Chris and Michelle Conkle (center), owners of Coral Reef, are named first place in the Greenest Concession competition Wednesday at the fair by Therese Larsen, chairwoman of Leadership Santa Cruz County Green Team and Michael Bethke of the fair’s board of directors.

Wearing matching green T-shirts and with clipboards in hand, a half-dozen community members quizzed every concessionaire at the Santa Cruz County Fair Wednesday on their recycling habits and energy use.

“What steps do you take to be energy-efficient?” asked Tim Goncharoff of one concessionaire. “I see you are using your flashing lights during the day?”

The grilling of the grillmasters was part of an effort by the fair’s directors and Leadership Santa Cruz County to reduce waste and make the fair “greener” by highlighting recycling and energy-saving efforts within the fairgrounds. The concessionaire with the most satisfactory answers for the “Green Team” was deemed the “Greenest Concession of Santa Cruz County.”

“The fair management has a big commitment to recycling and it’s going to be a much ‘greener’ fair in the future,” said Goncharoff, commercial waste reduction manager at the Santa Cruz County Public Works Department and a member of the Green Team.

The aim of Leadership Santa Cruz County is to educate and increase the awareness of individuals in leadership roles, enabling them to address the issues facing the county. LSCC class members are encouraged to become involved in a project that they develop and implement themselves. One of the projects for 2008 is assisting the fair with meeting its goal of making the fair a “green” facility and event. The push to make the fair “greener” was attributed to past Fair Board directors Dave Cavanaugh and Michael Bethke.

Coral Reef, which serves milkshakes, smoothies, coffee drinks and other refreshments, placed first in the event. Owners Chris and Michelle Conkle of Lakeport were presented with a plaque.

“It’s just awesome to be recognized like this,” Michelle Conkle said. “What an honor. I think it’s a great idea to bring the green topic out into the open and encourage the public to become more aware of environmental issues. Any way the public can learn more about what they can do — how they can help — is so important.”

Country Fair Cinnamon Rolls placed second and Ben Lomond Market took third.

The Green Team asked the fair’s concessionaires five questions: What do you recycle? What products do you use that contain recycled content? Do you use environmentally safe cleaners? What steps do you take to be energy-efficient? Is there anything else you have done to be green?

“We wanted to educate them about not bringing Styrofoam. The contest was really a vehicle to talk to the concessionaires,” Therese Larsen, leader of the Green Team, said.

“In general, the vendors are making a real good-faith effort,” said Brennen Jensen, program specialist of EcologyAction of Santa Cruz. “They are happy to see the recycling bins and use them.”

Jim and Marsha Dobson of Lakeport, who sell food near the horse arena, said they thought it was a great idea.

“I love to see it,” Marsha Dobson said. “We do as much recycling as we can, but it’s a little different with a business like this. You wind up using more paper and plastic than you would normally use. But anything we can do, we should try to do.”

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*Photos by Tarmo Hannula*

(Published in 9/11/08 edition)

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