2006 POLLUTION PREVENTION AWARD WINNERS:

 Central Coast Ag Network (CCAN):  The typical American diet can contain ingredients from as many as five foreign countries and food that has traveled 1500 or more “food miles.”  CCAN’s efforts focus on building informed consumers, chefs, restaurants, and institutionally food buyers of the many benefits of purchasing locally-grown food.  As more local farmers and ranchers sell their products closer to home meet demand, the “food miles” and associated air pollution are greatly reduced.  Through the Central Coast Grown Project, a public education and outreach campaign, CCAN is working to increase the demand for locally-grown food and actively supporting local producers’ efforts to establish local marketing channels.  At the core of the public education effort is encouraging consumers to think about the environmental consequences of their food-buying choices.  In addition to the reduction in “food miles,” a robust local agricultural market furthers the viability of healthy agricultural lands and lessens the impact of sprawl. 

 Lindamood-Bell Learning Processes: Lindamood-Bell is “Greening Their Learning Scene” and reducing pollution throughout the office place.  Their efforts include providing recycle bins at every desk, switching to compact fluorescent light bulbs, using recycled paper products and toxin-free cleaning supplies, and installing a double sided printer to reduce paper use. Another key element of their pollution prevention strategies includes the use of video conferencing to accommodate the employee travel from satellite locations.  From 2005 to 2006 the video conferencing reduced enough employee trips to fill nearly three full jumbo-jet liners! For every meeting administered through video conferencing Lindamood-Bell has eliminated the drive to the airport, the airplane, the vehicles that load the airplane, and the vehicles that unload the plane, the rental car, and the hotel.  In addition to their “Greening the Learning Scene” operations, Lindamood-Bell has launched an environmental education component to their activities, declaring August 13 ­­- 17 as “Green Week” and creating a mascot, Beary Green, a teddy bear who is displayed at every Learning Center, to highlight different ways to conserve energy and reduce pollution.

 Oceano Community Center:  In 2006, the Oceano Community Center, Inc. (OCCI) opened a 15,380 square foot facility that incorporated a variety of green building, pollution prevention strategies in its design.  The gym includes a photovoltaic system to generate on-site electricity and along with opening clerestory windows for efficient cooling.  Recycled and environmentally friendly construction materials were used wherever possible and the landscape plantings are drought resistant.  Since opening, non toxic cleaning supplies are utilized, and waste materials are recycled.  Other green build features of the community center include light shelves to enhance daylighting and occupancy sensors for lighting control both of which reduce the electricity use; automatic controls on the lavatories to reduce water usage; a roof designed to minimize solar heat gain; and, north-facing glazing to provide light without adding solar heat gain.  Bike racks were consciously provided to encourage travel to the facility by means other than a car, recognizing that 30% of the 7,250 resident users are below the age of 18.  In addition to the on-site green build design, OCCI Board Members and Staff are compassionate about the center and discussed the environmental justifications and benefits to the 600+ children who enjoy the facility to date. 

 San Luis Obispo County Bicycle Coalition:  Bike Valet is a free bicycle parking service offered by SLO County Bicycle Coalition at SLO Farmers Market and other community events.  By offering a safe, free, convenient location to park bikes, they have seen a steady increase in users since its opening in 2006. The valet promotes in-town bike trips that reduce the need for vehicle parking demands, traffic congestion, air pollution, greenhouse gasses, while simultaneously promoting a healthy lifestyle and petroleum-free transportation option.  Bike Valet is open for contract to all interested community events in SLO County for a nominal fee; all proceeds go to fund the SLO County Bicycle Coalition, which in turn promotes safe traffic and commuter routes, bike maps, and many other bicycle safety/education programs countywide.  A recent SLO County Bicycle Coalition survey shows the lack of bike facilities being a key barrier for a majority of SLO County residents, making it difficult for residents to replace auto trips with transit and/or non-motorized options.  The Bike Valet is one of the many resources the SLO Bicycle Coalition provides to facilitate people getting out of their cars and onto their bikes.  Since February 2006, over 2,000 auto trips have been replaced by bicycle trips that utilized parking at the Bike Valet.

Wolff Vineyards:  Wolff Vineyards is a family owned and operated ecologically friendly vineyard and artisan winery that utilizes an integrated group of strategies to reduce pollution and maintain viable soil quality for future generations.  These strategies include long-term air quality benefits, long-term water quality benefits, land preservation, environmental stewardship, energy efficiency and waste reduction.  Some of these pollution prevention tactics include utilizing cleaner burning farming equipment and fuel, implementing Integrated Pest Management techniques, reducing particulate matter by eliminating disking and planting native grasses to minimize wind caused soil erosion, and installing an efficient gray water system for winery discharge. The property is enrolled as an Agriculture Preserve contract (Williamson Act) with the County and provides restoration and enhancement sites for turtles, birds and salmon.  Energy star appliances, high efficiency electrical equipment and energy efficient lighting and controls are used in the winery and tasting room.  All glass, plastic, paper waste products of the winery and tasting room are recycled.  In addition, tasting room wrapping for wine bottle are made of recycled brown paper and decorated with recycled wine bottle labels and used wine barrels are recycled into furniture.