Produce Distributor Goes Green

On a hot, sunny afternoon, unveiled its effort to go green.

The longtime Watsonville fruit and vegetable distributor worked with The Solar Company to on the warehouse roof and a vacant space next to the parking lot. The project took four months to complete, but will bring the produce company's PG&E bill down to zero.

"We decided to go solar for a couple of reasons," Watsonville Coast Produce owner Gary Manfre. "We wanted to minimize our PG&E bill."

The Watsonville Coast Produce energy bill is about $150,000 annually, he said.

Manfre went on to say he also wanted to set a good example for younger employees and build a sustainable business that will be around for his grandchildren to operate.

"It helps us take all that money and put it back into our company," Manfre said during a ribbon cutting Tuesday afternoon.

Going solar is one of many changes at the 75-year-old company.

In recent years, it's reduced its garbage output by three-quarters—down from 384,000 pounds a few years ago to 96,000 pounds now, according to facilities manager Jason Petersen. The company recycles everything possible: cardboard, plastic wrap, nylon strapping, pallets, wood scraps and office paper. Old produce goes to .

"We've made great strides in reducing our landfill waste," Petersen said, adding that he's now working toward getting the company certified as a green business. "We will continue to become a greener company."

The solar project will produce 1.1 million kW hours annually, which is enough to power 150 homes every day of the year. It also eliminates 800,000 pounds of carbon dioxide annually—that equates to planting 260 acres of trees or removing 150 cars from freeways.

The installation was done by The Solar Company, owned by Mark and Christina Danenhower. It's the largest project the company has ever done; TSC also put in the solar panels at the Golden State Warriors arena in Oakland.

helped with funding.