Becoming a Green Winery - Green Business Program

It's Easy
The Benziger Family Winery used a variety of different approaches to conserve resources, reduce pollution and become a Green Business. A recycling program reduced their solid waste generation by 41%. A Process Wastewater Management System allows them to treat and reuse their wastewater for irrigation, which saves between one and one-and-a-half-million gallons of water per year. In addition, the winery has reduced annual energy consumption by 33%.

Benziger Winery staff celebrating Green Business Certification.

How can wineries "green" their businesses? First bring their operations into compliance with all environmental regulations, then adopt pollution prevention and resource conservation practices. The program checklists offer a variety of options for meeting program standards. Here are some examples of what you can do.

Top Ten Green Winery Practices

Encourage Green Practices in Employees

1. Start "Green" committees which meet monthly.

Solid & Hazardous
Waste Reduction

2. Recycle cardboard and shrink wrap through the use of balers.

3. Install ozone systems to sterilize barrels. This eliminates the use of hazardous chemicals.

Conserve Energy & Water

4. Use high pressure/low volume cleaning equipment to reduce water usage.

5. Reduce energy usage for cooling tanks by using refridgeration jackets.

6. Purchase new equipment, such as:

a. Vacuum pumps to eliminate water used in bottling operations

b. Self-cleaning presses used in crush operations which reduce water use

Both these purchases reduce energy usage.

Green Farming Practices

7. Use pumice and diatomaceous earth as compost in the vineyards.

8. Protect against pests in vineyards naturally using permaculture gardens.

Beneficial Byproduct Use

9. Reuse waste water on vineyards and landscaping.

10. Convert waste wine into marketable vinegar.

Contact your county coordinator for more information about becoming "green" in your county.

pd 03/02/01