BERKELEY -- With 27 Certified Green Businesses, Berkeley leads San Francisco Bay Area cities in the number of companies that have completed the rigorous process of ensuring their operations meet the highest environmental standards.

Pamela Evans, director of the Alameda County Green Business Program said, "Berkeley businesses have really stepped up to the plate. Their combined efforts have ensured that tons of waste are diverted from landfills, fewer dangerous chemicals are drained to the Bay and thousands of dollars are saved due to energy and water conservation measures."

Restaurants are green leaders

Restaurants comprise the largest category of Berkeley Green Businesses. Currently, there are 12 certified restaurants with another seven in the process of completing their certification. Restaurants are one of the most resource intensive small businesses. Large quantities of energy are required to heat and cool food. Significant amounts of water are needed for washing dishes, and high volumes of food waste are discarded. All of these factors mean that restaurants have a large impact on the environment.

Berkeley credits the high number of Green Certified eateries in the community to the partnership between the Green Business Program and the Greening Ethnic Restaurants program of Thimmakka's Resources for Environmental Education. Ritu Primlani heads GER, which added the dimension environmental outreach to the Green Business Program, attracting ethnic restaurants and bakeries.

"Our success is built on conducting language and culture-specific outreach to minority ethnic businesses, a hard to reach population" said Primlani, explaining the program's achievements.

"We help to create a model that says that environmentalism isn't just for people who are fluent in English and can afford it," she added. "Instead, we demonstrate that being green makes good business sense. Indeed, the program has documented that businesses participating in the certification process have saved in aggregate over $50,000."

Auto repair shops go green

Auto repair and service is the second largest category of Berkeley Green Businesses, with nine companies certified.

"We targeted auto repair shops because a poorly run shop can significantly impact air and water quality," said program director Evans. "And a well-run garage makes a better neighbor to homes, schools and other businesses. Berkeley residents should know that when they take their cars for service to an ACGB certified shop, they are using a business that puts community health and worker safety first."

Berkeley is also home to Green Certified businesses in the fields of renewable energy systems, printing and signs, grocery stores and consulting services. The Berkeley Green Certified businesses are part of a larger Eco-Business sector in the city. Since 1994, when the city council adopted a resolution calling on the city to develop an "environmental economy," Berkeley's Office of Economic Development has worked to support this sector of the local economy. The city defines eco-businesses as firms that do at least one of the following:

1. Provide goods or services that enhance the environment.
   
2. Operate in a way that significantly conserves resources or prevents pollution.
   
3. Have a proven record of environmental leadership in the community.

Profit or non-profit?

A recent update to the census of Berkeley Eco-Businesses shows at least 163 companies employing an estimated 2,000 people. Seventy percent of the firms are for-profit entities selling environmental products or services or operating with superior eco-efficiency. The remaining 30 percent of the enterprises are non-profit organizations, universities and government institutions.

"We've been impressed by the health of the eco-business sector," said Kate Squire, the economic development project coordinator tasked with supporting this industry sector for the city of Berkeley. "While the Bay Area economy in general is experiencing difficult times, we have been pleased with this sector's ability to maintain employment despite the general downturn."