Think Green Live Clean

Photo Credit: Lee Tang Joh

Wine has been a staple of our social lives and culture for many years.  Now, the staple wine region of California has set an example for others to follow.  Beyond the third party wine audit system recently announced by the Wine Institute of California, this particular initiative pushes California’s wine standards even higher.  While the audit system is certainly sustainable, the Napa Green Program is to some, the “best, most well thought-out program” the industry may have seen yet.  In fact, it is the industry’s most comprehensive “best practices” in land-use and wine production.

Two main segments of Napa Green are Napa Green Certified Land, and Napa Green Certified Winery.  The former is a third party, voluntary program for Napa County vintners and growers that aims to enhance and protect the watershed of the region.  More specifically, the plan will include the restoration of wildlife habitat, development of sustainable agricultural practices, and creation of healthy riparian environments.  Currently, over 33,150 acres are enrolled in the program and 16,900 are certified.  What’s best: these acres are not just vineyard land, but consist of wild land, steam banks, and roadways.

The Certified Winery program, founded in 2007 and developed by Napa Valley Vintners in collaboration with the Napa County Department of Environmental Management (DEM), is based on the Association of Bay Area Government’s Green Business Program (ABAG).  The checklist for the program includes water and energy conservation, pollution prevention, and solid waste reduction.  Even more admirable is the fact that enrollment is only offered to a defined number of wineries, ensuring that the inspection and certification processes are accomplished with special attention.  In fact, the ABAG program is on its way to becoming the standard of the state.

All in all, the Napa Green program paves a road for wineries to voluntarily participate in building environmental and sustainable practices.   The fact that these practices surpass more than twenty local, state, and federal standards speaks for itself.  Whether you’re an occasional wine drinker or an experienced connoisseur, you can be thankful for the ecological efforts of the region that will help to enhance the future of one of the greatest additions to our lives.

To find out more details about Napa Green, check out Napa Valley Vintners here.