# Los Angeles Goes Green Business and Green Seal at the Same Time!

- Link: https://greenlivingguy.com/2011/04/los-angeles-goes-green-business-and-green-seal-at-the-same-time/
- Published: 2011-04-22T05:32:01-04:00
- Author: greenlivingguy

The Los Angeles City Council approved moving forward with the Los Angeles Green 
Business Certification Program. The City of Los Angeles’ initiative, to be administered
by the Los Angeles Community College District (LACCD), will provide information 
on how to identify a green business and how businesses can adopt sustainable practices.
One of the aims is to enable consumers to support firms that strive to protect the
environment.

The program was announced at a news conference at Ciudad restaurant. Green Seal,
Inc., the Los Angeles Area Chamber of Commerce, Green Globe and dineLA, a part of
LA INC, The Los Angeles Convention and Visitors Bureau will join the LACCD in its
work on this effort.

Hosting the event were Ciudad Chef/Owners Mary Sue Milliken and Susan Feniger (Food
Network’s “Too Hot Tamales”) who have always been champions of the environment and
in recent years have stepped up their efforts with a range of environmentally-friendly
policies at their restaurants.  The LA Environmental Affairs Department reports 
that many businesses in Los Angeles have already expressed their enthusiasm for 
green certification—over seventy businesses have taken the “Green Pledge” [http://www.environmentla.org/cgbp/pledge.html](http://www.environmentla.org/cgbp/pledge.html)
because being green is good for the earth and good for business’ bottom line.

Green Seal, a partner in the Los Angeles [Green Business Certification Program](https://greenlivingguy.com/2013/04/toyota-green-hybrid-celebrating-eco-friendly-driving/),
will use its restaurant standard (GS-46) to certify restaurants, develop checklist
criteria for retail offices and auto body shops, and coordinate with the LACCD on
the Los Angeles green lodging program (run by Green Seal and LA Inc. in cooperation
with the City).

Green Seal’s Environmental Standard for Restaurants and Foodservices was a result
of extensive life-cycle research in all areas of a restaurant’s environmental impacts,
with input from over one hundred stakeholders. The standard involved comprehensive
evaluation of all major sources of environmental impacts, including food selection,
[ energy](https://greenlivingguy.com/2022/08/10-largest-wind-project-development-2022/),
water use, and waste.

The Environmental Standard for Lodging Properties (GS-33) requires hotels to demonstrate
sustainable business practices in the areas of waste minimization and reduction,
recycling, energy efficiency, water conservation, indoor air quality and environmentally
sensitive purchasing.

“Green Seal has broad consumer and industry recognition”, said Dr. Arthur Weissman,
Green Seal’s President and CEO. “For 20 years our standards and certification have
helped green the lodging industry, a range of product ind industries and now restaurants/
foodservices.”

On November 19, The Radisson Los Angeles Airport Hotel achieved Green Seal certification,
giving the Radisson LAX the distinction of being the first hotel within the Radisson
brand to achieve Green Seal certification. On August 28, the City recognized LA’s
largest hotel — Westin Bonaventure — as the first hotel to receive Green Seal certification.
The Bonaventure expects to save $225,000 in the first year by going green.

Councilman Richard Alarcón has spearheaded the City’s effort to create the [Green Business Certification](https://greenlivingguy.com/2015/04/gbci-renamed-green-business-certification-inc/)
Program since March 2007.  “In today’s economy, businesses are looking at ways to
save money and draw in more business, and the Green Business Certification Program
will do just that,” Alarcón said.

“Today’s vote by the City Council means that after years of a collaborative effort,
we will have a new incentive program for businesses that are working to reduce their
impact on our environment.”

![author avatar](https://secure.gravatar.com/avatar/df91669667126e1290c21ee0342c386e2da19d588d4d9ca6560bd82ed59a9641?
s=300&d=monsterid&r=g)

 greenlivingguy

 The Green Living Guy, Seth Leitman is an independent power producer, a green living
expert, and Editor of the McGraw-Hill, TAB Green Guru Guides. Seth is also an Author,
Radio Host, Reporter, Writer and an Environmental Consultant on green living. The
Green Living Guy writes about green living, green lighting, the green guru guides
and more. Seth's books range from: # Build Your Own Electric Vehicle by Bob Brant
and Seth Leitman (2nd and 3rd editions) # Build Your Own Plug-in Hybrid Electric
Vehicle by Seth Leitman # Build Your Own Electric Motorcycle by Carl Vogel # Green
Lighting by Seth Leitman, Brian Clark Howard and Bill Brinsky # Solar Power For 
Your Home by David Findley # Renewable Energies For Your Home by Russel Gehrke #
Do-it-Yourself Home Energy Audits by David Findley # Build Your Own Small Wind Power
System by Brian Clark Howard and Kevin Shea # and more green living books to follow.

 [See Full Bio](https://greenlivingguy.com/author/greenlivingguy/) [  ](https://greenlivingguy.com/author/greenlivingguy/)