Environmental Excellence Award

Sustainability is an EXCELLENT Business Model

Environmental Excellence Award

An award in recognition of businesses that go beyond day-to-day practices to protect the environment. Every year, the City of Ventura Environmental Sustainability Division works with the Ventura Chamber of Commerce to identify a business that is integrating environmental concerns into their business practices and philosophy.

green biz

2019 Winner: The Refill Shoppe

The Refill Shoppe is an eco-awesome bath store making a difference one bottle at a time since 2010. Born & bred right here in Ventura, The Refill Shoppe is an early pioneer of the ever popular (for good reason) zero-waste industry. Always striving for innovation while diligently working to live up to the idea behind the scenes makes The Refill Shoppe an eco-emporium for the modern day. Not to mention all the thoughtful, personalized, practical & eco-friendly gifts they offer for those wishing to shop local.

Upon completing the rigorous ’B Corp’ certification in 2015 The Refill Shoppe declared their official benefit as ‘enabling and encouraging individuals to use less single-use & live more sustainably.’ In addition to offering over fifty unique (and often customizable) bath, body, home & cleaning products in bulk, the shoppe offers loads of vetted reusable swaps & earth friendly everyday items. Simply put, The Refill Shoppe works to make eco easy & efficient. Most recently that has meant developing an innovative ‘Subscription’ service that ships custom-scented, near zero-waste refills all over the country.

Through their commitment to 1% For the Planet, The Refill Shoppe has donated over $20,000 to environmental non-profits including many local organizations such as the Ventura Land Trust, the LosPadres ForestWatch, the local Surfrider chapter & the California Wilderness Coalition. And very recently with the help of the City of Ventura Environmental Sustainability Division, The Refill Shoppe became the very first ’Innovator Tier’ Certified Green Business in Ventura! To become an Innovator Business, the Refill Shoppe had to show leadership as a green business steward and mentor, exceeded 90% waste diversion, showed influential business innovations to propel our community towards sustainability, and implemented practices to promote social equity and sustainability that met B Corp Certification standards.

Founder Michelle credits her early exposure to nature, loving family and supportive community for the inspiration to continue ever onward.

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Environmental Excellence Award Winners

  • 2019    The Refill Shoppe
  • 2018    Leashless
  • 2017    Patagonia
  • 2016    BōKU Superfood
  • 2015    Shine Supply
  • 2014    The Refill Shoppe
  • 2013    Ohana Pet Hospital
  • 2012    EJ Harrison & Sons
  • 2011    Auto Lube Care
  • 2010    AWS Automotive
  • 2010    Crowne Plaza Ventura Beach
  • 2009    Cypress Place Senior Living
  • 2009    Tangerenz
  • 2008    Betty Belts
  • 2007    Allen Associates
  • 2007    California Mushroom Farm
  • 2006    Agromin
  • 2006    Stewart + Brown
  • 2005    Arketype Architects Inc.
  • 2005    Weaver Wines, Inc.
  • 2004    The Sidecar Restaurant
  • 2003    Gold Coast Recycling