Honor in going green
Guerneville coffee shop owner among those being given 'EcoHero' awards
Kaya Organic Espresso Shop owners Brian, right, and Jill Alter brew a cup of coffee for Cameron Schmauch at their Guerneville shop. The shop, which is being honored tonight by nonprofit EcoRing, recycles 5 gallons of material -- including cups and lids -- for each gallon that goes into the garbage, says Brian Alter.
JOHN BURGESS / The Press DemocratPublished: Monday, June 23, 2008 at 3:40 a.m.
Last Modified: Monday, June 23, 2008 at 1:22 p.m.
When Brian Alter opened Kaya Organic Espresso Shop in Guerneville in 2006, he wanted to run it as a green business.
He bought organic supplies, used local vendors, recycled most of his waste and kept a bicycle handy for running errands.
"Those were my beliefs," he said last week. "I was looking for ways to help save the planet."
Two years later, Alter is being honored as an "EcoHero" by EcoRing, a nonprofit group promoting earth-friendly commerce in the west county.
At an event tonight in Monte Rio, nearly 30 businesses -- including Alter's -- will be awarded green certification by EcoRing.
It's part of a campaign to make the Sonoma Coast and Russian River a destination for environmentally conscious travelers, said Toni Tacoma, president of EcoRing.
"If you're going to come here as an eco-tourist, we want to make sure we're clean and green," said Tacoma, who owns vacation rentals in Monte Rio and Jenner.
EcoRing was funded in 2006 through the Russian River Redevelopment Project. As part of the program, EcoRing is helping businesses develop low-impact tours, events, lodging, dining, shopping and transportation.
In EcoRing's program, business owners assess their own operations and learn ways to reduce impacts on the environment. Once they've adopted earth-friendly practices, businesses are inspected to verify they meet program requirements.
Alter's espresso shop was visited by representatives of Pacific Gas & Electric Co. and Sweetwater Springs Water District to evaluate its energy and water use.
Kaya Organic Espresso had no trouble meeting EcoRing's requirements because the business already was conserving, Alter said. The shop recycles 5 gallons of material -- including cups, lids and newspapers -- for each gallon that goes into the garbage, he said.
As a result of the EcoRing program, Alter added a timer to his water heater so it doesn't waste energy when the three-employee business is closed, he said.
Conservation saves money and is good for business in other ways, Alter said. "I think a lot of my customers are like-minded," he said.
Osmosis Day Spa Sanctuary in Freestone was one of the first to receive EcoRing's green certification. Founder Michael Stusser transformed a junk-strewn 5-acre parcel into a Japanese-inspired spa in 1989.
In recent years, Osmosis has been refurbished with environmentally sensitive materials, including nontoxic paint, recycled driftwood furniture and organic textiles, Stusser said.
Osmosis installed an advanced water filtration system that eliminated the need for bottled water and is improving its ventilation system to make better use of outside air, he said.
Now, the spa plans to build an artificial wetland on the property to recycle its gray water.
"It's a big step forward," Stusser said.
Stusser is co-founder of the Green Spa Network, a nonprofit trade group that promotes sustainable practices in the spa industry.
Stusser and Alter are among EcoRing's five "EcoHeroes" for 2008. Their businesses also will be awarded green certification at tonight's event at Monte Rio Community Center.
Other certified businesses include bed-and-breakfast inns, restaurants, resorts and food stores. Several schools, churches, community centers and nonprofits also have been certified.
Certified business will get signs and decals to show they've adopted earth-friendly policies, according to EcoRing.
The first phase of the program showed there's plenty of interest in green business practices in the West County, Tacoma said.
"We'd like to certify 150 more," she said.
You can reach Staff Writer Steve Hart at 521-5205 or steve.hart@pressdemocrat.com. NIGHT OF
RECOGNITION
What: EcoHero Awards and Green Business Certifications
When: 5:30 p.m. tonight
Where: Monte Rio Community Center, 20488 Highway 116, Monte Rio
Sponsor: EcoRing, Sonoma County nonprofit that promotes earth-friendly tourism
Information: Dawn Bell,
(707) 869-3263
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