Office/Retail Key Measures Self-Checklist

Note: This is not the official Culver City Sustainable Business Certification Program (CCSBCP)

This Key Measures Self-Checklist was created to serve as a guide to help you get started on the path towards achieving CCSBCP certification. 

General

  • Inform your customers about what you are doing to be green. Examples: Post a list of your green accomplishments, train your staff to talk about sustainability, highlight your green efforts on your website, and/or offer tours that highlight sustainability.
  • Establish a 'green team' that can help guide your business through employee orientations and trainings, employee evaluations, staff meeting discussions, company newsletters, brochures or other materials, and/or by incentive or reward programs.
  • Business is permitted by or registered with Environmental Health and has not had any significant health violations that have not been corrected (confirm with Environmental Health Services/Consumer Protection Agency).
  • Business has achieved compliance with all storm water-related regulatory requirements.
  • Business has achieved compliance with all wastewater-related regulatory requirements.
  • Owner and Management Commitment: Have a mission statement and/or environmental policy that is publicly available outlining company commitment to sustainability

 

Energy

  • Ensure that power management software is enabled on all office equipment.
  • Use energy efficient exit signs, such as LEDs.
  • Use a 365 day programmable thermostat to control heating and air conditioning. Recommended thermostat settings are 76 degrees F for cooling, 68 degrees F for heating. □ Complete regularly scheduled maintenance on your HVAC (heating, ventilation and air conditioning) system at least twice a year which includes: Cleaning or replacing filters on heating and air-conditioning units; Performing maintenance at least twice a year; Cleaning air conditioning condenser coils four times a year. Maintaining proper function of economizers on air conditioning units.
  • Replace all inefficient lighting.
  • Replace multiple or package A/C units with a single unit with a Seasonal Energy Efficiency Rating (SEER) > 13 for most common size equipment.

     

Water

  • Assign a person to monitor water bills for sudden rises in use, and to track use over time. Call your water company should sudden rises occur.
  • Check for and repair all leaks, including in toilets (tablets to detect tank leaks can be obtained from your water company).
  • Replace all urinals flushing at 1.0 gallons or greater with high efficiency urinals, flushing at less than 0.5 gallons, or waterless urinals. Or replace all diaphragms in the flush valve, so that they flush 1.0 gallon.
  • Retrofit toilets flushing at higher than 1.6 gallons with high efficiency toilets (1.28 gallons or less per flush). Your water utility may have a rebate program for high efficiency toilets.
  • Replace all existing faucet aerators and showerheads with low flow fixtures. Showerheads should not exceed 1.7GPM; bathroom aerators should not exceed 0.5GPM; kitchen sinks should not exceed 1.5GPM.
  • Accomplish regular pavement cleaning by sweeping manually or with electric vacuum or blower, and properly disposing of debris.
  • Repair all broken or defective sprinkler heads/nozzles, drip meters, water pipe, lines and valves.

 

Wastewater

  • Keep dumpsters covered and impermeable to rainwater. If there are no covers on the dumpster, provide overhead coverage. Keep them from overflowing and keep dumpster/parking areas clean.
  • Never wash vehicles in areas where the wastewater may flow to a storm drain. Never hose down or wash floor mats, equipment, or vehicles in an area where the wastewater may flow to a storm drain.
  • Store all hazardous materials and waste (including batteries) away from storm and sanitary sewer drains. Ensure storage area is earthquake safe, use secondary containment and keep containers and area covered and protected from the weather.
  • Regularly check and maintain storm drain openings and basins. Keep litter, debris and soil away from storm drains. If you have debris catch basins, clean them annually before the first rain and as needed afterward.
  • Ensure that no wastewater enters a storm drain. Only rain down the storm drain.

     

Pollution Prevention

  • Use low toxic cleaning products in non-aerosol containers such as Green Seal certified (greenseal.org), EWG.org/skindeep, Safer Choice (epa.gov/saferchoice), SF Approved (sfapproved.org), or those with a GoodGuide rating of 8.1 or higher (goodguide.com).
  • Buy recycled paint and low VOC products when available (paint, paint removal products, etc.).
  • Use remanufactured copier toner cartridges.
  • When recycling electronic equipment, take to a certified "e-Steward" for responsible recycling (www.e-stewards.org).
  • Properly store and recycle Universal Wastes as required by law. Designate a storage area for spent U-wastes, posting a sign and notifying employees of this area. Ensure that these are recycled (and not put into the garbage). U-wastes are: Spent fluorescent light tubes & bulbs, Electronic equipment (computers, cell phones, pagers, etc.) and Batteries (RBRC recycles rechargeables for free! www.call2recycle.org).
  • Eliminate the use of chemical and aerosolized air fresheners and deodorizers. To freshen air, open windows or adjust fan speed in restrooms and kitchens.
  • If contracting with a pest control operator, specify in contracts the use of Integrated Pest Management (including non-chemical pest prevention with no perimeter spraying), or choose a contractor that is certified in IPM, such as those listed at EcoWiseCertified.com.
  • Use no products with added antibacterial agents, such as triclosan. This includes products used for hand washing, dishwashing and cleaning.

 

Solid Waste

  • Purchase bathroom and kitchen papers with the highest feasible post-consumer waste.
  • Reuse paper or plastic packaging materials in your own shipments.
  • Use reusable dishware in break room.
  • Provide recycling containers at convenient and appropriate locations (i.e., lobbies, guest rooms, vending machines, kitchens, next to garbage containers, desks, etc.).
  • Recycle all paper, glass, metal, cardboard, plastics, and organics (food scraps, lawn waste, and paper towels) accepted in your area.
  • Divert a minimum of 50% of discarded materials from garbage/landfill.
  • Purchase office paper with recycled content, specific % post-consumer waste specified by your region (30, 50 or 100%).
  • Make two-sided printing and copying standard practice in your business (set printers and copiers to default to duplex printing). Make single-sided the exception instead of the rule.
  • Eliminate the use of polystyrene, such as Styrofoam, in beverages and food service ware.
  • Eliminate individual, single-use bottles of water for employees and guests.
  • Use a coffee machine that doesn't require single-use pods made from aluminum or plastic.
  • Reuse garbage bag liners.

     

Transportation

  • Offer employee commuting options such as:
    • Offer telecommuting opportunities and/or flexible schedules to avoid heavy traffic.
    • Include information about walking, biking, skateboarding, carpooling, and public transit in your employee manual and provide information to employee upon hire.
    • Use bicycles, low emission, biodiesel or alternative fuel vehicles for business errands.
    • Encourage walking, biking, skateboarding, carpooling, and public transit via prize incentives or small bonus
  • Shop at local businesses by foot within close proximity.
  • Provide tire air pump and flat tire repair kit for on-site use

 

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