Take a listen to this week’s podcast to hear more about how The Taylor Companies made money on what they considered garbage, and discover strategies you can implement to get your waste reduction efforts off the ground…

…and check out NPR’s Marketplace full interview with Jeff Baldasarri in 2010. 

“BALDASSARI: I am not a treehugger by any means. But by the same token, I’m a huge, huge fan of sustainability.

And here’s why: With all the savings on trash, plus energy efficient machinery, Taylor saves about $100,000 a year.

BALDASSARI: The guys in the factory, if I tell them, Hey, we save $100,000 a year by diverting this waste and saving on energy, they’ll think that’s three jobs that have been saved. If I talk to people in marketing, they’ll say that’s $2 million of sales. That’s the net profit from $2 million in sales. If I talk to people in accounting, they’ll think “Our overhead is less.”

The Institute for Sustainable Development / Green Plus

www.gogreenplus.0rg

Check out our new video from the 2011 Green Plus Sustainable Enterprise Awards, presented by GlaxoSmithKline at the Research Triangle Park Foundation, and click here to see still photos from the event.

The Green Plus Awards recognize smaller for-profit and non-profit enterprises for the example they set in triple bottom line sustainability. Winners included The Taylor Companies, LubeStop, Laser Plus, Communication Matters, and The Scrap Exchange. Pantek, Inc., Hughes Pittman & Gupton (HPG), and HRW, Inc. were also recognized for their exceptional triple bottom line efforts.

June 16 in Washington, D.C., the Institute for Sustainable Development and Partners for Livable Communities will present a second set of awards to Green Plus Cities and Green Plus Chambers of Commerce. Nominations are open in both categories until April 15.

Thanks to Inkspot Crow for their great work in capturing the spirit of the Green Plus Awards and of our great Green Plus enterprises.

- Chris Carmody, Executive Director

Institute for Sustainable Development/Green Plus

If you’re unable to view the video below, please click here.

Congratulations to our winners: The Taylor Companies, Lube Stop, Laser Plus, Communication Matters, and The Scrap Exchange!

“Green jobs are a key to our long-term prosperity,” said Chris Carmody, Executive Director of the Institute for Sustainable Development. “They will come from clean tech companies — but they will also come from traditional American businesses that produce bottom line savings and top line growth through sustainable business practices,” Carmody continued. “This year’s Green Plus Sustainable Enterprises are setting an example for employers throughout the country of how sustainability is critical to competitiveness in the 21st century,” Carmody concluded.

The 2011 Green Plus Sustainable Enterprise Winners are

• Green Plus Sustainable Enterprise of the Year, presented by The Research Triangle Park Foundation: The Taylor Companies (Bedford, Ohio)

• Green Plus Sustainable Medium-Sized Business of the Year: LubeStop (Berea, Ohio)

• Green Plus Sustainable Small Business of the Year, presented by Wells Fargo / Wachovia: Laser Plus (Lancaster, Pennsylvania)

• Green Plus Sole Proprietor / Home Based Business: Communication Matters (Hillsborough, North Carolina)

• Sustainable Non-Profit of the Year: The Scrap Exchange (Durham, North Carolina)

• Green Plus People’s Choice Award: Laser Plus (Lancaster, Pennsylvania)

• Biggest Green Plus Movers of the Year
  • Pantek Inc.
  • Hughes Pittman & Gupton LLP
  • HRW, Inc.

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About the Winners

The Taylor Companies: America’s oldest furniture manufacturer pushes America’s understanding of sustainability seven generations after its founding and demonstrates that sustainable business is the competitive advantage of the 21st century. When the company was wooed by other regions and countries, Taylor’s leadership not only stayed in its community, but also spent $6 million cleaning up an industrial brownfield in its hometown and building a new, energy efficient plant. Taylor companies sets a example for small manufacturers everywhere with superlative efforts to engage its workforce in practices that save money while improving its environmental impact. Taylor has pushed its own sector to new standards in responsibility and transparency.

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LubeStop: “LubeStop’s innovations – which save money and protect its hometown environment – have made it one of the first auto-related businesses in the country to achieve Green Plus Certification,”said Chris Carmody, executive director of the Institute for Sustainable Development. “LubeStop is a national leader in demonstrating how doing the right thing by one’s community and environment is also good business,” Carmody concluded.

A company-wide recycling program was developed with Republic Services and Allied Waste eliminating 75% of the company’s waste stream, several practices were implemented at the new corporate headquarters including low-VOC paint and Interface flooring, and 30% post-consumer recycled paper was adopted company-wide at no additional cost.

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Laser Plus: Laser Plus has been a leader in the printer sales, service and supplies industry since 1986, as well as a service provider and reseller of new and refurbished office machines.  The organization has made several physical modifications that would help the Laser Plus employees to live the sustainability concept more fully on a daily basis; from rewiring lighting into zones to earth friendly cleaning materials and supplies for the lunch room.  Half of the employees serve on boards, others act as volunteer EMTs, adopt highways, help in local schools, done in a day events, and play pool for charity.

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Communication Matters: Owner Libbie Hough’s example demonstrates that sole proprietors can also practice triple bottom line practices. Hough has taken steps to reduce water consumption, such as collecting rain water in cisterns, using drip irrigation, and growing drought tolerant plants.  She has reduced energy use by relying on natural light, carefully managing her thermostat, and purchasing EnergyStar appliances.  In addition, she supports renewable energy by purchasing renewable energy credits from NC Green Power.  In order to reduce her transportation impact, Hough purchased a fuel efficient vehicle and telecommutes with contractors as much as possible.  She carefully recycles and has opted in to online bill pay systems that eliminate the need for printing. Hough is also heavily involved in the local community and serves on two boards – the Mental Health America of the Triangle and the Hillsborough/Orange County Chamber of Commerce.  She sponsors local nonprofit events and volunteers with community organizations.  She is also a speaker for the American Heart Association and speaks to student groups in the Orange County School district in Orange County, NC.  Finally, Hough communicates all her efforts via her website in order to help educate and inspire others to do the same.

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The Scrap Exchange: The Durham, NC-based Scrap Exchange is a creative reuse facility whose mission is “to promote creativity, environmental awareness, and community through reuse.”

Since its inception in 1991, The Scrap Exchange has achieved the illusive win-win-win by diverting over 6,000 tons of waste from the landfill; providing affordable materials and reuse workshops to artists, crafters, nonprofits, the Durham Public School system, and local prisons; and providing donors with a tax deduction for the fair market value of items donated.  The Scrap Exchange actively coordinates and convenes reuse activities in the broader community through its leadership in the Triangle Reuse Alliance, a group working to expand the awareness and practice of reuse in the NC Triangle.  Through the resale of reused materials and artwork, The Scrap Exchange covers 90% of its operating budget, creating triple bottom line value in the community almost entirely independent of donations and grants.

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Pantek Inc.: Since moving to a new building in 2008, Pantek has shown a strong commitment toward sustainability and improving their green practices. In choosing a location for their new offices, a major consideration was the amount of available natural light; all offices and cubicles have sources of sunlight. Notably, in order to reduce environmental strain from commuting, Pantek, has also developed a program in which employees who demonstrate excellence in their work, may work from home one or more days per week. As an IT company, computers are essential to Pantek’s business; to fill this need they utilize power efficient computers with rated energy saving power supplies.

“We’re proud of the progress we’ve made in reducing our environmental impact, and we’ll work diligently to expand our efforts,” said Linda Zack, V.P. of Marketing. “We’ve cut our carbon footprint significantly by making improvements in our office and our hosting center, by reducing employee commutes through work-at-home programs, and made a corporate commitment to improving the local environment through tree planting.”

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HPG LLP: The largest CPA firm based in the Research Triangle Park region of NC, HPG was the first accounting firm to earn Green Plus Certification and has been a poster child in their field, inspiring other firms to examine  their own sustainability practices and make positive changes.

HPG has launched multiple initiatives to integrate sustainability into its culture, including a staff-led recycling program, signage about conservation around the office, an Earth Day awareness event, sustainability-topic lunch and learns, a Green Initiative board, monthly green emails, and a weekly Green Monster award for staff members.  It has reduced resources use by purchasing energy efficient appliances, eliminating unnecessary lighting, measuring and monitoring its energy and water use, and setting future goals for energy and water use reduction.  HPG contributes to its community by providing incentives for employees to work with community organizations, internships to local university students, and is active in the clean tech and sustainable economic development community through participation in conferences.  It has also been recognized by the Greater Raleigh Chamber of Commerce and others for helping the region grow and succeed.

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HRW, Inc.: A community and associations management company, HRW Inc. (an Associa company) has been serving the Raleigh area since 1982.  HRW has shown its commitment to being a leader in its industry and has invested much time and effort into its sustainability practices since it achieved Green Plus Mover status in September 2010.

“The Green Plus certification process helped us immensely by providing tools, support and guidance that helped us to learn how to organize our resources better, and taught us to pay attention to details that collectively make a big difference in our organization’s environmental impact,” said HRW President, Cathy Wade. “The balanced approach (people, planet, performance) makes this a win-win process, not only for our company and staff, but for the greater community and our clients too.”

The Institute for Sustainable Development / Green Plus

www.gogreenplus.org

The COSE Energy Solutions program has been designed to encourage the smart use of electricity, reduce demand, save dollars and help businesses meet the energy efficiency standards in Senate Bill 221. The Greater Cleveland Partnership and COSE are committed to helping as many businesses as possible avoid potential surcharges in 2011 and experience the additional cost benefits of energy efficiency improvements.

We will provide you with information on the custom options available for businesses looking to become more efficient and sustainable. The event will feature information for businesses of all sizes.  Small businesses will be able to learn about the Ohio Small Business Energy Grant program and the COSE Lighting Retrofit Program.  Larger businesses will have the opportunity to learn how to avoid the DSE2 rider through FirstEnergy’s Mercantile Programs. Mercantiles (700,000+ kWh annually) that have completed energy efficiency projects since 2006 will be able to report those projects, complete the mercantile self-direct application, and file the PUCO’s EL-EEC Application.

The agenda for the event will be:

• What is SB221 & How Will It Impact Businesses?
• FirstEnergy’s Energy Efficiency Program
• What is Demand Side Management?
• The Ohio Small Business Energy Grant
• COSE’s Lighting Retrofit Program
• The Demand Side Energy 2 (DSE2) Rider & FirstEnergy’s Mercantile Programs

Featured Speakers:
-XpenseSolutions
-Eco Engineering
-Lighting Services, Inc.
-FirstEnergy Corp.

Following the event, attendees will tour The Taylor Companies, the oldest furniture manufacturer in the United States and the first business in Ohio to be Green Plus Certified.

Seating is Limited. Register Today!

SPONSORED BY:

One of their many unique attributes is the Sustainability Facts label. This label is similar to the Nutritional Facts label that is printed on packaged food. There’s nothing else like it in the industry. You might remember a tag on mattresses and pillows years ago that said “Do Not Remove Under Penalty of Law”. Those tags (which have now added the words, “except by consumer” to avoid traumatizing young children who accidentally pulled the tags off) were used to indicate whether or not recycled materials were used or not. At the time, mattresses filled with recycled fiber became associated with bedbugs and were therefore undesirable. The government demanded that the now-famous labels be placed on the items to certify that all new materials were used in its construction. How times have changed!

Taylor, which is located in Bedford, Ohio and has a plant in Lynwood, California, has been using Bioflex hybrid foam in its seating since 2007. This part-soy foam replaces 20% of the petroleum based chemicals used in traditional foam. It also does not use ozone depleting Chlorofluorocarbons (CFC) or environmentally harmful blowing agents.

They also use locally sourced lumber, mechanisms, chair bases, springs, foam and webbing, all from within a 500 mile radius. The particleboard used in Taylor case goods has a minimum of 90% recycled wood content with at least 10% post-consumer and 80% post industrial wood content. This essentially takes scraps from two waste streams and combines them into new products. Additionally the locally sourced particleboard used in Taylor’s California desk factory complies with the nation’s strictest air quality emission rules: California Air Resources Board (CARB) and the South Coast Air Quality Management District (SCAQM).”

For the full article in Triple Pundit, please click here.

The Institute for Sustainable Development

www.gogreenplus.org

Green Plus Targets Small Business Sustainability Gains

“In an economy where only the strong survive, the City of Cleveland is providing opportunities for small businesses and nonprofit organizations that adopt sustainable business practices not only to survive but to prosper.

Among these opportunities is Green Plus, brought to Cleveland by COSE (Council of Smaller Enterprises).  Green Plus provides small businesses with the educational and networking tools to integrate sustainability into their practices and policies.

Supported by a grant from The Generation Foundation, Green Plus is also a national platform for recognizing smaller enterprises who are committed to sustainability and have become Green Plus Certified or have achieved Green Plus Mover status.

“Cleveland’s effort to reward companies for triple bottom line  sustainability – good business, environmental, employee and  community practices – is groundbreaking,” said Chris Carmody,  Executive Director of the Institute for Sustainable Development,  the nonprofit that houses the Green Plus program.

“In a sustainable economy, ‘green’ jobs won’t only come from  clean energy or energy efficient businesses – they’ll also be  created by Main Street businesses becoming more competitive  through sustainable practices,” Carmody continued. “The City of Cleveland is providing an economic incentive for regional businesses to improve not only their bottom line, but their triple bottom line,” he concluded.

In creating a first-of-its-kind procurement policy, Cleveland is giving discounts similar to those of minority and female owned certified business (MBE and FBE) to local and sustainable businesses when bidding on city contracts.  Organizations that are certified receive a 4% discount on city bids.

Taylor Companies CEO Jeff Baldassari led the effort to upcycle or recycle every plant waste product.

Not only does the procurement policy directly reward small businesses that implement sustainability, the discount can be added to discounts for MBE and FBE certified businesses giving them more leverage when bidding on Cleveland’s contracts.

COSE was recently awarded a grant by the Ohio Department of Development to provide partial scholarships for 75 businesses as well as $250 towards a professional energy audit and access to resources to help businesses become more energy efficient.

COSE also commissioned the Institute for Sustainable Development to create an Energy Efficiency Guide for Small Businesses.  Smaller enterprises can be uniquely served by energy efficiency because their margins are often tighter. Consistently saving 10-30% off their utility bills allows them to put more back into running their business.

The first company in Northeast Ohio to become Green Plus certified was The Taylor Companies. With the assistance of recycling consultants, Taylor diverts more than 90% of the waste generated by its Bedford plant.

“Sustainability is a business opportunity,” said Jeff Baldassari, President and CEO. “When we built our new plant, we hired energy-efficiency experts to conduct an energy audit in an effort to find additional ways to become eco-friendly by reducing the consumption of natural resources. We cut our energy consumption of natural gas, electricity and water by 58.8%. In addition to Green Plus, partners in this effort are Entrepreneurs for Sustainability, Zero Waste NEO and Corporate Sustainability Network.”

“Sustainability may seem like a foreign concept to many, but it is really about getting back to the business basics,” said Generation Foundation President Glenn R. Brown. “This is true for a three-person cleaning company, a 70-person manufacturing plant, or a 2,000-person insurance company. Sustainability knows no boundaries and can be integrated by businesses in any industry and by business owners from any background.”

First of a Kind Law Gives Bid Advantages, Triple Bottom Line Sustainability Training to Local Businesses

The City of Cleveland, the Institute for Sustainable Development, and the Council of Smaller Enterprises (COSE) have teamed up to help northeast Ohio businesses save money, improve their operations, and gain opportunities for new business due to their sustainability efforts.

The City of Cleveland has enacted what is believed to be the first law in the nation providing advantages for sustainable local companies bidding for City contracts. Area companies completing the first stage of the Green Plus™ program can now gain a 4% bid discount when pursuing contracts with the City of Cleveland. Green Plus™ is a non-profit, third party certification originally designed by Duke University, the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, and chambers of commerce to help small businesses become more competitive through sustainable business practices. Local governments spend billions of dollars a year purchasing goods and services from private businesses — from construction services to building and fleet maintenance.

The Cleveland sustainable business procurement law is one of the first of its kind in the country. Many cities have procurement programs that provide advantages to minority, female and local businesses while a smaller number have policies to buy green products or tax-breaks for sustainable businesses. Cleveland’s law is different in that it ties good triple bottom line practices to actual business opportunities. The local and sustainable procurement law is one of a number of sustainable economic development strategies that will be discussed at Mayor Frank Jackson’s Sustainable Cleveland 2019 summit this week.

“Cleveland’s effort to reward companies for their triple bottom line sustainability — good business, environmental, employee and community practices — is groundbreaking,” said Chris Carmody, Executive Director of the Institute for Sustainable Development. “In a sustainable economy, ‘green jobs’ won’t only come from clean energy or energy efficiency businesses – they’ll also be created by Main Street businesses becoming more competitive through sustainable practices,” Carmody continued. “The City of Cleveland is providing a crystal clear economic incentive for regional businesses to improve not only their bottom line, but their triple bottom line,” Carmody concluded.

The Council of Smaller Enterprises (COSE), which has extensive energy efficiency programs for small businesses, has won a grant from the Ohio Department of Energy for discounted energy audits and Green Plus™ scholarships that complement the City’s efforts.

“Small and medium sized businesses are critical employers and engines of new job creation – and often have the fewest resources to pursue sustainability,” said Steve Millard, President and Executive Director of COSE.  ”Today, they are under more pressure to demonstrate positive stewardship of their environment and communities,” Millard continued. “Cleveland’s local and sustainable procurement law, COSE’s energy efficiency programs and its Green Plus™ partnership are designed to give northeast Ohio small businesses a crucial edge in changing times,” Millard concluded.

COSE Incentives for Local Businesses to Save Money on Green Plus™ and Energy Efficiency

Through the Council of Smaller Enterprises™ (COSE) energy efficiency program, a number of area small businesses may qualify for a $250 energy audit discount as well as a partial rebate for participating in the Green Plus™ program. COSE’s discounts can be accessed by smaller employers in Cuyahoga and Lake County who spend less than $150,000 a year on energy costs (75 Green Plus™ rebates are available). COSE has 15 scholarships specifically for businesses in Cleveland’s Buckeye – Woodland neighborhood.

The COSE energy efficiency and sustainability program includes

1. $250 towards the cost of a comprehensive, professional energy audit

2. A $200 scholarship towards Green Plus™ (the regular program fee is $550, and COSE members can access Green Plus™ for $350).

3. Educational resources through COSE and a local Small Business Development Center (SBDC)

4. Access to banks that offer financing for energy improvements

5. Online tools from State and Federal agencies to help companies track sustainability and energy efficiency

Signing Up for Green Plus™

Companies interested in pursuing Green Plus™ certification can sign up at www.gogreenplus.org. The Green Plus™ retail price is $550. COSE members receive a $200 discount, and a limited number of partial scholarships are available through COSE and the Ohio Department of Energy for Cuyahoga and Lake County employers - regardless of whether or not they are COSE members.

In addition, the Institute for Sustainable Development is offering an additional $50 discount to businesses that sign up for Green Plus by October 15, 2010.

About the Institute for Sustainable Development and Green Plus™

The Institute for Sustainable Development is a North Carolina Research Triangle non-profit initiative of universities and chambers of commerce to help small businesses and their communities benefit from sustainable practices and to foster a new generation of sustainability leaders. The Institute partners with seventeen chambers of commerce to provide sustainable business education in eleven states. It also runs a national Green Plus™ Sustainability Fellows program, training students from graduate schools around the country to help smaller enterprises understand and benefit from the triple bottom line.

Nationally, the Institute partners with the American Chamber of Commerce Executives, a 1,400 chamber of commerce network with 1.3 million business members to offer Green Plus™.

Green Plus assesses an employer’s business, environmental and community practices and connects the employer with other business mentors and graduate student coaches who make specific recommendations on savings, new revenue and new business opportunities. Businesses and non-profits earning an exceptional score over time can earn Green Plus™Certification, recognized throughout the American Chamber of Commerce network.

Currently, two Cleveland area companies have achieved full Green Plus Certification™ (the Taylor Companies and Lubestop) and ten other area employers are working toward certification: Cosmic Bobbins; the Greater Cleveland Partnership (GCP) and Council of Smaller Enterprises (COSE); Hengst Streff Bajko Architects, Inc.; Humanity’s Loom; Licata & Toerek; Pantek Incorporated; Plymouth Church; United Church of Christ; Point to Point, Inc.; Quality Sprinkling Systems; Swiger Coil Systems, LLC; and Sustainable Rhythm.

About the Council of Smaller Enterprises (COSE)

COSE is the region’s largest small business support organization and provides cost-effective group purchasing programs, advocacy on legislative and regulatory issues, and networking and educational resources to help Northeast Ohio’s small businesses grow.

With more than 15,000 members, COSE is a driving force in advocating for the priorities of Northeast Ohio’s small businesses.

Soon Taylor will report as a voluntary transitional reporter for 2009. All emission reporting will be communicated on a per unit basis. We have currently calculated our Scope 1 and Scope 2 emissions for every chair and every casegood item that we produce. In conjunction with these calculations, we are finalizing a Greenhouse Gas Reduction Plan for our two factories (Bedford, OH and Lynwood, CA). We will use this information to make additional investments and take further measures to reduce our overall carbon footprint over the next 2-3 years. Through this process, we have found new ways to become more energy efficient and to enhance our environmental leadership.

The awards, presented by GlaxoSmithKline, bring together academic, business, and philanthropic leaders from around the country to recognize organizations in the following categories: Sustainable Enterprise, Sole Proprietor, Non-Profit, Small Business (5-50 employees), Medium Sized Business (+51 employees) — and the Green Plus™ People’s Choice award, decided by popular vote.

Winners will be announced Friday, June 18, 2010, at the North Carolina Research Triangle Park Headquarters.  The awards ceremony will be held in the Archie K. Davis Conference Center at the LEED Silver Certified Research Triangle Park headquarters. Doors open at 7:45 a.m. A light breakfast will be provided by Sage & Swift Catering of Durham, and the program will begin promptly at 8:15 a.m.

For more information about the NASE awards or to register for tickets, please visit www.gogreenplus.org/events.

Green Plus™ Sustainable Enterprise of the Year finalists, presented by The Research Triangle Park

• Cargas Systems (Lancaster, PA)
• Durham Convention and Visitors Bureau (Durham, NC)
• The King’s Daughters Inn (Durham, NC)
• Lube Stop (Berea, OH)
• Piedmont Electric Membership Corporation (Hillsborough, NC)
• The Taylor Companies (Bedford, OH)

The Green Plus™ Medium-Sized Business of the Year finalists

• MG Capital Maintenance (Cary, NC)
• The Umstead Hotel and Spa (Cary, NC)
• Warfel Construction (Lancaster, PA)
• Wenger Feeds (Lancaster, PA)
• Wohlsen Construction (Lancaster, PA)

Presented by Wells Fargo, the Green Plus™ Small Business of the Year finalists

• Dos Perros Restaurant (Durham, NC)
• Environmental Solutions Group (Greensboro, NC)
• Irregardless Café & Catering (Raleigh, NC)
• Laser Plus (Lancaster, PA)
• Riley Life Industries (Durham, NC)

Green Plus™ Non-Profit of the Year finalists

• Chapel Hill-Carrboro City Schools (Chapel Hill, NC)
• Downtown Raleigh Alliance (Raleigh, NC)
• Plymouth Church United Church of Christ (Shaker Heights, OH)
• The PTA Thrift Shop (Chapel Hill, NC)
• The Triangle Community Foundation (Durham, NC)

Green Plus™ Sole Proprietor of the Year finalists

• Benjamin Environmental Solutions Team (West Palm Beach, FL)
• Brick Street Botanical (Rogers, AR)
• Eco Select Furniture (Greensboro, NC)

For more information about the NASE awards or to register for tickets, please visit www.gogreenplus.org/events.

Descriptions of the award finalists

Sustainable Enterprise of the Year – Presented by The Research Triangle Park

Cargas Systems

Cargas is an information technology firm that implemented programs to ensure sustainability right from the start such as making Cargas an employee owned company and offering profit sharing to all employees.  In August of 2010, Cargas will move and is striving for LEED Silver Certification in its new building, which will include solar panels, passive solar, trombe walls, water source heat pumps and water-saving plumbing fixtures.  From offering flex time and telecommuting to a four-week paid sabbatical, Cargas has a unique culture which cultivates individual development.

Durham Convention and Visitors Bureau (DCVB)

DCVB excels in their commitment to triple bottom line sustainability.  Among their positive environmental practices, DCVB has installed a 3,000 gallon cistern to use for landscape irrigation and a high-efficiency HVAC system with zone controls and load monitoring reduces energy usage.  Among the 120 awards and recognitions garnered, DCVB was honored with a Sloan Award for Business Excellence in Workplace Flexibility and ranked by CEO Update as one of the Top Places to Work in Nonprofits.

The King’s Daughters Inn

The King’s Daughters Inn strives to inspire their guests by showing them how seamlessly green technologies can be woven into everyday life.  The Inn was created by renovating a historic property into a modern, eco-boutique hotel.  This combination of old and new hosts an integrated energy management system for each room, a 10,000 gallon cistern and rain garden, and a pervious concrete parking lot, as well as educational tours for legislators, students, and the general public.

Lube Stop

Since 2006, Lube Stop has aggressively pursued more sustainable business practices, which have reduced expenses by hundreds of thousands of dollars, significantly reduced waste streams, and differentiated them in a mature, competitive market.  Some LSSP projects included converting common oils from expensive case packaging to bulk storage, using remanufactured toner cartridges, establishing a companywide energy use policy, and the 2008 launch of the EcoGuard™ Oil Change Service, which is one of the company’s most visible innovations.

Piedmont Electric Membership Corporation

Piedmont EMC, a Touchstone Energy Cooperative based in Hillsborough, is a nonprofit electric utility that strives to empower and partner with consumers to provide energy value and to provide an environment for achieving personal excellence and growth for employees.  The organization serves an energy-conscious membership living and working in residential, university and farming communities.  Through smart grid technology, the Cooperative’s consumers have the option of prepaid electricity, allowing them to buy electricity before they need it and instantly scan their daily energy usage through their computer.

The Taylor Companies

Established in 1816, Taylor is the oldest furniture manufacturer in the United States. Taylor Company developed much of their sustainable practices over the past 5 years by playing a key role in the remediation of a 50 acre Brownfield, responsibly diverting most of their manufacturing waste, conserving natural resources, and commissioning a life cycle assessment report of their best selling desk series to educate stakeholders in decision making processes such as corporate strategy, product design, purchasing and marketing.

Green Plus™ Medium-Sized Business of the Year

MG Capital Maintenance

MG Capital is a janitorial company in the Research Triangle area of North Carolina that started implementing green cleaning procedures in 2008 by converting to environmentally friendly chemicals that meet strict Green Seal™ standards.  Since then, MG Capital has installed chemical dispensers with dilution control systems, utilized micro fiber cleaning systems, and also upgraded vacuum cleaners to include HEPA filters for better indoor air quality and a noise level of less than 70 decibels.  The organization encourages employees to support local charities and non-profit organizations through participation in fund-raising events, financial contributions and in-kind contributions.

The Umstead Hotel and Spa

The Umstead Hotel and Spa is a luxury Five Star and Five Diamond property that seeks to engage guests in the sustainability conversation through education and communication.  The Umstead sources over half of the food products from local farms or vendors, and the grounds include a pond with a restored fish habitat, turtle nesting areas, butterfly garden and a 0.3 mile walking trail that features educational signage for guests to enjoy.  Additionally, the Umstead has an extensive recycling program for paper, cardboard, glass, and plastic in place.

Warfel Construction Company

Founded in 1911, Warfel Construction Company subscribed to sustainability before it became a buzzword. Warfel Construction has tried to maximize their efforts to achieve triple bottom line sustainability through continued education and serving as a point a reference for others to follow.  Additionally, Warfel tout their efforts through advertising on local billboards and in mailings in order to raise awareness within their community about sustainability and green practices within its industry.

Wenger Feeds

Wenger Feeds’ commitment to triple bottom line sustainability shows their leadership in the agricultural industry.  From supporting over 50 local organizations to retrofitting lighting systems in their Rheems Mill facility in Lancaster County and planting 80 trees at their Muncy Mill facility in Northern Pennsylvania, Wenger is pushing the boundaries within their industry and helping other small agricultural businesses see what is possible.

Wohlsen Construction Company

Wohlsen Construction Company has embodied sustainability for 120 years and continued to improve their fiscal performance amid the economic downturn.  95% of Wohlsen’s management team are certified in Green Designations and sustainability is emphasized through ongoing training.  To reduce waste, Wohlsen has adopted specific changes in their operational habits everything from upgrading all appliances and computers to Energy Star products, to transitioning to electronic invoicing, and upgrading their servers to reducing their energy usage by 50%.

The Green Plus™ Small Business of the Year, presented by Wells Fargo

Dos Perros Restaurant

Opening in Durham in August of 2009, Dos Perros serves authentic Mexican food in a fresh, modern atmosphere.  Chefs can frequently be found shopping at the Durham Farmers Market, and local produce is the inspiration for many of the restaurant’s vegetarian and non-vegetarian dishes.  Dos Perros is based in a building recently renovated for historic and environmental preservation, and gets nearly 1/3 of its AC and heating needs from geothermal energy.

Environmental Solutions Group

The Environmental Solutions Group practices a culture of sustainability with employees and customers.  The EPA recognized ESG with a 2010 Leadership in Housing Award for adding 45 new builders of ENERGY STAR Homes in North Carolina during 2009.  Other sustainable practices include carpooling to all job sites and bicycling to and from the office, asking all customers what they are doing to be more sustainable, and including sustainability tips on their website.

The Irregardless Café

The Irregardless Café has been dedicated to innovative sustainability solutions since opening in 1975.  Started as Raleigh’s first vegetarian-and-vegan-only restaurant, the Café purchases much of its food through local farmers and the Farmer’s Market.  They also support their community and the arts through donations, trade, and other support.  When the Café was closed for 11 months due to fire in 1993, Chef Arthur Gordon continued to pay his employees asking that they volunteer at community nonprofits instead.

Laser Plus

Laser Plus has been a leader in the printer sales, service and supplies industry since 1986, as well as a service provider and reseller of new and refurbished office machines.  The organization has made several physical modifications that would help the Laser Plus employees to live the sustainability concept more fully on a daily basis; from rewiring lighting into zones to earth friendly cleaning materials and supplies for the lunch room.  Half of the employees serve on boards, others act as volunteer EMTs, adopt highways, help in local schools, done in a day events, and play pool for charity.

Riley Life Industries

Riley Life Industries is a warehousing and order fulfillment company that has pushed the boundaries of what it means to focus on the triple bottom line.  A small sample of its sustainable solutions include reducing packaging costs by 61% through reuse, organizes monthly company-wide community service activities, purchasing a battery powered forklift, encouraging carpooling, and bringing together shareholders to encourage community-wide sustainable practice sharing.

The Green Plus™ Non-Profit of the Year

Chapel Hill – Carrboro City Schools

The Chapel Hill-Carrboro City Schools (CHCCS) district is focused on implementing innovative sustainable practices, which included the creation of a representative Green Team. The District is engaged in moving the district forward in several areas; including reducing energy usage, increasing the level of recycling, revising and developing sustainability policies, and developing awareness across the district.  CHCCS has recently changed their district food provider, which has allowed for the elimination of Styrofoam lunch trays, a focus on locally produced foods, and financial support for district sustainability initiatives.

Downtown Raleigh Alliance

The Downtown Raleigh Alliance (DRA) is a non-profit organization comprised of individuals, associations, corporations, and partnerships that want to improve Downtown Raleigh. This leadership organization is focused on the revitalization of Downtown Raleigh, North Carolina and serves as a clearinghouse and advocacy group for all issues affecting Downtown. DRA also manages the Raleigh Downtown Farmers Market, which requires sellers to meet stringent standards and only sell local products.

Plymouth Church United Church of Christ

Plymouth Church UCC is taking a sustainability-based look at themselves, their congregation, and the community that they serve.  The innovative sustainability solutions implemented include eliminating waste, reducing utility usage at the church and among their members, and creating a community garden.  The Church also includes Green Tips in their monthly newsletter, used green building methods when renovating their conference room, and serve as an example of sustainability in its community.

PTA Thrift Shops

As one of the oldest non-profit organizations in the Triangle area, the PTA Thrift Shop, Inc. supports the Chapel Hill/Carrboro City Schools with their year-end profits, which over the past five years has been in excess of $2 million, by operating thrift shops in two locations.  One of the goals of PTA Thrift is to reduce the amount of waste sent to landfills and to generate additional revenue, if possible, from items that are deemed “unsellable.”  To the tag lines ‘People, Planet, Profit’ and ‘Reduce, Reuse, Recycle’, the PTA Thrift Shop adds ‘Shop, Save, Support!’

Triangle Community Foundation

Triangle Community Foundation (TCF) is a nonprofit philanthropic foundation that manages $135 million in funds established by individuals, businesses and families. From these funds, they gives grants to nonprofit organizations and administers a variety of programs for the community’s benefit.  Located in a recently renovated historic tobacco warehouse, TCF has an extensive employee environmental education campaign and works to reduce waste and conserve resources throughout its daily activities.

Green Plus™ Sole Proprietor of the Year

Benjamin Environmental Solutions Team
Based in West Palm Beach, Florida, the Benjamin Environmental Sustainability Team (BEST) consults with businesses and individuals who want to live a greener lifestyle.   BEST hosts a cable television series called “Sustainable Life” that helps to show how sustainability measures are being incorporated into life across the United States.

Brick Street Botanical

Brick Street Botanical leads by example with its sustainability practices and has developed a following of clients and other businesses that support their commitment to continually improving our sustainability efforts.  Their sustainable initiatives include conscientiously avoiding traditional floral shop practices that are harmful to the environment, buying locally from gardens and nurseries whenever possible, and using suppliers within a 200 mile radius for the vast majority of our purchases. Brick Street Botanical also recycles gray water for plants, and supports local artists and handmade art.

EcoSelect Furniture

EcoSelect creates custom leather and helps upholster furniture made with green, renewable products, and manufactures it using environmentally sustainable practices. Based in Greensboro, North Carolina, every piece of furniture is manufactured locally, using craftspeople from family-owned businesses.  All leather is from a certified tannery, while hemp products come from subsistence farmers and is processed locally.