Wilmington, CA: Los Tres Cochinitos has been owned by the Montes family since 1973. Their aim was to have a space to highlight their Mexican culture through music and food that can cater to a mix of community members. The Montes family is dedicated to the Wilmington area and hopes to set a good example by being a green business.
From replacing their lighting with LED bulbs to making it routine to turn off the lights during the daytime, they have seen big changes in their energy bills as well as impacts on their restaurant’s daily activities. The restaurant is brighter, the kitchen and dining area are kept even cleaner, and it has improved working conditions for the cooks and kitchen staff.
Through Clean Up Green Up, the Montes family has learned how to save energy while preventing pollution and reducing waste. They make it a practice to recycle their own bottles and cans at a local center, donating all proceeds to a community member. The business continues to bring social awareness to the community of Wilmington and encourages other small businesses to take the pledge to also go green.
Pacoima, CA: After 15 years as an employee, Martha Garcia is now the owner of Camila’s Beauty Salon in Pacoima. She takes pride in the comfortable setting she provides her customers through her environmentally friendly business practices, prioritizing energy saving habits and passing on the value of energy conservation to her children. Martha has been able to save energy and money by using natural lighting for her business and by keeping the door open for fresh air. She believes that all business owners must do what they can to protect their environment from polluting sources.
Martha received six light fixture replacements and 14 new LED light bulbs from an LADWP partnership with community organizations such as Pacoima Beautiful, with the goal of providing energy efficiency solutions to local business owners. Thanks to this partnership, Martha feels motivated to continue her role as a green business leader and has found a new sense of trust in public agencies.