Petaluma Bakery Snags Sustainability Prize

A Petaluma bakery was named a 2013 Sustainability Award winner by a Santa Rosa-based group promoting environmental stewardship.

Alvarado Street Bakery was among four recipients Leadership Institute for Ecology and the Economy awards.

The recipients will be honored at the Institute's Awards Dinner and Fundraiser, November 2. 

The awards are given for exceptional accomplishments in creating a more sustainable community, especially contributions to environmental stewardship, economic vitality and social equity.

Alvarado Street Bakery, a worker-owned cooperative, traces its roots to the “Food for the People, not for Profit” movement in the Bay Area in the 1960's and 70's.

A founding group started producing baked goods in 1979.  Originally a non-profit, the bakery became a coop in 1981. The company employs over 100 people and is dedicated to providing good working conditions, a living wage with quality benefits, as well as producing quality organic baked goods.

Alvarado derives more than 40 percent of its electricity from roof-top solar panels.

Alvarado St. Bakery is a Sonoma County Green Certified Business.  It was one of ten businesses awarded a National Green Jobs award in 2010.

The Leadership Institute for Ecology and the Economy has honored community and political leaders whose work has led to significant improvements in sustainability for nearly a decade.  

Past award recipients include Oliver’s Market, Don Wallace (President, Dry Creek Vineyard), Indigenous Designs, Ann Hancock (Executive Director, Climate Protection Campaign), and Bayer Farm.

The Institute seeks sponsors for this year's event. Anyone interested in supporting the group is urged to participate.

For more information about the Awards Dinner or about the Institute, visit ecoleader.org or awards@ecoleader.org or call 707-578-9133.