Duplex copying, high-volume printers, and electronic document distribution cut labor and copying costs by $22,000 a year, and prevent 11 tons of paper waste annually at this public agency’s administrative headquarters in Oakland.

This artisanal bakery in Berkeley relocated and grew its business. Green building materials and techniques were used during building renovations. The move presented an opportunity to set up composting and recycling programs that have reduced waste by over 95%. 

Bayer’s pharmaceutical division adopted a company-wide environmental policy and implemented a model recycling and data management program.

StopWaste helped food manufacturer American Licorice purchase a spiral dryer that prevents the creation of 150 tons of candy-waste a year. Through this and a variety of other measures, the company has reduced waste by 98%, saving $48,000 a year.

UC Berkeley is implementing food waste tracking systems at the four largest residential dining halls on campus. Specialized equipment and software helps kitchen staff weigh, record and analyze pre-consumer food and portion sizes, allowing them to identify and prevent food waste at the source. The new program is projected to reduce pre-consumer food waste by at least 40%, resulting in 107 tons of food waste and associated costs avoided each year.

When you visit Laura Allen’s garden in Oakland it’s hard to believe that when she moved there in 2003 the yard was completely covered in concrete and weeds. She transformed the neglected space into a bountiful garden that produces bumper crops of fruits, nuts, and vegetables without using a lot of potable water.

Caroline Harris is gung-ho about sheet mulching and she’s not shy about knocking on her neighbor’s door with a smile on her face, a pile of cardboard in her arms, and a witty comment on the tip of her lips. After seeing a speaker demonstrate sheet mulching at a Bay-Friendly nursery talk, Caroline decided to give it a try – and also ended up helping many of her neighbors convert their lawns using this technique.

The Shasta Hills Fire Station was the City of Berkeley's first LEED certified building with a Bay-Friendly Rated Landscape. All the new plants are low water-using, California native species. To reduce labor costs, plant waste and water use, the design included no lawns and no hedges that require shearing.

When the City of Albany renovated the grounds of its Civic Center, they used sheet mulch and compost to naturally improve soil quality, helping create a Bay-Friendly landscape that's healthier for plants and people.

Shinsei Gardens is an award-winning housing development with 39 apartments for low-income households. With a Bay-Friendly Rated Landscape and LEED Platinum and GreenPoint Rated buildings, the project provides residents with a healthy and attractive environment indoors and outdoors.