Award Recipients V-X
Excellence in Stewardship of the Environment and Excellence in Social Responsibility, 2007
Venice Family Clinic (VFC) is a private non-profit organization providing free healthcare for low-income families. Many VFC offices have operable windows and allow for natural lighting for reduced energy use. Employees are encouraged to exercise for at least 30 minutes a day. Clinics provide a range of free primary and specialty care services to more than 6,000 individuals annually. Of these approximately 3,400 are Santa Monica residents. 77% of VFC patients are minority group members, 75% have no healthcare, 70% live below the poverty line, 26% are children, and 16% are homeless.
Excellence Award in Stewardship of the Natural and Built Environment, 2003
[No additional information at this time]
Waldorf Early Childhood Center
Excellence Awards in Stewardship of the Natural Environment and Sustainable Economic Development, 2006
Using a "zero waste" mindset, teachers prepare homemade snacks for children using ceramic plates, silverware and cloth napkins. Teachers and children pick produce from the school garden for lunches and snacks. Left over scraps are composted. They recently completed renovations to meet the increasing enrollment demand and will provide additional jobs in Santa Monica which helps sustain the local economy.
Honorable Mention, 1996
[No additional information at this time]
Excellence in Social Responsibility and Stewardship of the Natural Environment, 2010
West LA Print is Forest Stewardship Council (FSC) certified and a Certified Sustainable Green Printer. By installing a new chemical free printing plate processor, costing over $150,000, they reduced their volatile organic compounds from 300ppm to less than 30ppm. Since installation of the new printing plate, their water usage reduced 25% - saving 1,200 gallons of water over four years. Toxic pressroom additives are replaced with eco-friendly alternatives. They also performed an energy efficient lighting retrofit. West LA Print provides internship opportunities to colleges and high schools via internships with Wildwood School. Staff can take advantage of flex-time schedules and monthly reimbursement for commuting on public transportation. They pay 75% of each employee’s medical, dental and life insurance which is a more generous benefits package than generally offered by a small printing company.
SQA Grand Prize, 2009
Whole Foods Market strives to sell the finest natural, local and organic foods available, while maintaining strict quality standards. A strong commitment to sustainable agriculture, supporting local communities and natural environment is included in the companies' core values. Whole Foods procures Fair Trade priced products such as coffee, jewelry, arts and crafts from individuals living in third world countries. In addition to specialized staff training, they also offer College tuition reimbursement and CGS (California Grocers Association) and Scholarship Programs. Employee pay levels and benefits such as Medical, free Wellness Programs, gift certificates, and prize raffles for exceptional customer service, far exceed minimum standards. In 2008, Whole Foods Market banned the use of plastic bags nation-wide. By recycling cans, plastic, glass, mixed paper, food waste, and construction waste, they boast 80% waste diversion from landfill. Instead of traditional advertising, Whole Foods practices social responsibility by donating 5% of store revenue to a chosen local non-profit organization.
Honorable Mention 1999 & 2004
Wild Oats Natural Market, inherently addresses environmental issues just by the products they choose to promote on their shelves. They have a thorough "buy recycled" policy for in-house materials ranging from 100% recycled content deli paper to business cards. Even their deli food containers are derived from corn, which reduces fossil fuel usage by up to 50 percent.
SQA Grand Prize, 2007
Wilshire’s menu revolves around the seasonal, locally grown produce
available at the Santa Monica farmers markets. Buying at the market
saves energy, supports family farms, and delivers flavors unmatched by
conventionally grown produce. They also go to great lengths to find
sustainable
harvested and organic meats. Wilshire strives toward sustainability in
everything they do. The restaurant was renovated with eco-friendly
materials, including a deck made from recycled plastic lumber. They
preserved the mature trees in the outdoor dining area during
renovations.