Categorized | Business, Energy

Hawaii Volcanoes National Park wins Hawaii Green Business Award

MEDIA RELEASE

Nine businesses and agencies presented with Hawai‘i Green Business Award

HONOLULU – Lt. Governor James R. “Duke” Aiona, Jr. and officials of the State Department of Business, Economic Development and Tourism (DBEDT) today recognized seven businesses and two government agencies with the Hawai‘i Green Business Award for improving their business practices to conserve resources and protect the health of Hawai‘i’s people and environment.

“Award winners have implemented environmentally-friendly practices that will help our state become a worldwide model of clean energy security and sustainability,” said Lt. Governor Aiona. “By working in collaboration with our business, community and government agency partners, we are finding new ways to become more energy efficient and put policies and practices in place that will sustain an energy work environment.”

Lt. Governor Aiona presented Hawai‘i Green Business Awards to the following honorees:

  • State Department of Health’s Environmental Management Division and Environmental Planning Office: Buys office paper that contains at least 30 percent postconsumer content; uses dry floor cleaning methods and damp mopping; and takes inventory of disconnected, unused ballast in de-lamped fixtures saving 300,000 kWh annually.
  • Hawai‘i Volcanoes National Park: Saved 115, 828 kWh of energy since 2007 by implementing energy efficient measures, harvesting rainwater for nearly 100 percent of their water needs, and installing a 7.4 kW photovoltaic system saving $8,000 per year.
  • Belt Collins Hawai‘i: The firm recycles 95 percent of electronics and furniture, removed 350 pounds of garbage with the “Dump No Waste-Take Care of our Ocean” project, and installed a photovoltaic system.
  • Bishop Square: Installed photocells and window tinting in its buildings, and reduced its average monthly electrical consumption by 13 percent.
  • Phillip K. White & Associates: Installed photovoltaic panels on its roof, uses hybrid cars for carpooling, and utilizes green housekeeping practices.
  • TOPA Management: Insulated hot water pipes, hot water heaters and storage tanks; uses an Energy Management System for central air conditioning system, and buys products with minimum or recycled packaging.
  • Downtown/Town Restaurants: The restaurants buy locally grown produce, treat waste through vermicompost green waste, print menus on recycled paper and use organic fiber to make company t-shirts.
  • Gyotaku Restaurant: Recycles office paper into guest order-taking pads, manages natural gas and electricity during off peak business hours, and implements an intranet-based training system to conserve paper, ink, energy and packaging resources.
  • Whole Foods: Partners with suppliers to meet the growing demand for organic produce, eggs, meat, cheese, bread and packaged foods; sells 100 percent chlorine-free recycled content fiber paper products, and cleans stores with biodegradable and phosphate-free cleaning products.

Each award winner applied to participate in the program. Once enrolled, businesses and organizations were required to complete a self-audit checklist defined by the program and participate in and host free workshops promoting green practices.

“All award recipients successfully met program requirements, often going above expectations in implementing energy and water conserving practices, involving employees in conservation measures, creating recycling programs, preventing pollution, and preserving Hawai’i’s natural beauty and resources,” Aiona added.

The Green Business Awards Program is a partnership between DBEDT, the State Department of Health and the Hawai‘i Chamber of Commerce. The program encourages businesses and organizations to share information and support one another in operating in an environmentally sustainable manner.

Participation is open to all offices, retail establishments and government agencies. More information about the program can be found online at http://www.hawaii.gov//greenbusiness or by contacting Gail Suzuki-Jones, program coordinator, DBEDT at (808) 587-3802.

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