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Community Corner

Sustainable Danville Area Celebrates First Anniversary

Local residents and businesses are getting greener, thanks to Sustainable Danville Area's ongoing programs.

For the last year, Sustainable Danville Area has been working to make Danville a more environmentally-friendly place.

Its founders, Cynthia Ruzzi, Tracy Bauer and Darlene Gayler, will celebrate the group's first birthday at the  on Thursday evening. The event is open to the public and will include tasting flights of organic wine and wine from sustainable wineries.

The group's mission is to inspire sustainable practices to support a healthy lifestyle, including working with local businesses to make changes with its new that started last month.

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“We’re looking to speed the process of helping businesses reach their sustainability goals,” said Ruzzi. “It’s a stepping stone to help them become green businesses.”

Students in the advanced environmental study class at San Ramon Valley High were trained as  and helped businesses join the program. The group also plans to sponsor a scholarship to honor an environmental student.

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The group also has many other events coming up.

To celebrate the accomplishments of the 25 businesses that successfully completed the program last month, Sustainable Danville Area also collaborated on Spring Fling, a month-long celebration of a “greener” community.

Sponsored by the Danville Area Sustainable Business Council, the celebration includes eco-friendly demonstrations and clinics throughout April. Visit the Discover Danville website and click on the Spring Fling brochure to see a complete list of events.

On May 10, the group will participate in a transportation study session with the Danville Town Council to look at adding bike racks downtown. The group was asked by 511 Contra Costa to help local businesses apply for grant money to cover the costs of the racks.

In July and August, they are planning an “Eco-Alley” during Discover Danville’s Thursday evening events. Customers will explore local eco-friendly businesses and see educational demonstrations.

Co-founder Cynthia Ruzzi says the group is not only making the community more environmentally sustainable, but also "bringing people together to make the connections they need.”

Bauer said she is looking forward to the year ahead and getting the community more involved in the projects the group is working on.

“Since most of our program participants are eager to pitch in on initiatives that are meaningful to them (water conservation, recycling, bike racks, hazardous waste disposal, etc), SDA is working now to identify simple, quick ways for folks to match their skills and interests with our project needs.” 

Gayler also noted the importance of bringing together the community in their efforts.

She said: “I like that sustainability encompasses not only the environment, but also includes the people and local economy — all three things needed for the sustainability of our community.”

Some of the group's accomplishments in the last year include:

  • Monthly educational forums on topics such as how to save energy in your home without breaking the bank; composting and eating organic and local.
  • Collaborations with the Town of Danville, Chamber of Commerce, Discover Danville, and the schools to build awareness about sustainable practices.
  • Launched the Sustainable Danville Area website.
  • Created a bike initiative encouraging family bike riding and bicycle parking in Danville. The Rose Garden installed a decorative bike rack in February to kick off the initiative.
  • Mentored high school students on environmental projects such as saving water at local restaurants.
  • Received an Award of Merit from the Town of Danville in recognition of their contributions to the community.
  • Helped form the Danville Area Sustainable Business Program to educate and recognize local businesses that are adopting sustainable practices such as reducing energy, pollution, and waste. So far, 25 businesses in Danville were awarded decals to place on their windows, showing they adopted 25 sustainable practices.

To learn more about Sustainable Danville Area events or to volunteer, visit their website.

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