The City of Coral Gables is proud to introduce, in collaboration with the Coral Gables Chamber of Commerce and the City’s Sustainability Advisory Board, the Coral Gables Green Business Certification Program. This program aligns with the City’s sustainability goals of reducing energy, water, fuel consumption, and waste while increasing recycling efforts, alternative transportation and sustainability education and outreach. With all of the great work that our local business community is doing in sustainability (eliminating the use of expanded polystyrene and single use plastic bags, increasing recycling efforts, green building, etc.) the City felt it was the perfect time to create this type of recognition/certification program. The goal of the program is to recognize and reward our local businesses for all their amazing efforts. In addition, the program aims to educate business on additional sustainability initiatives they can implement. The program is FREE to participate.
The Green Business Program focuses on the following areas:
Solid Waste Reduction and Recycling
Energy Conservation
Water Conservation
Pollution Prevention
Transportation Alternatives
General Environmental Policy and Education
Together the City, the Coral Gables Chamber of Commerce, and our local businesses can build a more resilient and sustainable Coral Gables.
4 Easy Steps to Getting Your Green Business Certified
Submit the Coral Gables Green Business Program Application to manderson@coralgables.com. For any questions filling out this form please contact Matt Anderson at manderson@coralgables.com or call (305)-460-5008
Once the site visit is complete, staff will review and provide feedback on your application and identify the recognition tier (Bonze, Silver, Gold, or Platinum) your business may receive.
Enjoy not only helping the environment, but also all of the great benefits (listed below) of being a Coral Gables Certified Green Business
Tiered Incentives/Ideas for Green Business Recognition
Each certified green business will be given a window decal and certificate to display at their business, and a digital link to the green business logo to place on their business cards/merchandise/etc. (All tiers)
Recognition in the City’s E-News, Economic Development and/or Coral Gables Chamber of Commerce newsletters as a green business of the month and/or quarter. (Silver, Gold & Platinum tiers)
Highlight certified green businesses on the City’s Green Map (include “find a green businesses near you” section) (Gold & Platinum tiers)
Recognition on City and/or Chamber of Commerce Social Media (Twitter, Facebook, Instagram) (All tiers)
Recognition at a City Commission Meeting and/or Coral Gables Chamber of Commerce event. (All tiers)
The University of Miami is committed to developing and implementing educational, facility, and community outreach programs that are aimed at reducing our environmental impacts as well as fulfilling our commitment under the 2nd Nature American College and University Presidents' Climate Commitment. The STARS program allows UM to track the progress of the sustainability initiatives. All the programs and initiatives have a strong educational component that focuses on developing a pledge to sustainability across our campuses and surrounding communities. UM's Office of Sustainability is charged with monitoring initiatives, delivering education programs, and implementing new projects in conjunction with our stakeholders. One of the University's most significant achievements in recent years was the opening of the first LEED Platinum three floor building in higher education institutions in the region. With a 70 KW photovoltaic system, electro chromatic windows, and a rainwater harvesting system that connects to the toilets flushing system, the new Frost School of Music Studio is regarded as a benchmark building. Since 2008, all new buildings are LEED certified with a Silver rating as a minimum, event though, in the last three years, most of the University’s new constructions have reached a LEED Gold standard. It is the case of the Student Housing Village that includes features such as green roofs and will be inaugurated in 2020. Congratulations to the University of Miami for achieving Platinum level Coral Gables Green Business Certification.
Gold Certified Green Businesses
Andromeda District is a company that specializes in the design and development of natural spaces. Their mission is to offer first class expertise in the installation of green living walls systems while promoting sustainability. All of their plants are Florida grown and support the local agricultural sector at the same time creating jobs locally.
Silver Certified Green Businesses
Lovvett is a digital marketplace helping food businesses reduce their waste. We do it by connecting them with consumers willing to buy their fresh edible surplus at a discount. It is the first app in Miami that allows consumers to buy delicious food at around 50% while helping local restaurants, bakeries, and grocery stores to sell their fresh surplus.
Quirch Foods is committed to Doing Well By Doing Good™ through continuous improvement in its ESG (Environmental, Social, and Governance) initiatives. In 2020, the company launched a CEO-led executive steering committee to define and oversee plans to achieve a long-term, strategic, and data-driven goals to address a range of social and environmental issues and build customer and consumer trust. Some of Quirch Foods’s ESG initiatives include: Active participation in round table discussions of supply chains with National Fisheries Institute (NFI) and Fishery Improvement Projects (FIPs), and formation of relationships with other leading global groups committed to regulating, preserving, and improving global sourcing. We're working closely with manufacturers to convert our retail packaged goods to recyclable materials to reduce waste. Quirch Foods intends to package over 90% of all its brands in eco-conscious packaging by 2028. We sort our daily office garbage for recycling. We've gone to recycled and chlorine free/recycled paper for the office.
Bronze Certified Green Businesses
I Know Science is a new toy store and science lab located in Merrick Park aimed at fueling the rising generations’ curiosity through hands-on experiments in all the fields of science. I Know Science has staff focused on their business practices and aiming to produce less waste/minimize consumption of single-use products; transition to more sustainable alternatives for lab materials; motivate staff and customers to engage in energy and water conservation; and reduce our overall carbon footprint. In addition, they have eco-innovation curriculum component fosters intentional brainstorming to orient our scientists’ engineering to address current environmental crises. I Know Science hosts summer camps, in school field trips and birthday parties. (Update: Merrick Park location had to close permanently due to COVID-19)
Barakat + Bossa, a paperless law firm located in Coral Gables, has been certified as a Bronze Coral Gables Green Business. Founded in 2006 and located at 2701 Ponce De Leon, Barakat + Bossa, focuses on legal business matters. As part of their company’s core values they look at different ways to reduce their operational impact on the environment including looking at waste minimization such as recycling, eliminating single use items in the office and are committed to energy conservation. They also encourage employees to use alternative transportation such as telecommuting, biking to work, using ride share services or carpooling.
Avion Auto Spais a mobile auto detailing company whose core mission is to provide high quality service while also being environmentally conscious. The company utilizes steam vapor technology which uses small amounts of water. In most cases it takes less than 1 gallon of water to detail a vehicle. The company also provides discounts to encourage multiple vehicles to be detailed in one location reducing both their fuel consumption and that of its’ customers. Avion also uses ecofriendly cleaning products and washes and reuses cleaning supplies (microfiber rags, water jugs, etc.)
Jelly Places is a digital platform that enables people to book desirable places to work, meet, and connect at any time and everywhere. Jelly Places encourages reduction of CO2 emissions by encouraging people to drive less because places to work, meet, and connect will be within close proximity. They also promote reduced material use by utilizing otherwise underutilized space/places. Congratulations Jelly Places for achieving Bronze level Coral Gables Green Business Certification.
Items listed above are marine degradable and backyard compostable products available in the Miami-Dade County area. Please note that it is always best to first REUSE and REFILL than to switch to any disposable products.
Reusables calculator: this online tool calculates the estimated cost savings and environmental benefits that businesses will obtain by using reusable instead of disposable products. Savings estimates can be calculated for a variety of disposable products, including straws, cutlery, cups, plates, and bowls.
Reference in this site to any specific commercial product, process, or service, or the use of any trade, firm or corporation name is for the information and convenience of the public, and does not constitute endorsement, recommendation, or favoring by the City of Coral Gables.
