Does your business use water wisely? Does it practice sustainable landscaping, keep outdoor areas litter free
and encourage employees to be good environmental stewards? Modeled after its successful Bay Star Homes program, askHRgreen.org is now launching Bay Star Business, a free, pledge-based program that recognizes Hampton Roads companies that are committed to protecting water quality in the region.

“Our residential Bay Star Homes program has been such a hit, we wanted to extend it to our local business community as well,” said Katie Cullipher, team leader of askHRgreen.org. “We all benefit from clean water, and sustainable water use can further impact businesses in terms of saving money and setting an example for being a good environment steward.”

By visiting the sign-up page at www.askHRgreen.org/BayStarBusiness, company owners select five of 15 suggested practices to become a Bay Star Business. In return, they receive a welcome packet that includes water awareness tips, local information from the city or county in which they operate and a Bay Star Business window cling to display in their business or on their company vehicles.

Most pledges are no- or low-cost solutions to help business run more efficiently and include such actions as:

• Incorporating native plants in landscaping to cut back on water use
• Conserving water by installing low-flow fixtures and letting employees know “what not to flush” to avoid backed up pipes
• Keeping outdoor spaces litter free
• Organizing a cleanup event at a park, school or public space near the business location
• Maintaining company vehicles (repairing, washing) under cover, to avoid washing pollutants into the storm drain

Many businesses, such as Anheuser-Busch, are already using many of these good-to-do practices. The Brewery, which has been making Budweiser in Virginia since 1972, employs approximately 600 workers and was the first to register as a Bay Star Business.

“Anheuser-Busch is always looking at ways to align itself with water conservation efforts, and the Bay Star Business program is a good fit,” said Jeff Scott, general manager of Anheuser-Busch Williamsburg. “Globally, water can become a scarce commodity if we don’t take care of it. On a local level, it’s important that people are thinking about the consequences of contaminating our waterways and considering our water for future generations.”

For more information about the Bay Star Business program, and all things green in Hampton Roads, visit www.askHRgreen.org.

About askHRgreen.org

askHRgreen.org is your go-to resource for all things green in Hampton Roads – from recycling tips and pointers for keeping local waterways clean to water-saving ideas and simple steps to make local living easy on the environment. Launched in 2011, the region-wide public awareness and education campaign is administered through the Hampton Roads Planning District Commission and powered by the following members: The cities of Chesapeake, Franklin, Hampton, Newport News, Norfolk, Poquoson, Portsmouth, Suffolk, Virginia Beach, and Williamsburg; the counties of Gloucester, Isle of Wight, James City, Southampton, Surry and York; the town of Smithfield; and HRSD. Like askHRgreen.org on Facebook, follow on Twitter and Instagram, tune in to YouTube and catch the “Let’s Talk Green” blog, written by a team of local experts.