Monday Q&A: Green Team helps businesses gain from conservation

The Stanislaus Green Team, a program of the Modesto Chamber of Commerce, sees profit in saving the planet.

It certifies businesses and nonprofit groups that reduce their water and energy use and increase their recycling of containers and other materials. It can be something familiar, such as cutting down on lighting and paper in a law office. Or it can be unique, such as Frito-Lay Inc. selling starch from water that washes potatoes at its chip plants in Modesto and elsewhere.

The program, free to clients in Stanislaus County, emerged in 2012 in response to a state law that aims to sharply reduce emissions believed to be changing the climate. The team visits businesses to see what they might do and certifies those that have accomplished much.

So far, five businesses have been certified — Frito-Lay, the Crystal Creamery and Nestlé USA dairy companies, the Gianelli & Associates law firm and Boyd Corp., which makes parts for transportation, electronics and other uses. Another 22 clients have started the process.

Rikki Keenan-Schmeeckle, program director with the chamber, told The Modesto Bee all about it:

How did the Stanislaus Green Team come about?

Representatives of the successful San Joaquin Green Team program in Stockton presented the model for the countywide green team program to the Modesto Chamber of Commerce. The Modesto chamber saw an opportunity to bring great value to chamber members and also to nonmembers through helping businesses reduce the cost of doing business by educating them on how to be environmentally compliant with current California state legislation.

What services can businesses receive?

One component is our educational monthly meetings held on the third Thursday of every month. Typically, we have two speakers that touch on environmental topics like healthy air, solid waste recycling, water conservation, energy savings and overall green policy. The next component is our REACON (Recycling, Energy, Air Conservation) Team. This is a team of industry experts that visits local businesses and organizations to assist them in recognizing where they could improve environmental compliance. The team provides each business with a binder that incorporates a seven-page environmental checklist to follow. The team acts as a resource conduit to help them complete that checklist.

What are some examples of what clients already have accomplished?

Well, that varies. For some businesses, our visit initiates simply the motivation to write their first company green policy and to develop a small internal green team. Other companies have a green policy in place and the Stanislaus Green Team kind of “jump-starts” their green focus again. Companies like Frito Lay in Modesto set the bar high with their green example. They have an internal green team of 30-plus and have come up with innovative green techniques such as recycling the starch out of their water and selling it for profit.

Can businesses save money in the long run with conservation efforts?

Yes, not only can a business save a lot of money with their conservation efforts, but they can also capitalize on the marketing benefits of branding their company green. Every step a business takes to improve its green footprint down that greener path pays off. Boyd Corp.’s recycling program alone for the last six years has saved over $73,000, and its green certification recognition through the Stanislaus Green Team in conjunction with elected officials has actually helped with its compliance audits.

Conservation has been a topic for decades. Are there still things we can do to save resources?

Yes, there are so many common and creative ways to save resources. It really does start with the change of human habit and behavior. That is what is so great about the Stanislaus Green Team meetings. It’s a network of different industries that share their common and unique practices. It has moved far beyond just recycling soda cans and water bottles. Recycling starch out of water, grape stems into fertilizer and even changing your everyday font type to a thinner one such as Garamond could save ink cost and benefit the bottom line.

How does all this help the economy in Stanislaus County?

Truthfully, the state of the economy is why I took the position as the Stanislaus Green Team director with the Modesto chamber. I am not a tree-hugger, but I have been a business owner, and it takes a lot of work and perseverance. I saw an opportunity to help Stanislaus County businesses take advantage of environmental legislation that they already were going to be required to be compliant with and turn it into a valuable cost-saving and marketing benefit. The Stanislaus Green Team helps businesses stay in business and unites an encouraging network of people that truly do want a healthy environment for future generations to come.

This story was originally published November 23, 2014 at 8:49 PM with the headline "Monday Q&A: Green Team helps businesses gain from conservation."