Acterra is an award-winning non-profit organization with a
41-year history of bringing people together to create local solutions for a healthy planet. Growing out of the merger in 2000 of two older organizations, Peninsula Conservation Center Foundation (founded 1970) and Bay Area Action (founded 1990),

Acterra's long history draws on two generations of environmental leaders.  Their programs provide hands-on opportunities for ordinary people to make a difference where they live, work, learn, worship and play. Acterra’s Business Environmental Awards is one of the San Francisco Bay Area’s oldest and most prestigious environmental recognition programs. Initiated in 1990, it is considered a heavyweight among award programs due to its rigorous application and judging process.

GO Team, formed in 2006, was selected to receive this award because, “Cagwin & Dorward’s GO Team is the heart and engine of its commitment to sustainability. Led by the company’s CEO, the GO Team has achieved amazing savings in its main office, fleet, and additional locations by systematically analyzing every aspect of its operations.  The company has also worked with clients to switch from chemical to organic pesticides, hosted events to educate others in its industry, and encouraged employees’ participation in community events. For all of these efforts, Acterra is pleased to recognize Cagwin & Dorward’s GO Team as a model of exemplary environmental leadership in the landscape industry.”  -Walt Hays, Chair, Business Environmental Awards Judging Committee

GO Team’s accomplishments include:

• Reducing company wide energy use by over 23% in just 2 years
• Saving at least 125.5 reams (62,750 sheets) of paper annually by distributing reports digitally
• Upgrading drinking water to onsite filtration instead of monthly delivery
• Facility upgrades such as installing new double paned windows which can be opened to let in fresh air
• Lighting improvements, such as swapping 20 incandescent bulbs for CFL’s saving 2,230lbs of CO2 annually
• Participation in numerous community events and employee education campaigns

Cagwin & Dorward will be honored at the 2011 Business Environmental Awards reception on Thursday, June 2nd at the Crowne Plaza Cabana Hotel in Palo Alto.

Becoming part of the solution ... GO! Team: