Ossining and Croton-on-Hudson businesses will be getting a green thumbs up for participating in the Westchester Green Business Challenge and helping promote environmental sustainability.
More than 125 Westchester companies will be honored at the third annual recognition event, hosted by Westchester County Executive Rob Astorino and Business Council of Westchester CEO Dr. Marsha Gordon, on Thursday, June 6 at 8 p.m. at the Mapleton, located at the Good Counsel Conference & Catering Center in White Plains.
“The momentum behind this program is immense, and it will only continue to grow as more and more companies realize that implementing sustainable business practices is a win-win for the environment and for your bottom line,” said Astorino. “The Green Business Challenge reflects the forward-thinking nature of our business community, and is one more reason to invest and grow your business in Westchester County.”
The following local companies will be honored Thursday:
- 4th Bin - 420 S. Riverside Ave., Croton-on-Hudson
- Atria on the Hudson - 321 N. Highland Ave., Ossining
- Dominican Sisters of Hope Inc. - 299 Highland Ave. Ossining
- Down to Earth Markets - 173 Main St., Ossining
- Dragonfly Hair Studio - 54 Maple St., Croton-on-Hudson
- Eco-Bags Products, Inc. - 23-25 Spring St., Ossining
- Efficient Venue Innovation & Action - 16 Cooper Dr., Ossining
- Green Team Spirit - 14 Westminster Dr., Croton-on-Hudson
- His Associates - 28 Everett Ave., Ossining
- IQ Contracting, Inc. & Associates - 95 Croton Ave., Ossining
- Kaja Gam Design, Inc. - 127 Main St., Ossining
- Le Petite Spa - 1 Baltic Pl., Croton-on-Hudson
- Riverkeeper Inc. - 20 Secor Rd., Ossining
- The Blue Pig - 121 Maple St., Croton-on-Hudson
A special award will be featured at this year's ceremony titled “The Charles W. Brown, Jr. Sustainability Award” which will be given to The Blue Pig ice cream parlor in Croton-on-Hudson for having a rooftop garden, using local ingredients and training employees in environmental sustainable practices.
Westchester County and The Business Council of Westchester started the non-profit public-private partnership to encourage local businesses to go green, while saving money and increasing performance. More than 250 business and vendors have participated with The Westchester Green Business Challenge since it was started in 2009.
Those who participate in the Westchester Green Business Challenge can get help with green building certification with Energy Star and LEED ratings; they can also have an evaluation to measure the “greenness” of their operations based on the non-profit’s Green Business Scorecard. The scorecard measures 82 aspects including energy use, transportation, land use, water resources, waste, recycling, and green procurement and outreach.
“It has been enormously satisfying to see this program take flight in Westchester County and become a model for other green business programs around the country,” Gordon said. “Employers from all industries have realized that sustainability is an essential ingredient to their long-term success and ability to retain the most talented workforce. I would encourage all businesses in Westchester to sign up for this program if they haven’t already done so.”
Visit www.westchestergreenbusinesschallenge.org for more information.
Get more local news delivered straight to your inbox. Sign up for free Patch newsletters and alerts.
