The City of Fredericksburg Clean and Green Commission recently announced its 2024 Sustainability Award winners. This year, 31 city businesses will receive the annual honor for implementing environmentally sustainable practices in their business operations.
Each awardee was required to agree to implement at least nine sustainable practices in their business operations, increased from seven practices required in 2023. Examples of such practices include eliminating single-use items (including plastic and Styrofoam), eliminating use of plastic bags, sourcing food locally, providing customers incentives to bring their own containers, transitioning to energy efficient lighting and using U.S. EPA-recognized safer chemical cleaning products.
Several of the award winners are pursuing creative sustainability practices such as hosting river clean-ups, having their product lines include reused items and recycled materials, and offering free recycling of electronic waste at their businesses.
“We are pleased that a record 31 city businesses met the sustainability award criteria in 2024 and business participation has increased each subsequent year we have offered the award ” said Robert Courtnage, chairman of the Sustainability Committee of the Clean and Green Commission.
Added Sustainability Committee member Sarah Hurst: “The growth of our award is making a real impact by increasing local environmental sustainability practices. We are proud of these local businesses’ efforts and their role in the community,”
The 2024 awardees were provided a storefront sticker and will be celebrated for their efforts on social media. They will also be recognized at an upcoming Fredericksburg City Council meeting. Additionally, a map showing the location of the businesses that received the sustainability award will be provided at the City’s visitor center.
The 2024 Sustainability Award winners include the following businesses:
- Fredericksburg Food Co-op
- Foode
- Whiskey Rebellion
- Orofino
- Castiglia’s
- Fraser Wood
- Tapa Rio
- Phosphene
- Old Towne Butcher
- Ironclad Inn
- La Petite Auberge
- Downtown Salon
- Ponshop
- River Rock Outfitters
- Riverby Books
- Katora
- Centerpiece Studios
- Blue Sage Message Studio
- Whitby’s
- FXBG Technology
- Global Thread and Thrift
- Collage Spa (two locations)
- Sammy T’s
- Latitudes Fair Trade
- Haley’s Honey Meadery
- Dragon Fly Yoga Studios (two locations)
- Italian Station
- City Vino
- Abner B’s Ice Cream
