2017 SEED Awards

The South Bay Business Environmental Coalition (SBBEC) is an organization that provides a platform for professionals to share expertise and collaborate on environmental issues, including recycling, cost cutting, community involvement, and regulatory compliance. The SBBEC hosts the annual SoCal Environmental Excellence Development (SEED) Awards to honor local individuals, groups, and businesses that have exhibited excellence in helping to improve environmental sustainability and quality of life in the South Bay.

This year the event was held on September 20th at the LAX Flight Path Museum. The SEED Awards this year was a Zero Waste event featuring an all vegetarian appetizer spread and all reusable plates and cups.

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For more information, please visit the SBBEC website.


We would like to recognize all the nominees who are all doing amazing things in our communities. Congratulations to all 2017 winners for your outstanding achievements and commitment to environmental sustainability!

RESOURCE PRESERVATION

3 Phases Renewables
3 Phases is a renewable energy company that supplies renewable energy to customers large and small. They currently provide energy that is 95% renewable to their clients and have delivered 2.5 million mWh of clean electricity. This equates to nearly 2 million tons of C02 avoided. In addition, they recently built a LEED Silver certified office in El Segundo that provides employees with green transportation options, is almost totally solar powered, captures rainwater, and is 100% paperless.

INNOVATION

AquaBio Environmental Technologies
Specializing in green chemistry and technology, Aqua Bio is a research and development firm working to use the environment to clean itself. Located in Hawthorne, they utilize plants and specialized microbes to help filter pollutants in a variety of contexts. At Magic Johnson Lake in Los Angeles, AquaBio helped solve the problem of poor water quality by installing floating wetlands that help clean the water. Inspired by artificial islands used by the ancient Aztecs, these floating wetlands helped make the lake healthy and robust again within a matter of months.

EDUCATION & OUTREACH

Torrance Refinery Action Alliance
A grassroots group that has sprouted in only the last two years, the TRAA has done a tremendous job of getting the word out about safety in the community surrounding the Torrance Refinery. This has involved public gatherings, engaging local politicians, and working with regional environmental agencies. No matter where the science, politics, or money end up falling on the issue of Modified Hydrofluoric Acid, the group has raised awareness and demonstrated that grass roots activism is still possible and indeed very important.

POLLUTION PREVENTION

Ballona Creek Renaissance
Culver City-based BCR is a non-profit working to renew the Ballona Creek Wetlands and engage community support for this effort. This includes fundraising and unique outreach events to engage stakeholders throughout the region from big business to local residents. They have done this through innovative public art projects and good old-fashioned environmental clean-up. In this past year, BCR helped Culver City pass a ban on Styrofoam food containers, further helping the future of the wetlands.

ENVIRONMENTAL LEADERSHIP

Environmental Charter Schools
Now encompassing a high school and two middle schools, the Environmental Charter Schools are doing a tremendous service to both the local community and the planet as a whole. Sustainability is at the core of their curriculum and activities, including the Green Ambassador program which promotes hands on projects on campus and in the community. All the while, they serve the local community by providing innovative and rigorous education opportunities to lower-income neighborhoods that suffer from crime and poverty levels far greater than national averages.

STEVE USELTON MEMORIAL BRIDGE-BUILDER AWARD

Los Angeles World Airports
LAWA has been doing so much on so many levels for such a long time. Credits include the extensive use of reclaimed water, a facility-wide recycling program, and its award-winning ride share program, and its work at improving the ecology of the airport area, especially the El Segundo blue butterfly and its habitat. This year’s nomination focused on their extensive food donation program. Perhaps more important than recycling their old food, LAX has been actively donating food to a variety of charitable groups around the area. Last year these donations totaled over 18 tons and helped feed some of the many people in LA that go hungry every day.