In 2022, twelve Culver City businesses achieved Sustainable Business Certification, six of whom achieved Certified Innovator status.
Collectively, these twelve businesses save 98,000 kWh of electricity and 1.4 million gallons of water each year, for a total annual cost savings of $24,000. They also divert 6,000 lbs of solid waste from landfills and eliminate 70 metric tons of greenhouse gas emissions annually.
A virtual awards ceremony hosted by Temple Akiba was held June 1, 2022 to recognize these business.
2022 Sustainable Business Certification Awards Event
"We celebrate the best management practices implemented and sustainable policies adopted by these Culver City businesses over the past year. They are to be commended for achieving their Sustainable Business Certifications during a challenging pandemic. Together, these 12 businesses contribute positively to the health of the natural environment and the overall well-being of their employees, customers, and the community at large."
Culver City Mayor Daniel Lee
Businesses achieving Certified Innovator
Green Dinosaur, Inc.
Hi-Lo Liquor Market
KFA, LLP
Reformation HQ
Reformation Retail Store
Servicon Systems
Businesses achieving Certification
Co-opportunity Market
Jag Gym
OsteoStrong Mar Vista
Temple Akiba
Schmidli Backdrops, Inc.
Village Well Books & Coffee
Green Dinosaur, Inc. was founded in 2007 on the premise of providing great people with exciting opportunities to affect change within the built environment. The firm offers full-service green building solutions, including green building rating system consulting, energy analysis, commissioning, retro-commissioning, utility incentive program/tax credit guidance, and engineering. Green Dinosaur challenges the status quo, integrates new technology, guides design, and builds teams toward achieving more sustainable built environments.
Green Dinosaur was certified as the Innovator Level and is a B Corp and Just Certified Organization with locations in Culver City, San Diego, San Francisco, and Seattle. As Sustainability Consultants, they walk their sustainability talk in their own space.
- Paper-Free Office Policy: There is minimal printing at Green Dinosaur and no paper napkins or paper towels. They also use microfiber cleaning cloths.
- Waste Diversion: Green Dinosaur is working towards zero waste in the office. Their zero waste stations consist of a blue bin for co-mingled recycling and an organics container for food and plant waste. They compost their food waste with vermi-worms. Other materials are discarded in the trash, but is typically less than 10%.
- Energy Saving: All Green Dinosaur workstations are equipped with Energy StarⓇ equipment. Lighting is 100% LED and there is plenty of natural light through ample windows. The thermostat is set at 75 degrees cooling to reduce running HVAC in the summer.
- Green Cleaning Policy: All office cleaners are non-toxic, containing natural ingredients, and are purchased in concentrated form to minimize packaging. They also use their own in-house made natural cleaning solution.
- Transportation: Green Dinosaur provides incentives for biking and taking public transportation to work and all client meetings. The office is located 3 blocks away from the Metro Expo Line. They reimburse 100% of public transportation costs for commuting to the office and client meetings.
- Hybrid Work Guideline: Green Dinosaur offers an hybrid work schedule with the flexibility to work in the office and from home.
Hi-Lo Liquor Market is a rejuvenation of the classic neighborhood corner store. They quench the thirst for local and regionally focused craft beer, wine, and artisanal spirits and offer a broad selection of convenience items, decadent snacks, gourmet foods, and traditional sundries.
Hi-Lo Liquor Market was amongst the first cohort of Culver City’s sustainable certified businesses. Originally certified as Tier One, Hi-Lo recertified at the Tier Two Innovator Level. (See also prior year certification details.) In addition to prior accomplishments, Hi-Lo elevated several of its sustainability measures to reach the higher level of commitment.
- Windows: Hi-Lo added window shades to reduce heat gain and energy use associated with mechanical cooling at their facility.
- Lighting: Hi-Lo performing an LED lighting retrofit, saving an estimated 280 kWh of electricity annually.
- Water: Hi-Lo installed a high efficiency dual flush toilet and retrofitted hand sink faucets to flow at 0.5 gallons per minute, saving an estimated 13,359 gallons of water annually.
- Zero Waste: Hi-Lo instituted new zero waste practices, including replacing disposable paper towels with reusable cloth towels.
KFA, founded in 1975, provides architecture, design, and master planning services for projects throughout the greater Los Angeles metropolitan area using a collaborative approach tailored to each project. Because they care deeply about the environment, KFA assumes the responsibility to do their part to reduce their impact on the earth for future generations, and promote environmental, social, and financial sustainability in everything they do.
- Planning: KFA developed a Sustainability Action Plan for the next eight years.
- Trash: KFA runs a robust recycling and composting program.
- Green Cleaning: KFA utilizes 3rd party certified green cleaning products.
- Wages & Benefits: KFA supports their employees with full benefits and living wages to help them flourish and provides incentives to switch to 100% renewable energy at home.
- Transportation: KFA provides their employees with financial incentives to promote the use of alternative transportation.
Reformation is a sustainable clothing and accessory company. They make low-impact materials, rescued deadstock fabrics, and repurposed vintage clothing. Additionally, their products are designed, shot, and shipped locally at facilities in Los Angeles. Reformation has a thriving business with 27 store locations worldwide and a total of six green businesses certified under the California Green Business Network. They are certified climate neutral with a goal to be net positive by 2025.
Reformation’s Headquarters and their retail shop in Culver City recertified this year at the Tier 2, Innovator level. (See also prior year certification details.) In addition to prior accomplishments, Reformation elevated several of its sustainability measures at their Culver City locations to reach the higher level of commitment.
- Policy: Reformation updated their comprehensive environmental policy, which outlines their goals and actions in all areas of their business.
- Wages & Benefits: Reformation offers a broad benefits package to their employees, including health insurance, vacation and sick time, commuter benefits, subsidized volunteer days, paid parental leave, and a guaranteed living wage.
- Power: Reformation runs on 100% renewable energy through the Clean Power Alliance and offsets its carbon emissions to reduce their environmental footprint.
Servicon is an innovative custodial services provider that pioneered the concept of “green cleaning” in 1973. They are the leading facilities maintenance contractor in the aerospace, industrial, hi-tech, and commercial sectors in Southern California, Arizona, and New Mexico, servicing over 100 million square feet of office space. Their Culver City location serves as their headquarters.
This is Servicon’s second time achieving Innovator certification. For Servicon, sustainability is part of their DNA and their only way of doing business. The company protects the environment by conserving, reusing, reducing, and recycling resources in every aspect of their business.
- Green Building: Servicon’s headquarters is Culver City’s first LEED Platinum building and they are operating on 100% on-site renewable energy.
- Zero Waste: Their commitments include creating new green tips for staff and diverting 90% of their waste, as well as adopting a toner recycling program.
- Wages & Benefits: Servicon provides healthcare benefits to full-time employees.
- Transportation: Servicon added bike racks to encourage bicycling to work.
After 43 years of success in Santa Monica, Co-opportunity Market opened in Culver City to share high quality, fresh, organic, local, and delicious food. Co-opportunity strives to carry 100% organic produce, high quality vitamins, cosmetics and wellness products, bulk foods, bulk herbs, and a large variety of natural grocery and household products. Co-opportunity Market features an indoor seating area, an outdoor patio, a public courtyard, and an upper deck. Shoppers also enjoy an expansive prepared food section with kombucha and cold brew coffee on tap.
Highlights of Co-opportunity Market’s new sustainability measures include:
- Purchasing 100% renewable power from the Clean Power Alliance, Culver City’s local community choice aggregation (CCA) provider
- Using LED lighting throughout
- Purchasing produce from local, organic farms when available
- Selling only fish that is sustainably harvested or farmed, giving preference to local suppliers
- Phasing in only non-toxic and green certified cleaning products, including Clean by Peroxy, a Green Seal certified all-purpose hydrogen peroxide based cleaner
- Striving to source only non-chlorine bleached paper products including paper towels, napkins, and grocery bags
- Giving back to the local community by donating regularly to local food banks, giving 1% of their store brand coffee to local charities, and offering community grants to local non-profit organizations
- Incentivizing employees to use sustainable means of transportation for work commutes with gift cards, drawings, metro passes, and financial allowances
- Increasing water efficiency by installing faucet aerators on all hand and dish sinks, reducing water use by over 75%
- Implementing a zero waste program, including purchasing four additional compost bins and establishing three-bin zero waste stations with clear signage storewide
Founded in 2004, Jag Gym is proud to be Los Angeles’ premier children’s activity center, offering gymnastics classes for children six months through 18 years, as well as competitive gymnastics teams, camps, and more. Jag Gym’s 25,000-square-foot facility boasts top of the line equipment ranging from bars to fit tiny hands to a foam pit for training high-level athletes.
Highlights of Jag Gym’s new sustainability measures include:
- Running on 100% renewable energy through the Clean Power Alliance
- Reducing energy use by 65% by switching to all LED lighting
- Reducing energy further by adding fans to their air compressors
- Switching to 100% 3rd party certified green cleaning products
- Reducing water usage by upgrading their aerators
- Creating a comprehensive recycling program and reducing waste by cutting down on plastic packaging
- Developing an environmental policy
Osteostrong is a new, natural way to strengthen bones and muscles, which improves balance and eliminates joint and back pain. It also strengthens the skeletal system and increases bone density, creating better posture and improving balance and athletic performance.
Highlights of OsteoStrong’s new sustainability measures since previously certifying include:
- Purchasing 100% renewable power from Clean Power Alliance, Culver City’s local community choice aggregation (CCA) provider, and encouraging all staff to do the same at their residences
- Increasing HVAC maintenance to regular bi-annual schedule
- Providing HEPA air filtration throughout in ensure the health and wellbeing of staff and guests
- Installing LED lighting
- Installing two light sensors to further lower energy use
- Purchasing only non-toxic and green certified cleaning products from Grove Collaborative and a patented appliance from Force of Nature that uses electricity to change the chemical composition of salt, water, and vinegar into a powerful multi-purpose cleaner & deodorizer
- Striving for zero waste
- Providing staff and customers with high efficiency hand dryers to minimize paper towel use
Temple Akiba was founded in 1953, with a mission to embrace everyone and deepen Jewish identity through Torah, justice, and community. Temple Akiba is committed to bringing goodness into the world and prides itself on its diverse membership, warm and loving congregation, and varied programming.
Highlights of Temple Akiba’s new sustainability measures include:
- Establishing a board-approved environmental policy for best practices in all areas of focus
- Upgrading water fixtures to high efficiency devices
- Upgrading lighting to LEDs, with an estimated savings of 58% in energy cost annually
- Adopting a comprehensive recycling and composting program to properly sort and reduce waste and phase out all onsite use of disposables, beginning with a set of mugs and then reusable dishes and silverware
- Applying for and receiving a West Basin grant to purchase a bottle refilling water station to help reduce plastic pollution
- Reducing water consumption through water efficiency retrofits in partnership with Golden State Water, including several toilets flushing one gallon or less and hand sink faucets flowing at 0.5 gallons per minute
- Switching cleaning products to 3rd party certified green options and eliminating single-use wipes to create a healthier indoor air environment for all
The founder of Schmidli Backdrops, Inc. Marco Schmidli studied photography and fine art in Switzerland, where he was born, and in Rome. Marco established Schmidli Backdrops when he moved to California in 1989. Since then, Schmidli Backdrops has created awe-inspiring backdrops featured throughout the fashion and film production worlds for editorial photography, celebrity portraits, music videos, commercials, feature films, and more. Today Schmidli Backdrops inventory contains more than 2,000 unique pieces.
Highlights of Schmidli Backdrops’ new sustainability measures include:
- Installing a tankless/on-demand water heater on the roof, reducing energy consumption - when using 41 gallons or less of hot water daily, demand water heaters can be 24%–34% more energy efficient than conventional storage tank water heaters
- Installing skylights and LED lighting facility-wide
- Performing staff education and training on separating materials correctly for blue bin recycling
- Making a full kitchen available for staff to cook meals using reusable dishware and silverware
- Generating little to no landscaping waste, trimming vines annually and utilizing permeable decomposed granite around the property
- Repurposing most, if not all, scrap wood
- Prioritizing reusing/repurposing all leftover paint
- Purchasing 100% renewable power from the Clean Power Alliance, Culver City’s local community choice aggregation (CCA) provider
Village Well Books & Coffee is a new and already very popular community-focused and impact-driven bookstore-café in the heart of Downtown Culver City. Supporting the community is central to their mission. Village Well regularly explores various social causes and encourages the community to learn, share ideas, and lend a hand. Village Well also regularly hosts events, including featured authors.
Highlights of Village Well’s new sustainability measures include:
- Training staff on ongoing environmental actions
- Donating excess food to shelters and food banks
- Adopting an environmental policy detailing their commitment to sustainability
- Running on 100% renewable energy through the Clean Power Alliance
- Following Culver City’s ban on single use plastics by eliminating plastic straws, stirrers, and coffee plugs
- Sourcing paper products with post-consumer recycled content
- Replacing use of paper with electronic methods
- Improving their waste management system by composting and co-locating landfill and recycling containers with clear signage
