrated pest management practices such as the use of organic fertilizers, cultivation of plants that attract beneficial insects and parasites, and trapping of vertebrate pests. These efforts reduce the possibility of exposure to toxic chemicals when working in or touring the garden and help protect local groundwater, creeks, and the ocean from these chemicals. The garden promotes the use of sustainable practices through training workshops, community college classes, and tours for school children. Other sustainable practices include composting of post-harvest waste and the use of mulch and drip irrigation throughout the garden to conserve water. In addition, office staff members recycle all paper, metal, plastics, and glass, and electric vehicles are used to transport staff members and tourists through the grounds.

Santa Barbara Montessori School

Santa Barbara Montessori School is a nonprofit educational facility in Santa Barbara. The School has been practicing and teaching earth-friendly principles for 25 years and has appointed a committee of parents and teachers to evaluate, monitor, and implement environmental awareness within the facility. Their environmental program incorporates recycling, reducing, reusing, and composting and as a result, the school is 90 percent trash free. The School uses only long-lasting, natural, reusable or recycled classroom materials, promotes a traffic and pollution reduction plan, purchases only recycled content office supplies, uses energy efficient lighting, and produces all promotional materials on 100 percent recycled content paper. Students are required to pack lunches with only recyclable or reusable materials. In addition, students run an organic garden and compost all green waste.

Environment Education Award: Rick Spettel's Landscaping

Rick Spettel is a landscape contractor from Santa Ynez who works with nature to create sustainable habitats. He emphasizes the use of drought tolerant, native landscapes, and also works on ecological restoration projects. Rick does not use pesticides or chemicals in his landscapes, and he conserves water and landfill space by creating mulch from any leftover plant debris. Countless hours of Rick's time are spent educating future gardeners at local schools about these sustainable gardening principles. He has created living classrooms on a number of school campuses where students can learn about the inter-relationships among the plants, the soil, fungi, and insects. Rick believes that his work will promote an understanding of drought, chemical pollution, and environmental degradation.