"To be certified as green, businesses first register with the Bay Area Green Business program online, which has a list of 46 required measures—things like installing low-flow faucets and recycling all glass, plastic, metal and paper materials—as well as supplemental actions a business can take, such as offering reusable bags to customers (for a more complete list of green certification standards, see the above graphic). Oakland Recycles began offering free assistance last fall to local business owners interested in having their enterprises certified as green by the Bay Area Green Business Program. The city’s environmental services division partnered with contractor EnviroSystems Group (ESG) to send representatives to business association meetings, stores, and offices to encourage business owners to enroll in the program and help them navigate the process."
