Six businesses and nonprofits were honored Nov. 13  with the inaugural San Luis Obispo County Green Awards at a luncheon ceremony put on by the San Luis Obispo Chamber of Commerce.

The awards recognized organizations that have taken exemplary steps to make their operations more environmentally friendly, including reducing pollution, conserving resources and improving water and air quality. The winners were chosen from more than 50 nominations by judges representing the Chamber, San Luis Obispo city and county agencies and environmental groups.

The businesses were evaluated on the long-term environmental benefit of their actions, transferability of what they have done, leadership and innovation, according to Erik Justesen, CEO of RRM Design Group (whose building was LEED certified in May) and 2008 chair of the Chamber's Sustainability and Resources Committee, which coordinated the awards.

"The Green Awards program is a key element of the committee's work to celebrate successes, raise awareness and pay forward lessons learned," Justesen said.

The winners, in alphabetical order, are:

Growing Grounds - An adult vocational program with the nonprofit Transitions Mental Health Association, the farm provides vocational and socialization opportunities for people with mental illness. Proceeds from the sale of the plants goes back into the program. Among their green practices:

• Installed a 3 kilowatt photo voltaic array to help offset the energy requirements of two agricultural wells and significantly reduce the carbon footprint of the farm.
• Installed a point-source spray-stake irrigation system that saves hundreds of gallons of water per day and reduces runoff by 95 percent.
• Shifted focus to Mediterranean climate zone perennials and California natives to reduce the water needs of private and commercial landscapes, improve wildlife habitat and reduce fire danger.

Habitat for Humanity - The international non-profit housing organization works locally to build affordable houses that are sold to families at or below cost. The monthly mortgage payments are used to help build more houses. Among their green practices:

• Operating two ReStores - one in Templeton and one in San Luis Obispo - that accept and sell used building materials from the general public and contractors that would normally go into the landfill. Over two tons of materials are estimated to have been diverted from our local landfills since the opening of the Templeton Restore in 2005 and SLO in 2007.
• All ReStore proceeds go into building Habitat homes in SLO County. Habitat is building four homes in Atascadero and plans to build four more in Grover Beach in 2009.
• Installing solar panels and other energy-saving features in the homes they build.

Lindamood-Bell Learning Processes - A recognized leader in the research and development of programs for children with learning difficulties, Lindamood-Bell has learning centers all over the United States and in the United Kingdom and Australia specializing in one-to-one instruction. Among their green practices:

• "Greening" their work environment and educating their clients about environmentally responsible practices. Converted to toxin-free cleaning supplies.
• Created a "Green Team" composed of one representative from each department to generate action items for the entire company.
• Conduct meetings via video conference. With locations across the country and internationally, that has reduced tens of thousands of airline miles and the corresponding fuel consumption per year - the equivalent of four jumbo jets per year.
• Designated days when items can be mailed to consolidate shipments, created software to reduce amount of paper used and use recycled paper products at every opportunity.
• Educate kids with the creation of Beary B. Green as a mascot; a website to update clients about greening efforts; and hosting of regular green events at all of their learning centers to educate the children about conservation.

Meathead Movers - Meathead Movers has grown to be the largest moving company in SLO, Santa Barbara and Ventura counties. Among their green practices:

• Introduced biodiesel fuel to their fleet of moving trucks.
• Recycled more than 32,000 pounds of cardboard during summer months.
• Use tablet PCs on the job to cut down on paper use.
• Installed skylights at their offices so they can leave the lights off during the day.
• Spread the word to promote going green through the biodiesel logo on their trucks and their green T-shirts.

Poor Richards Press - A commercial printing company that specializes in high-quality digital and offset printing, Poor Richards Press was rated in the top 25 "quick printers" in the country by American Printer Magazine. Among their green practices:

• Conserve energy by purchasing energy-efficient equipment and replacing light switches in lightly occupied areas with motion sensor switches.
• Encourage employee car pooling; working with Ride Share to help employees reduce the number of cars driven to work.
• Replaced inks and coatings with low volatile organic compound products and is testing extremely low VOC solvents.
• Purchase paper only from well-managed forests; only commercial printer on the Central Coast to earn Forest Stewardship Council certification.
• Recycle tons paper every month and worked with Integrated Waste Management Authority to recycle all office waste and items such as pallets and plastic pallet wrap.

Wolff Vineyards - Wolff Vineyards has almost a decade of incorporating sustainable and ecologically friendly farming techniques on their family-owned 125-acre vineyard in the Edna Valley. Among their green practices:

• Manage water quality and runoff with permanent cover crops, buffer strips and dry farming.
• Manage air quality by reducing use of pesticides, using of biodiesel fuel and rightsizing farm equipment to reduce fuel emission.
• Manage soil through fertilizer composting, beneficial insects habitat and cover crops.
• Conserve wildlife habitat with a bird habitat program, California Pacific Pound Turtle refuge project and steelhead trout habitat conservation practices on 3 miles of creeks on the property.
• Conserve energy with variable speed drive irrigation pump, lighting retrofit and passive cooling system.
• Participated in a pilot vineyard certification program "Sustainability in Practice";   2008 vintage will become Certified Sustainably Grown as part of the program.

"As demonstrated today by the award winners, the leadership, innovation and environmental sensitivity being practiced is truly an inspiration," Justesen said. "We hope this program encourages other businesses to take action and follow suit."

Winners received an engraved award made from recycled glass as well as certificates of recognition from the offices of state Sen. Abel Maldonado and Assemblyman Sam Blakeslee.

The lunch ceremony was a green event held at Congregation Beth David, a LEED certified building, with free transportation from downtown San Luis Obispo provided by Ride-On. It was attended by about 110 people. The keynote speech was delivered by Jim Dee, owner of the Palm Theatre, which became the country's first solar-powered theater in 2004.

Co-sponsors of the inaugural Green Awards were: SLO County Air Pollution Control District; Environmental Center of SLO County; RideShare; Ride-On; Central Coast Clean Cities Coalition; Integrated Waste Management Authority; SLO County Agricultural Commission; and the City of San Luis Obispo.