New regional awards program raises the bar for business Published: December 14, 2009 by Beth Ingalls
Keep Sierra Green Businesses of 2009 Placer County Granlibakken Conference Center & Lodge Tahoe Mountain Sports Tahoe Adventure Company Integrated Environmental Restoration Services
Incline Village Hyatt Regency Lake Tahoe Resort and Casino Law Office of Lara Pearson EV Village The Potlatch Soli Real Estate The Tahoe Center for Environmental Sciences
Nevada County GreenSmart Truckee's Cedar House Sport Hotel was the setting for the first annual Keep the Sierra Green (KSG) Exemplary Business Awards for 2009. Born out of a shared vision and collaborative partnership between Truckee's Recycling Coordinator Nichole Dorr and Incline Village General Improvement District's (IVGID) Resource Conservationist Madonna Dunbar, KSG recognizes businesses focused on ecological and economic practices in the north central Sierra and foothills. The program has grown into a partnership between the Town of Truckee, IVGID, Nevada County Recycles, Placer County, the North Lake Tahoe Chamber of Commerce and the Sierra Green Building Association.
Any business located within the town of Truckee, eastern Placer County, Nevada County, Incline Village or Crystal Bay may participate in the regional program, but the annual award goes only to businesses that score highest on an eight-page application. The form is no walk in the park. To qualify as a Keep Sierra Green business, applicants are required to recycle, develop energy, pollution and water conservation programs, define how company purchasing practices are eco-minded, create employee awareness procedures, and complete energy and waste audits. The form also awards points for voluntary programs as well.
Lynne Cody, Nevada County recycling technician, opened up the ceremony by declaring, "We want to set the bar really high and all of you are the first to be recognized...you are the true green leaders in your communities."
As attendees noshed and tension built among the applicants awaiting the announcements, Eli Meyer, president of the Sierra Green Building Association, reminded the crowd that the Keep the Sierra Green program is "not about greenwashing it's about setting a benchmark for people in the community." 'Greenwashing' occurs when companies pose as friends of the environment, but their actual practices and products don't match up to their claims. Kym Fabel, manager of the North Lake Tahoe Chamber of Commerce added, "All kinds of people and businesses are looking to be green. Green is big."
Visitors Love To Adventure With Us
I just wanted to take a minute of your time to say thanks for a wonderful time. Micah was a terrific guide; he was really patient and thoughtful. My whole family had a ton of fun, and learned to love a new sport. We will definitely keep Tahoe Adventure Company on our short list of activities for our next Tahoe vacation, and have already referred your company to several others at our resort.
Thanks again for your thoughtfulness, informative emails, and great tour. -Jean B.
"We had the best experience on our Kayak Tour! Our guide Emma was helpful friendly, professional and knowledgeable! The views were spectacular, the lunch was tasty, and we had a great time! My husband has had light to moderate experience, and this was my 1st time out, and I had not trouble at all. The location was easy to find as well. We will definitely be back! If you'd like to experience Lake Tahoe from the water we highly recommend the Tahoe Adventure Company and Emma! You wont be disappointed!" -Amanda C.
"We had a great experience on our Kayaking trip to Sand Harbor! Our guide was so knowledgeable about the area and really made the trip enjoyable for us. I highly recommend going on one of their guided tours. The lake is so beautiful and you get to see so much more of it on the trip than just staying on the beach." -Melanie R.
"How lucky we were to have a full moon on one of the few nights we were in North Tahoe. An amazing evening on the water paddling out into the lake, watching the sun set over the horizon on one side and then oh so dramatically the moon rise on the other. A serene experience we would definitely recommend!" Jackie C.
-- Jackie C.
Hi, I just wanted to follow-up with you after our family trip to Lake Tahoe and the Sand Harbor Kayak Tour we did through your company July 31. It was fantastic! Our guide gets a thumbs up and we'd ask for him again. It was my favorite part of the trip. It was very cool too that a photographer from the Times was there to document all the fun...Again, thanks for a great experience. -Kristen Runke
-- Kristen Runke
"We loved our adventure! We kayaked to Thunderbird Lodge. Our guides, Collin and Bailey, were kind and competent making for a great day!" Sean N.