The latest news on BERC can be found on this page. Read on to find out more.
AUGUST 2010
Annual Sustainable Business Awards October 8 (Sacramento Sustainable BusinessProgram)
The 4th Annual Sustainable Business of the Year Awards Ceremony and Pollution Prevention Expo is scheduled for October 8, 2010. The event will be held at the Sacramento Municipal Utility District (SMUD) headquarters at 6301 S St. starting at 8:00 am
This years host will be Leonard Robinson, Chief Deputy Director at the Department of Toxic Substances Control, and host of the weekly radio show, 'Going Green in Sacramento' Thursday mornings at 10am on KDEE FM.
Keynote speaker will be La Ronda Bowen. She is the Ombudsman for the California Air Resources Board. As the liaison between the public and the Board, La Ronda reports to the Chair and ensures that problems are clearly identified and solved and that corrective action is taken to learn from and prevent them from reoccurring.
Call (916) 874-2100 for more information on this exciting event.
The Annual Sustainable Business Awards Event is sponsored by:
Sacramento Municipal Utility District
Sacramento Regional Solid Waste Authority
Allied Waste - Republic Services
Sacramento Business Journal
Hannibal's Catering
Posted: 08/19/10
JUNE 2010
Sacto Sustainable and Green Cabinet on Envirobro (Sacramento Sustainable BusinessProgram)
Leonard Robinson, host of Going Green With Envirobro on Sacramento radio station KDEE FM, welcomed Duane O'Donnell and Russell Garcia to his show on Thursday, June 3.
Russell, with Johnson Controls, is also director of the Green Cabinet, a coalition of businesses who help other businesses go green. Duane is with the Business Environmental Resource Center (BERC) and manages the Sacramento Area Sustainable Business program.
Free workshop for owners of Perchloroethylene (PERC) Dry Cleaning businesses to help with funding for new non-PERC machines, information about alternative cleaners and equipment.
The workshop will also cover how to be ready when air quality, hazardous materials/waste and sewer discharge inspectors visit your business.
Date: May 27, 2010
Time: 6:00 p.m. to 7:30 p.m.
Location: County of Sacramento Environmental Management Department (EMD)
10590 Armstrong Avenue, Mather, CA 95655
To Register - Call (916) 649-0225
For more information contact June Livingston at (916) 649-0169. Posted: 05/15/10
APRIL 2010
SMUD Offers On-Line Energy Assessment (Sacramento Sustainable BusinessProgram)
Small businesses can save money with fast, free, customized energy-saving recommendations from SMUD! Now, your business can conduct its own energy analysis for one or more commercial facilities, compare your energy use with similar businesses, see where your business uses energy, identify areas to reduce energy usage and calculate the potential savings and payback period.
Energy-efficient improvements can reduce your energy cost, lower your energy bills, improve the productivity and comfort of your employees and customers, and advance the maintenance, safety, and security of your operation. To get recognition and acknowledgement for your company's energy conservation efforts, consider getting certified in the Sacramento Area Sustainable Business Program.
For assistance or a personal consultation from SMUD, contact a SMUD Commercial Services representative at 1-877-622-SMUD (7683).
Posted: 04/21/10
MARCH 2010
California American Water Funds 2010 Environmental Grant Program in Sacramento (Sacramento Sustainable BusinessProgram)
California American Water announced today it is accepting applications for its 2010 Environmental Grant Program.
The company will award several grants for a combined total of $10,000 to innovative community-based environmental projects that improve, restore or protect watersheds and drinking water supplies within the state.
A wide variety of conservation projects are eligible for funding, such as watershed cleanups, reforestation efforts, biodiversity projects, streamside buffer restoration projects, wellhead protection initiatives and hazardous waste collection efforts.
"We all share in the tremendous benefits California's diverse watersheds provide and, just as much, the responsibility to maintain them," said Rob MacLean, president of California American Water. "That is why we are encouraging municipalities, schools, environmental organizations and civic groups to apply for a grant to support projects that will benefit their local water ecosystem."
To qualify, a proposed project must be:
* Located within California American Water's Sacramento service area;
* Completed between May 1, 2010 and November 30, 2010; and
* A new or innovative community initiative or serve as a significant expansion to an existing program.
Projects will be judged based on criteria that include clarity of project goals and projected impact, strength of collaboration with other community and/or municipal organizations and evidence that the project will provide sustainable environmental results after California American Water's funding ends.
In 2009, the program supported the WiLDCOAST foundation for their cleanup and restoration projects targeting the Tijuana and Otay River watersheds in the San Diego area. Both rivers are vital to the San Diego community and both were the common target of illegal dumping and pollution.
California American Water also awarded a $2,500 grant for the construction of the streambed table exhibit at the Explorit Science Center in Davis. The exhibit is designed to teach participants about water flow, soil deposition and erosion, slope changes and demonstrate how dams work.
"We take a complete approach when it comes to safeguarding our water supplies in Sacramento," said Andy Soule, California American Water's Northern Division General Manager. "In addition to maintaining a robust, internal conservation program, we also fund projects outside our operations that sufficiently demonstrate a workable and sustainable vision for preserving our watersheds."
Grant information and application forms can be found online at californiaamwater.com.
Applications must be postmarked by March 22, 2010, and mailed to:
California American Water
Attn: Debra Vernon
4701 Beloit Drive
Sacramento, CA 95838
Attn: Debra Vernon
Posted: 03/04/10
FEBRUARY 2010
RIbbon Cutting for ARCO LED Lighting Retrofit - March 1, 2010 (Sacramento Sustainable BusinessProgram)
Join Folsom Mayor Jeff Starsky, SMUD Director Nancy Bui-Thompson and Sacramento County Supervisor Roberta MacGlashan at the ribbon cutting to celebrate the installation of an energy efficient lighting system at the Lake Forest ARCO, 13401 Folsom Blvd., Folsom, CA 95630.
This exciting sustainability event will take place on March 1, 2010, from 5:30pm - 6:30pm. Refreshments will be provided. Posted: 02/25/10
2010 Food Industry Workshop (General Education/ WorkshopProgram)
Do you own, manage or operate a Retail Food Business (restaurant, fast food, deli, market, mini-market, grocery store, bakery, schools and other food facility)in Sacramento County? You belong at the 2010 Food Industry Workshop that will cover:
Cal Code 2010 updates (food safety laws)
Menu Labeling Requirements
Trans Fat Ban
Service Animals and Food Facilities
Upcoming Refrigerant Rules
SMUD Energy Saving Rebates/Business Loans
Date: Monday, April 26, 2010
Time: Session 1 - Register 8:00 am to 9:00 am
Session 1 - Class 9:00 am to noon
Session 2 - Register 12:30 pm to 1:30 pm
Session 2 - Class 1:30 pm to 4:30 pm
Location: Sacramento County EMD
10590 Armstrong Avenue
Mather, CA 95655
Fee: None!
RSVP: Call (916) 875-8440 by April 19, 2010 Posted: 02/25/10
New Partnership Brings Training Center to Sacramento Area (General Education/ WorkshopProgram)
The Business Environmental Resource Center (BERC) has entered into a unique partnership with the California Community Colleges Environmental Training Center to establish a training location in the Sacramento area.
Environmental Training Centers (ETCs) are an initiative of the California Community College System’s Economic & Workforce Development Program, providing assistance to businesses in complying with federal and state environmental, health and safety regulations. To kick off ETC trainings at BERC, a 8-Hour OSHA HAZWOPER Refresher training is scheduled for Wednesday, February 24. Click Here to Register For more information, visit http://www.envtraining.org/calendar/.
BERC, located in McClellan Business Park just north of HWY 80 and Watt Avenue, will be the closest ETC training location for Sacramento area businesses. There are six locations throughout California, but the next closest ETC is in the Bay Area.
In its seventeenth year in the Sacramento area, BERC provides free and confidential environmental compliance and permitting assistance on behalf of local government throughout the Sacramento watershed region to enhance both business success and environmental quality. BERC is a landmark, joint project of the:
• Sacramento Metropolitan Air Quality Management District (SMAQMD)
• City of Sacramento Department of Utilities
• Sacramento Regional County Sanitation District (SRCSD)
• Sacramento Regional Solid Waste Authority (SWA)
• Sacramento Municipal Services Agency
Department of Water Resources
Planning and Community Development Department
County Engineering
• Sacramento County Environmental Management Department (EMD)
• Sacramento County Department of Economic Development and Intergovernmental Affairs
• Sacramento Municipal Utility District (SMUD)
• Sacramento County Airport System
For more information about BERC, visit us online at http:sacberc.org or call Duane O’Donnell at (916) 649-0225.
Posted: 02/03/10
NOVEMBER 2009
FREE Stormwater Compliance Workshop November 17, 2009 (General Education/ WorkshopProgram)
The Sacramento County Environmental Management Department is offering a free stormwater compliance workshop for those in the food and restaurant industry. The workshop is to be held at 10590 Armstrong Ave, Mather, CA. Pre-registration is required-- please call (916) 875-8400 to reserve your seat. Posted: 11/13/09
OCTOBER 2009
2009 Sacramento Sustainable Business Award Winners Announces (Sacramento Sustainable BusinessProgram)
The Business Environmental Resource Center has announced the winners of the 2009 Sacramento Sustainable Business of the Year Awards.
The Sustainability Awards are being given to the top environmentally conscious businesses whose practices demonstrate an outstanding commitment to enhancing sustainability.
1. Sacramento Municipal Utility District (SMUD)
2. Los Rios Community College District & SMUD
3. Campbell Soup Company LLC & SMUD
4. Paragary Restaurant Group
5. Kikkoman
6. Mechanics Bank
7. Radisson Hotel Sacramento
8. Sacramento Regional Wastewater Treatment Plant ( SRWTP) Biogas Enhancement Pilot Project. The award winning team participating in this project includes:
>>Sacramento Regional County Sanitation District (SRCSD)
>>Sacramento Municipal Utility District (SMUD)
>>Brown & Caldwell
>>Sacramento Rendering Company
>>Dr Pepper Snapple Group
>>The Pepsi Bottling Group
9. Caltrans Division of Rail, Amtrak California, Capital Corridor Commuter Rail Locomotive Emission Upgrade Project. The award winning team participating in this project includes:
>>California Department of Transportation, Division of Rail
>>Amtrak (National Rail Passenger Corp.)
>>Capitol Corridor Joint Powers Authority
>>California Air Resources Board (CARB)
>>Sacramento Metropolitan Air Quality Management District (SMAQMD)
>>Bay Area Air Quality Management District (BAAQMD)
>>Electro Motive Diesel, Inc. (EMD)
>>U. S. Environmental Protection Agency, Region 9
10. Sacramento Metropolitan Air Quality Management District (SMAQMD) E85 Program. The award winning team participating in this project includes:
>>SMAQMD
>>DMC
>>Scotties Gas Station
>>Interstate Oil Company
>>Flyers (Nella Oil)
>>Pearson Fuels
>>Propel
>>Green Wave Fuel
>>City of Sacramento, Department of General Services, Fleet Management
>>Sacramento Municipal Utility District (SMUD)
These outstanding businesses will be honored at the Sustainable Business Awards & Green Expo on Thursday, September 24 at the Sacramento Municipal Utility District (SMUD) Rubicon Room, 6301 S. St., Sacramento, 95817
The event includes a Sustainability EXPO with representatives from state and local agencies, as well as exhibitors from environmental and pollution prevention firms.
This FREE event is made possible through the sponsorship of the Sacramento Regional County Sanitation District, the Sacramento Municipal Utility District, the Sacramento Business Journal, the Regional Water Authority, the Water Forum, Allied Waste Services, and the Business Environmental Resource Center.
Contact the Sustainable Business Program at (916)649-0225 or visit http://SustainableSacramento.com for more information.
The accomplishments of the winners are as follows:
1. Sacramento Municipal Utility District (SMUD) – For outstanding support to local community on conserving resources and reducing energy consumption. SMUD’s assistance to businesses in developing energy conservation strategies is evident in their involvement with four of this years award winners. SMUDs assistance programs include:
• Onsite Energy Audits – evaluate energy usage, recommend energy efficiency improvements, project dollar savings and payback periods.
• OurGreenCommunity.org – a social networking site to help improve quality of life. A place for area residents, groups and businesses to share ideas about reducing the impact of carbon emissions
• SolarShares – First program of its kind, and the largest in the nation. Innovative effort to support renewable energy. Participants "buy into" a local solar farm.
• Greenergy® - Nation's fifth-largest green pricing program, certified by the Green-e Renewable Electricity Certification Program.
2. Los Rios Community College District & SMUD
Upgraded pneumatic control systems at their Sacramento City, Cosumnes River, and American River College campuses with state of the art direct digital controls, variable speed drives, and carbon dioxide sensors. This resulted in
• Reduction in energy consumption by over 3,214,000 kWh per year
• Annual savings of approximately $289,000.
• Annual emissions reduction of over 3.5 million pounds of CO2 associated with this project is equivalent to removing over 300 passenger cars from the road per year.
3. Campbell Soup Company LLC & SMUD: For exemplary efforts in conserving resources and supporting research in alternative energy generation.
• Heat Recovery Project - Captures thermal energy from spent cooker cooling water to produce product tempered water for use in new sterilizers. It is expected energy savings of 75,929 Million BTU/year.
• Lighting Project - Switch the plant over to more efficient, fluorescent fixtures, lamps, and sensors and installed occupancy sensors to turn lights off in certain areas. Expected to save over 4 Million kwh/year.
• Plantwide Recycling Program - Extended recycling program last fall to separate out recyclable materials from plant trash, including cardboard, hard plastics, soft plastics, and aluminum. Previously, only cardboard was recycled, and program increased cardboard recycling. New project now recycles up to 10 tons of plastic in per month and almost 100 tons of cardboard per month.
• Anaerobic Digestion Project - Provided food waste to UC Davis and Onsite Power Systems (OPS) from July 2008 to May 2009 for use and study of an anaerobic digestion system.
4. Paragary Restaurant Group – Noetworthy commitment to the sustainability program by implementing measures and certifying all of the corporate locations:
Paragary’s Bar and Oven – Sacramento
Centro Cocina Mexicana – Sacramento
Blue Cue – Sacramento
Cosmo Café – Sacramento
Café Bernardo – Sacramento, Capital Ave.
Esquire Grill – Sacramento
Café Bernardo – Davis
Monkey Bar – Sacramento
Café Bernardo / R15 – Sacramento
Spataro Restaurant - Sacramento
5. Kikkoman – First Sacramento area business to earn Platinum Certification. This is achieved by implementing the first set of sustainability measures, and then by implementing additional sets of measures for silver, gold, and platinum
• Worked with City of Folsom Water Quality Division to complete a water audit of all manufacturing operations and landscaping of it’s 50-acre campus
• Engaged Sacramento Municipal Utility District in completing an Energy Use Assessment of it’s facility
• Installed secure area for bicycle parking to encourage employees to ride bikes to work
• Instituted program to purchase paper products certified by the Forest Stewardship Council
• Installed regenerative heating process to reduce energy consumption
6. Mechanics Bank – Is recognized as being a sustainability leader in the Sacramento Region.
• All 5 of their regional offices In Sacramento, Placer, and El Dorado counties are certified sustainable.
Roseville
El Dorado Hills
Elk Grove
Sacramento
Rocklin
• Banking staff are encouraging & assisting their customers and clients to become certified Sustainable Businesses
7. Radisson Hotel Sacramento The first hotel in the region to earn sustainable certification in all five media areas!
• Installed Ozone oxidation system on washing machines, producing significant reductions in water use and sewer discharges, by allowing elimination of one rinse cycle
• Provides lockers and showers for employees who walk or bicycle to work
• Installed advanced thermostat controls to set guest rooms to default temperature when unoccupied
• Discontinued use of styrofoam products in restaurant
• Installed low-flow toilets and urinals throughout the facility
• Maintains spring fed lake in center of 18 acre complex with large grassy area that provides habitat for beneficial birds and insects.
8. Sacramento Regional Wastewater Treatment Plant ( SRWTP) Biogas Enhancement Pilot Project - The Pilot Project evaluated the feasibility of using other waste materials, such as fats, oils, grease, and food processing waste, to inject them directly into an anaerobic digester to generate biogas, enhancing the production of biogas (methane gas) at the SRWTP.
This project Increased biogas used to enhance onsite renewable energy co-generation and determined that:
• Potential to increase the production of biogas, from 1,400 standard cubic feet per minute up to 2,200 – enough energy power approximately 1,000 to 3,000 area homes.
• Improve the handling, processing, and disposal of waste materials.
• Reduce the amount of waste materials that enter the sewer collection system, which could cause sewer blockages or overflows.
Project Team Members:
Sacramento Regional County Sanitation District (SRCSD)
Sacramento Municipal Utility District (SMUD)
Brown & Caldwell
Sacramento Rendering Company
Dr Pepper Snapple Group
The Pepsi Bottling Group
• Cal Trans Capital Corridor route, run by Amtrak under contract to the Capitol Corridor Joint Powers Authority (CCJPA), is a partnership of six local transit agencies in the eight county service area. The Capital Corridor route extends from Sacramento to the Bay area covering more than 400 miles of heavy rail intercity train service and eliminates 559 million miles worth of highway travel.
• Fifteen (15) - 3,200 horse power locomotives manufactured by GM Electro Motive Division (EMD) were upgraded by EMD fromTier 0 (the dirtiest of engines) to a much cleaner Tier 2 emission level, reducing both smog forming NOx emissions by 42% and toxic particulate emissions by 45%.
• Since the Capitol Corridor route passes through both the SMAQMD and BAAQMD air districts, both air districts agreed that emission reduction from these engines would be very valuable and therefore funded this first ever passenger locomotive engine upgrade with assistance from the California Air Resources Baard and the US EPA.
The following are members of the Capital Corridor partnership:
• California Department of Transportation, Division of Rail
• Amtrak (National Rail Passenger Corp.)
• Capitol Corridor Joint Powers Authority
• California Air Resources Board (CARB)
• Sacramento Metropolitan Air Quality Management District (SMAQMD)
• Bay Area Air Quality Management District (BAAQMD)
• Electro Motive Diesel, Inc. (EMD)
• U. S. Environmental Protection Agency, Region 9
10. Sacramento Metropolitan Air Quality Management District (SMAQMD) E85 Program:
E85 is an alcohol fuel mixture of 85% ethanol and 15% gasoline, by volume. Ethanol is derived from crops (bioethanol) is a biofuel. Ethanol is a renewable resource.
The use of E85 results in reductions of greenhouse gas emissions and energy use for each gallon burned, compared to the emissions and energy use for the gasoline it replaces.
SMAQMD worked with 7 different fuel providers to implement E85 ethanol fuel at 23 retail sites, 4 card lock sites at locations in El Dorado, Placer, Sacramento, Yolo, and Solano counties.
The 7 providers who installed systems in 27 retail and limited access card lock sites formed a “consortium” to jointly notify the public about the availability of E85 in our region.
The 7 Providers and SMAQMD designed a postcard to notify consumers of E85 locations.
SMAQMD also worked with two fleet sites, SMUD and City of Sacramento, to implement E85 at their municipal pumps.
With the completion of this infrastructure, the Sacramento region now has the highest concentration of alternative fuel ethanol sites in California.
Partners in this project include:
• SMAQMD
• DMC
• Scotties Gas Station
• Interstate Oil Company
• Flyers (Nella Oil)
• Pearson Fuels
• Propel
• Green Wave Fuel
Also included in this project are two public agencies who also installed E85 dispensing equipment for their private fleets.
• City of Sacramento, Department of General Services, Fleet Management
• Sacramento Municipal Utility District (SMUD)
Posted: 10/01/09
SEPTEMBER 2009
Small Business Carbon-Reduction Toolkit (Sacramento Sustainable BusinessProgram)
CoolCalifornia.org is packed with quick, easy-to-use and reliable tools to help your small business save money and reduce its impact on the environment and climate change.
CoolCalifornia.org provides all Californians - individuals, small businesses, local government, youth, community organizations, and schools - with the tools they need to take action to protect the climate and keep California cool.
Founding partners include the California Air Resources Board and other State government agencies, universities, and Next10, a nonprofit organization.
Sacramento Municipal Utility District
Sacramento Regional Solid Waste Authority
Allied Waste - Republic Services
Sacramento Business Journal
Hannibal's Catering
