Business Watch: Flair Cleaners

Adding green to dry cleaning
Business is urging customers to use biodegradable plastic bags, or no bags at all.
Burbank Leader: February 8, 2011 by Gretchen Meier

Flair Cleaners in Burbank has over the past year successfully asked customers to get their clothes naked — that is without all the plastic wrapping and other packaging.

In an effort to reduce waste, more than 30% of the customers at Flair now ask for their clothes naked, said store manager Ron Roscoe.

Flair Cleaners at 337 N. Pass Ave. already uses biodegradable plastic bags to hang freshly cleaned garments, but it wants customers to ditch plastic completely. Last week the store gave away a free reusable dry-cleaning bag to everyone who came in with two or more items to be cleaned.

Now, the bag’s manufacturer, the Green Garmento, uses Flair Cleaners as a mentor program for other dry cleaners that want to begin replacing plastic bags.

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The family-owned business began eliminating solvent with carcinogens more than 10 years ago, Roscoe said.

“We already use biodegradable bags, recyclable hangers and paper, and we try to reuse everything we can,” Roscoe said. “We’re trying to do everything we can to keep it green.”

The California Recycling Program has honored Flair with nine consecutive Waste Reduction Awards. READ MORE !

Business Watch: State of Green Business 2011

State of Green Business: 2011

The fourth annual edition of the State of Green Business report continues efforts to measure the environmental impacts of the emerging green economy. GreenBiz.com documents how well -- or poorly -- companies are improving their environmental performance despite the challenges posed by the Great Recession, and begin to note promising signs for a sea change in corporate sustainability efforts.

The free, downloadable report measures the progress of U.S. business and the economy from an environmental perspective, and highlights key trends in corporate culture in regard to the environment.

This year's report shows a dramatic shift is occurring in mainstream business: Companies are thinking bigger and longer-term about sustainability -- a an analysis of businesses in 2010 shows that even during economically challenging times, many companies invested more in their sustainability activities and made bold new sustainability commitments.

The 2011 report is the centerpiece of GreenBiz.com's State of Green Business Forums. The two-day events will take place:
San Francisco on February 2-3
Chicago on February 9-10
Washington, D.C., February 16-17

Business Watch: Taxi Fleets

Burbank taxi fleet full of hybrids
Compressed natural gas vehicles are also gaining strength in numbers.
Burbank Leader: December 1, 2010 by Bill Kisliuk

The taxi fleet in Burbank is getting greener, and soon those greener pastures will make their way to Glendale.

The City Cab lot near Bob Hope Airport sports roughly 110 taxi cabs and minivans. Forty-six of those vehicles, or 42%, are now either gas-electric hybrids or Ford Crown Victorias that run on compressed natural gas.

Martin Shatakhyan, general manager of the City Cab fleet, said the company plans to have 75% of the fleet converted within four years.

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Burbank does not mandate conversion of the taxi fleet, but the Burbank City Council and Traffic Commission have established a policy encouraging taxicab companies to be as green as possible, according to License and Code Services Administrator Terre Hirsch.

"The proposals that are being most favored include a substantial amount of green cabs," Hirsch said. "Currently, there are 130 taxis in the city, and approximately 50% of those are green." READ MORE !

Business Watch: NBC Universal Evolution Plan

Universal City Project EIR Available for Public Review - Comment Deadline Extended
Burbank City Newsroom: November 5, 2010

Update: The deadline to submit comments on the Draft Environmental Impact Report for the proposed "NBC Universal Evolution Plan" has been extended to February 4, 2011.

The City of Los Angeles has released the Draft Environmental Impact Report (EIR) for the proposed "NBC Universal Evolution Plan" for public review. The EIR analyzes the possible environmental impacts from the proposed project, which would be located in the Universal City area next to Burbank.

Although the project is not located within the City of Burbank, it will have effects on Burbank. As such, Burbank residents and businesses may wish to review the EIR and submit comments. The proposed project includes substantial new development at and around Universal Studios including about 2.01 million square feet of new commercial development, 500 hotel rooms, and 2,937 residential units.

The EIR and additional information about the project can be viewed online at the Los Angeles Planning Department's web site. Because of the size of the document, each section may be downloaded separately. CD-ROMs with electronic copies of the EIR may be purchased from the City of Los Angeles by contacting Mariana Salazar at (213) 978-1882.

Hard copies of the EIR are available for public review at the following locations in the City of Burbank:
~ Central Library - 110 North Glenoaks Boulevard
~ Buena Vista Branch Library - 300 North Buena Vista Street
~ City Clerk's Office - 275 East Olive Avenue
~ Community Services Building - 1st Floor Permit Center & 2nd Floor Public Counter - 150 N Third

Comments on the EIR must be submitted in writing to the City of Los Angeles no later than February 4, 2011. Comments must be submitted to:

Jon Foreman - Senior City Planner
City of Los Angeles Department of City Planning
200 North Spring Street, Room 601 - Los Angeles, California 90012

fax: (213) 978-6566
email: jon.foreman@lacity.org

Burbank Central Library and the Buena Vista Branch each have a complete set of the 27 volume report and circulating copies on CD. The Northwest Branch has a Reference copy.

View the NBC Universal Evolution Plan Environmental Impact Report online.

Copies of the full Draft EIR document or any of the documents referenced in the Draft EIR are also available @:

Francis Howard Goldwyn-Hollywood Regional Library
1623 Ivar Avenue - Hollywood, CA 90028

North Hollywood Regional Library
5211 Tujunga Avenue - North Hollywood, CA 91601

Studio City Branch Library
12511 Moorpark Street - Studio City, CA 9160

County Department of Regional Planning
320 West Temple Street, 13th Floor - Room 1362 - Los Angeles, CA 90012

Los Angeles Central Library
630 West 5th Street - Los Angeles, CA 90071

PURCHASE - On CD-ROM for $7.50 per copy
Contact: Mariana Salazar, of the City of Los Angeles
(213) 978-1882

Report on NBC's Universal Evolution Almost As Large As Project Itself
LA Curbed: November 5, 2010 by Dakota Smith

. . . . . And below, just some elements about this project, which will be built in phases. (And yup, this project, which will rise both on city and county land, is still expected to cost at least $3 billion.)

---A total of 2,937 residential dwelling units and 115,000 square feet of retail/commercial uses are planned. Additionally, a 500-space hotel would be built. Approximately 638,000 square feet of existing studio, office, and entertainment uses would be demolished.

---The project is so big that a new regional branch would need to be constructed to meet City’s library service standards.

---An extensive bike path network within the project is planed, one with bike rack and locks at various locations along the route.

--In the same way that LA Live has its own specific plan, NBC Universal is asking for two new specific plans (one for the city and one for the LA County). Under this new specific plan, they are requesting signage--which would range from supergraphics to electronic signs--on their buildings.

--The impact of the overall project on the surrounding neighborhoods is broken down in this report. It's too detailed to get into for each neighborhood, but if, for instance, you live in Hollywood Manor, you can read about the possible effects. All of that information is in the summary. Click on the report on the City Planning's web site, and then pull down Volume 1, "Introduction/Summary." You may also want to click on the other Volume tabs, as they deal with issues like noise, glare, etc.

--As far as traffic, the site is expected to generate a net increase of 28,108 daily trips on a typical weekday, including approximately 2,328 morning peak hour trips and 2,770 afternoon peak hour trips.

--New roadways would be built, while numerous roads will be widened: Among then, Buddy Holly Drive between Barham Boulevard and the US 101 northbound off-ramp shall be widened from its current state. READ MORE !

Business Watch: IKEA

Swedish furniture store equipping American locations with solar panels
Cleanenergyauthority: October 14, 2010 by Amanda H. Miller

Ikea announced yesterday that it would install photovoltaic panels on seven stores and its distribution center in California.

The 20,000 panels will produce 6.65 million kilowatt hours, according a press release from the Swedish furniture company. That’s enough energy to power 580 average American homes.

The PV array that will be installed on the Ikea distribution center will be the second largest in California and among the top 10 largest building installations in the country, said Joseph Roth, Ikea’s public relations manager for the United States.

The panels will be installed later this year on stores in East Palo Alto, Emeryville, West Sacramento, Burbank, Costa Mesa, Covina and San Diego, along with its distribution center in Tejon. READ MORE !

Burbank store – opened in 1990; store size: 242,000 SF on 6.4 acres
SOLAR PROGRAM:
35,000 SF at 290 kW
1,260 panels generating 421,300 kWh/year
Equivalent to reducing 334 tons of CO2
58 cars’ emissions or powering 37 homes

Business Watch: American Lightning Motor Co.

Lightning in a vehicle
Rock musician is hoping to grow business converting gas-powered cars to electric. Council isn’t interested in providing seed money.
Burbank Leader: April 23, 2010 by Christopher Cadelago

Six years ago Danny Blitz bit through his tongue and cracked an industrial-strength office chair on his way to the floor.

Heralded as a “future icon” by a popular music magazine, the rock musician was selling well, appearing on television and getting radio ads across the country.

Suddenly, he couldn’t walk, could barely talk, and his left arm was out of its socket. Worse, his left hand was paralyzed.

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So began the second act in the life of a self-described “unlikely environmentalist.” Blitz grew up in Houston, the son and stepson of oil executives.

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That enthusiasm has led to American Lightning Motor Company, a fledgling gas-to-electric conversion company in search of seed money and a brick-and-mortar location. The search will have to continue after Burbank officials on Tuesday rebuffed his proposal, which sought $750,000 and up to 8,000 square feet of work space.

The Burbank City Council, acting as the Redevelopment Agency, panned the business plan, contending that the risk was too high and the plan not specific enough. The company in exchange had pledged to convert from gas to electric a city fleet, 1955 Chevy, lighting chopper and produce a feature-length documentary in the first 180 days.

City officials referred to the plan as “glaringly inconsistent,” maintaining that it would be unwise to commit taxpayer money and serve as an incubator for a company still in concept stage.

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The roughly $20,000 conversion starts with pulling out an engine, transmission and other parts and replacing them with lithium ion nanophosphate batteries, a large electric motor and a dimmer switch where the gas pedal was.

“We are told by the auto industry to throw away our cars. But can you imagine the environmental catastrophe?” he said. “We believe that the model of the electric-car industry is flawed. Junkyards themselves are an industrial-age artifact.” READ MORE !

Business Watch: Warner Bros. Entertainment

'Valentine's Day' writes a love letter to the environment
LA Times: February 10, 2010 by Richard Verrier

The star-studded romantic comedy “Valentine’s Day” is expected to generate plenty of green at the box office this weekend.

But it’s green of a different kind that could set “Valentine’s Day” apart in Hollywood.

The Warner Bros. movie, directed by Garry Marshall and featuring a raft of stars including Julia Roberts, Patrick Dempsey, Anne Hathaway and Jessica Biel, took “green film making” to a new level, according to people involved in the project.

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Most notable, however, were the lengths to which producers went to reduce their carbon footprint through extensive use of solar-powered and biodiesel generators, reusable water bottles, hybrid vehicles, and composting of food waste, among other steps. Warner Bros. is even creating a video documenting the practices in the hopes that it will spur green standards for future productions. READ MORE !

see also: Reel Green Media

Business Watch: Bob's Big Boy

Iconic Bob's Big Boy of Burbank Lauds 60th Anniversary By Going Green PRNewswire.com: July 16, 2009

Canadian Solar, HelioPower and Bob's Big Boy launch "Sixty and Solar" celebration to showcase Bob's solar power installation; invite patron participation.

Commemorating 60 years in operation by going a modern "green," Bob's is inaugurating a 26 kW Canadian Solar photovoltaic panel system installed by HelioPower. The "Sixty and Solar" celebration showcases Bob's solar power installation and invites fans to participate by sharing their Bob's stories. To kick off the celebration, Bob's patrons are invited to register their restaurant memories at a filming this weekend at the Burbank location.

The Bob's Big Boy Restaurant located at 4211 Riverside Drive in Burbank, California is the oldest remaining Bob's Big Boy in the United States. Over the years Bob's has seen a parade of celebrity names stop by for a hamburger. Movie stars of old have been regulars, with the restaurant serving some of the world's top musical talent and being the site of the celebrity attended Friday Night classic car show.

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Filming of Bob’s stories will take place Friday, July 17 from 5 pm to 9 pm and Saturday, July 18 from 10 am to 5 pm at the restaurant. There is no charge; however those who participate will be required to sign a photo release form. Stories will be edited and posted online as appropriate on the campaign’s website, YouTube, Facebook, MySpace and Twitter sites. READ MORE !

Business Watch: Bob Hope Airport

Airport to Test Drive Bus with Engine Retrofit: Natural gas vehicle could pave the path for more retrofits, but cash may become strained. Burbank Leader: July 7, 2009 by Mary O’Keefe

BURBANK — A newly reorganized Burbank- Glendale-Pasadena Airport Authority wasted no time delving into a smattering of issues, from pricey low-emissions buses to falling parking fee revenues and a decision to lobby against a proposed law that would require quicker response times for airport fire departments.

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The commission approved a project to reduce emissions from the airport’s fleet of buses. Ashley Moore, consulting professional from E2 ManageTech Inc., formerly known as Essentia Management Services, made a presentation to the authority on the process and results from a study on the most efficient and financially sound approach to reducing emissions in their fleet of 14 buses.

The commission on Monday voted to move ahead with a pilot program to retrofit one of its 14 buses to operate on compressed natural gas as part of a 2006 policy to cut down on emissions at the airport. READ MORE !

Business Watch - Hangar 25

Fabulous 50 + One
World Trade Magazine: June 10, 2009

This year’s dynamic list of the people, places, and innovations that are shaping global supply chains is more environmentally-driven than ever. A testimony to the long-term value and commitment to green and lean business practices, despite the current economic conditions.

Worth Their Weight in GREEN, by Lara L. Sowinski

Hangar 25 in Burbank, California is the most sustainable airplane hangar in the world. It produces 110 percent of its total energy needs with on-site solar; uses 61 percent less water indoors and 51 percent less landscape water outdoors than a typical building; and sourced nearly half of the construction materials locally. The Hangar is also the world’s first aviation hangar to achieve Platinum certification under the U.S. Green Building Council’s Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) Rating System—the highest rating from the Washington, D.C.-based organization. Hangar 25 is an extreme makeover story as well. A former industrial lot with a cement slab, the property now houses a state-of-the-art green aviation hangar minimizing the 51,000 square-foot building’s carbon footprint.

Business Watch - Empire Center Office

LEED-ing the Way: Valley and L.A Buildings Going Green - Burbank, Other Locations Seeing Increase in Activity. SFV Business Journal: May 25, 2009 by Eric Billingsley

There’s been quite a bit of activity around LEED-certified buildings in the past couple of weeks. A sign of more green building and rehabbing to come in the Valley?

First is a large-scale building project in Burbank. For some reason city officials and businesses in that city really seem to be forward-thinking when it comes to environmental sustainability.

The 2300 Empire Center Office building, located at 2300 Empire Ave., received LEED Silver Pre-Certification in July 2008. It’s currently under final review for the Core and Shell LEED Gold Certification from the U.S. Green Building Council.

Once the latter is achieved the building will be the first to obtain such certification in the city of Burbank. Higgins Development Partners of Chicago developed the Empire Center project, Ware Malcomb provided architecture and interior design services, and McCormick Construction Company was the general contractor.

The project consists of a speculative seven-story, steel-framed, 363,000 square foot office building, an adjacent 1,260 stall parking structure, and additional surface parking on the 6.5 acre site.

READ MORE

Business Watch - Warner Bros. Entertainment

Film studio applies green lens: WB works on projects it hopes will make it known as a company conscious of the environment.
Burbank Leader: April 28, 2009 by Christopher Cadelago

Warner Bros. Entertainment, angling to become a trailblazer among major studios when it comes to conserving resources and environmental stewardship, has completed two major projects it hopes will reduce its carbon footprint.

The projects include the first “green” sound stage built by a major studio and a set of hybrid solar panels designed to generate more than 500 kilowatts of energy. They are part of a 16-year environmental initiative program in which Warner Bros. closely examines its business practices with the aim of changing its corporate culture to reflect one of sustainability, said Shelley Billik, vice president of environmental initiatives.

“Our company’s philosophy is that everything that is sustainable is actually good for our business and good for our community,” Billik said. “Despite our size, I think, like all other companies, we have to be creative and leverage our own resources.”

The 21,600-square-foot sound stage, built to the U.S. Green Building Council’s Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design specifications, is operational and is pending LEED certification. READ MORE !