The City of Lexington is proud to welcome 20 new and recertifying businesses to Green Check, the City’s green business certification program. These businesses join a growing network of organizations committed to sustainable practices and environmental stewardship.
New members joining the program this year include Douglass Aquatic Center (Silver), Dunbar Community Center (Silver), Everburn Manufacturing (Silver), Bluegrass Youth Ballet (Bronze), Greater Kentucky Credit Union (Bronze) and International Book Project (Bronze).
Recertifying members include Big Ass Fans (Gold), Bullhorn (Gold), FoodChain (Gold), McConnell Springs Park (Gold), Mediocre Creative (Gold), Raven Run Nature Sanctuary (Gold), RossTarrant Architects (Gold), VisitLEX (Gold), Bluegrass United Church of Christ (Silver), GRW Engineering (Silver), Lex Center for Creative Reuse (Silver), Lucia’s World Imports (Silver), West Sixth Brewing (Silver) and Lexington Pavement Sweep (Bronze).
Green Check businesses demonstrate a commitment to improving the environment through sustainable choices and education.
“As an organization whose mission is to redistribute gently-used books to communities in need, International Book Project clearly believes in sustainability!” says Rachel Ray, Executive Director of International Book Project. “However, we wanted to learn how to increase our sustainability efforts in other areas. While there was concern at the onset about the time commitment of participating in the program, our concerns were quickly allayed during our first meeting.”
Green Check participants have initiated dozens of projects over the years, including planting rain gardens, installing bike racks and reducing waste. For International Book Project, Green Check participation has led to a steep reduction in electricity costs.
“By following guidelines we learned through the Green Check certification process, we were able to reduce our electric bill almost 40% from June to July, while the average daily temperature was exactly the same between the two months,” says Ms. Ray.
She would encourage any business to participate in the program. “Beyond the obvious – and very important! – goal of protecting natural resources, businesses can realize significant cost savings, reduce waste and position themselves as environmental leaders,” Ms. Ray adds.
Businesses begin the program with a personal consultation and completion of the Green Check Sustainability Scorecard, which is tailored to a wide range of sectors including restaurants, nonprofits, retail and manufacturing. Certification is valid for three years, and businesses are encouraged to pursue higher levels through continued participation and achievement. Participation in the program is free. Since its launch in 2016, more than 85 businesses have participated in the Green Check program.
The interest form for the next round of Green Check certification is open now through Jan. 31, 2027.
