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Sunroad Resort Marina Takes on Green Business Challenge

Thursday, 22 September 2011
Contact: Barbara Moreno (619) 686-6216

Businesses located on the water are getting creative when it comes to embracing eco-friendly business practices.

Sunroad Resort Marina, a tenant of the Port of San Diego, is helping spread the word about "going green," through its participation in the port's Green Business Challenge.

"Being a waterfront business and a Port of San Diego tenant, we're very conscientious of our carbon footprint," said General Manager and Dock Master Jim Behun. "The Green Business Challenge has provided us with training from experts on how to expand our green efforts."

Located at 955 Harbor Island Drive (map) in north San Diego Bay, Sunroad Resort Marina has more than 600 boat slips ranging in length from 30- to 120-feet, and first class amenities that attract boat owners from all over the country.

The Green Business Challenge – the first of its kind on the West Coast – is designed to promote business practices that reduce energy consumption, water use, waste, as well as to prevent pollution. Sunroad Resort Marina is among the 54 businesses along San Diego Bay that are participating.

"We enhanced our waste recycling efforts for marina tenants with dedicated recycle bins, daily sorting of Dumpster waste, and proper disposal of more hazardous materials, like oil and batteries," he added.

Behun said taking part in the Challenge is saving the businesses money as well.

By replacing existing landscaping with more drought resistant plants, Behun said their water use at Sunroad is down more than 30 percent from 2010. And with the assistance of San Diego Gas & Electric, the marina is upgrading to energy-efficient lighting that SDG&E estimates will save $3,500 a year on the marina's energy bill.

"We highly recommend all marinas in the Port of San Diego get involved. It will save them money and reduce their carbon footprint," Behun said. "We can, in effect, slowly encourage change by spreading the word of our green initiative here in San Diego."

The Green Business Challenge is just one component of the Port of San Diego's environmental initiatives. As an environmental steward of San Diego Bay, the port has established several programs to minimize its environmental footprint, as well as to protect San Diego Bay and the surrounding land.

More than 60 projects, representing a $7.3 million investment, are either underway or complete as part of the port's Environmental Fund. The fund was established to pay for the restoration or enhancement of the bay and surrounding tidelands, along with protection and enhancement of wildlife habitat.

The Port has a partnership with KGTV Channel 10 as part of its Sustain San Diego environmental program, as well as SDG&E.

A complete list of all participants in the Green Business Challenge is available at GreenPortChallenge.org.

The Port of San Diego was created by state legislature in 1962 and is responsible for $1.7 billion in public improvements in its five member cities: Imperial Beach, San Diego, Coronado, Chula Vista and National City.

The Port oversees two maritime cargo terminals, two cruise ship terminals, 17 public parks, the Harbor Police Department and the leases of more than 600 tenant and sub tenant businesses around San Diego Bay.