City of Delray Beach, FL
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Working Sustainably
Helping us build a greener Delray Beach
“A sustainable business adheres to the triple bottom line, a term coined in 1994 by John Elkington, the founder of a British consultancy called Sustainability. The three components of the triple bottom line are profits, people, and the planet. A sustainable business earns profits by being socially responsible and protecting our use of the planet’s resources.” -- The Importance of Environmental Awareness When Running a Business, Maryville University Blog
Implementing sustainable practices at your business isn’t just good for the environment or our community – it’s also good for the business itself. Becoming more sustainable can reduce businesses costs, provide you a competitive advantage, attract new customers, and increase your bottom line.
There are a multitude of ways you can make your business more sustainable, so you can easily find ways that are suitable to your needs. Please read below for information that can be used to assist you in the process, including our Green Business Certification Program.
Green Business Certification Program
The City of Delray Beach’s Green Business Certification Program is designed to increase sustainability through innovative solutions within your business. This voluntary program aims to create a balance between the workplace and natural environment through increasing efficiency and reducing the use of energy, water, and waste. By helping green our city, you will receive a certification for your place of business and will be included on the list of Certified Green Businesses for our city, so residents and customers alike can recognize you for your actions.
This program includes resources that you can use to identify solutions that work best for your place of business.
To become certified, the business must submit a completed checklist and demonstrate that at least the minimum qualifications have been met. By meeting the minimum qualifications, the business can reach “Green” level certification. “Silver” and “Gold” levels can be reach by implementing additional criteria and earning points.
More information on the program, including resources and the checklists, can be found here: https://www.delraybeachfl.gov/greenbusiness
The City’s Certified Green Business Directory can be found here: https://www.delraybeachfl.gov/GBdirectory
Solar
Thinking of going solar? South Florida is a great place to go solar. Costs for solar panels are becoming more affordable. Solar panels can reduce your monthly power bill significantly and you may be eligible to receive a tax credit on you purchase. Business owners can benefit from installing a solar power system, either with or without a battery storage system. Before installing a solar power system you will need to submit an application and obtain a permit from our Building Division. Follow the Solar Check List to make sure you meet all the requirements.
Solar Co-op
Solar cooperatives or “co-ops” have been developed regionally by third-party, non-profit organizations that want to help neighbors organize to purchase and install solar equipment in “bulk”. By pulling together many households into a co-op group, the participants can leverage their buying power and purchase solar arrays and installation at a lower cost. Also, the solar co-ops send out requests for proposals to receive bids from multiple solar vendors and installers. The bids are carefully reviewed by solar experts and members of the community, and one vendor is chosen for the group. This model helps diminish fears of selecting an overpriced or under qualified installer, or having faulty work done.
Previously in Palm Beach County, the League of Women Voters has organized two solar co-operatives in partnership with Florida Solar United Neighborhoods (FL SUN), a statewide organizer of solar cooperatives.
Solar Energy Information
The following sites provide a good starting point, for research into many topics related to solar energy:
Quick Tips for the Home Office
Working from home offers tons of sustainability benefits. Remote employees usually have smaller carbon footprints because they don't have to commute to and from the office. It not only offers you more flexibility and freedom but gives you the opportunity to work in a more sustainable way. Here are some tips that you can apply to be even more sustainable while working at home:
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Adjust your thermostat to save energy and money on your utility bill.
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Use eco-friendly supplies: there are all sorts of products available nowadays, including biodegradable pens, supplies made from recycled plastic, reusable notebooks and more.
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Unplug devices as much as possible: some devices continuously use energy, even when not in use. To save energy and money on your utility bill, try to remember to unplug devices as often as you can.
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Utilize sunlight to light the room as much as possible.
Waste Reduction
Commercial Recycling
Business participation is critical to helping the Solid Waste Authority (SWA) achieve the state's 75% waste reduction goal.
If you do not recycle and would like to, the SWA will send a Field Service Representative to your business to provide a free waste review of your recycling needs. There is usually a fee associated with implementing commercial recycling services; however, these costs may be offset with the reduction on garbage that will be collected.
Click here to request a free waste review
If You Can't Recycle at Work…If recycling isn't available in your office or building, you can still recycle. The SWA provides recycling drop-off locations throughout Palm Beach County.
Composting
Composting is the decomposition of organic materials (food scraps, leaves and landscaping waste) by microorganisms and produces nutrient rich soil. Anybody can compost, even apartment dwellers. All you need is a little space, water, air, some organic material, and the desire. Composting is an easy way for you to reduce costs and be more environmentally friendly; it is an important way to divert waste from the landfill and helps reduce greenhouse gas emissions.
Most people compost in a bin, which in Florida may be in the shade or partial sun. The University of Florida’s Extension Service offers helpful resources such as a quick tutorial and methods to help find the best way to compost at your home. Find out more by clicking here.
Growing Plants and Trees
We are committed to planting trees, creating, and maintaining green spaces and natural habitats, and educating the public about the value of green, biodiverse community spaces and food systems.
The City of Delray Beach has a goal of planting 10,000 trees by year 2025 to increase our tree canopy. We focus on areas with tree canopies lower than the citywide average (23 percent), and as part of this goal, we are planting trees and periodically host live tree giveaways in the community. Our events are posted in advance on our social media and city calendar.
Palm Beach County’s Native Canopy Program offers free educational resources and vouchers for free trees and plants. For more information on this program, please go to discover.pbcgov.org/coextension/horticulture/Pages/Native-Canopy.aspx
Florida-Friendly Landscaping
Landscaping with native plants helps promote a healthy natural landscape that creates a habitat for local birds, bees, and butterflies. By installing native plants, you can have a beautiful landscape that saves you water and time from mowing less. By having plants and trees in your yard that provides shade, you can also save energy in your home since the shade helps you cool down the building and reduce costs associated with A/C.
The University of Florida’s IFAS Extension provides resources and helpful information to help you with Florida-Friendly Landscaping principles to maintain your beautiful yard. Find out more about this program by clicking here.