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SDG&E’s EcoChoice program gives you the option to purchase up to 100% clean, renewable energy. For those who lease or don’t have the ability, either financially or structurally to adopt solar, the program might be a good option. You pay a small premium every month depending on your subscription amount and monthly electric use. SDG&E then purchases renewable energy on your behalf. You’ll be directly contributing to the expansion of renewables in our region. Learn more at sdge.com/EcoChoice.

As you have likely heard, San Diego County is experiencing a hepatitis A outbreak. This disease is transmitted primarily via fecal matter. In light of the outbreak, our Maintenance Assessment District contractor is following the newly established City of San Diego protocols in cleaning all bodily fluids on the street in the MAD. In addition to the steps we are taking, we encourage all businesses with storefronts and public areas to disinfect any exterior surfaces that people can touch (such as railings, doorknobs, etc.) each day with a disinfectant solution appropriate to the surface you are cleaning. This means a bleach solution or disinfectant wipe. Please do this every day to help prevent the spread of the hepatitis A virus and other diseases.

For more information on the City of San Diego's efforts to combat the outbreak, see their press release here.

Your restaurant is known for quality food and service, so why are you settling for outdated, costly kitchen equipment? Now is the time to make an investment in your back of house operations that will pay for itself in a matter of months.
SDG&E offers rebates on new foodservice equipment such as ice machines, convection ovens and griddles. And from August 23 – November 10, 2017 – these rebate amounts are increasing! Act now before your equipment goes on the fritz.

SDG&E offers financing with ZERO percent interest to help you replace inefficient and worn-out equipment. Loan minimums are $5,000 per meter and payments are conveniently made through your energy bill. On-Bill Financing can help you finance your new purchase at just 0 percent. Learn more at sdge.com/obf.
Foodservice facilities are highly energy-intensive, using about 5 to 7 times more energy per square foot than other commercial buildings, such as office buildings and retail stores. The largest portion of energy use in foodservice is consumed by cooking and food preparation, followed closely by heating, ventilation, and cooling.

Did you know that nearly 50 percent of United States electric vehicle (EV) sales are in California? Roughly 25,000 of those vehicles are right here in San Diego. More are on the way! Car manufacturers are rolling out new EV models every year equipped with more of the features drivers are looking for in their vehicles. More and more San Diegans will soon be switching to EVs. And they will all need places to charge.

Be ahead of the demand. Now is the time to upgrade your facility with EV charging stations. Power Your Drive is SDG&E’s EV charging station program that is installing 3,500 chargers at apartments, condos and businesses. We do the work, you enjoy the benefits.

• No maintenance required – we take care of this for you
• No billing to manage – drivers can be billed on their SDG&E bill
• No impact to your facility’s electric panel – chargers come directly off an SDG&E service
• No public charging – the charging stations are just for your EV drivers’ use

Sign up on our interest list today! Visit sdge.com/PowerYourDrive to learn more or to submit your application to get started right away. Your (future) tenants will thank you.

Looking for savings and an increased ability to manage your energy use? Focus more of your time on other parts of your business, and worry less about your energy use. Smart thermostats can help you manage your energy use and give you the ability to:

• Control multiple thermostats and locations anywhere, anytime using a Smart Device
• Set-up and receive alerts to troubleshoot issues, reducing the number of on-site service calls and time spent with contractors
• Modify your business’s occupancy schedule

Don't miss this opportunity! Click here to find out if your business is eligible to receive these no-cost thermostats. Visit sdge.com/bizthermostats to learn more about this program.

Proper planning and preparation in advance can teach employees how to respond, help protect operations, and save lives should an emergency occur. Watch this video on emergency preparedness for businesses. Here are ten ways to stay safe in your workplace.

1. Know the location of the nearest exits, evacuation routes, automated external difibrilator (AED) and fire extinguishers
2. Know your building security and floor leaders
3. Participate in emergency exercises, drills and training programs
4. Consider getting trained in first aid, cardio-pulmonary resuscitation (CPR) and how to use an AED
5. Advise your supervisor of potential hazards so these can be corrected
6. If you discover a fire, close the doors to confine the fire and evacuate to a safe area; close as many doors as possible between you and the fire
7. If trapped in a room during a fire, place material/cloth around and under the door to prevent smoke from entering
8. Eliminate potential fire hazards by keeping offices and cubicles free from paper clutter; recycle all unnecessary paper
9. In the event of an earthquake:

• Don’t run outside; falling debris could cause injury
• Duck and cover under desks or tables and hold on to furniture; protect your head and neck
• If you’re not near a desk or table, sit with your back against an interior wall; protect your head and neck with your arms
• Avoid exterior walls, windows, hanging objects, mirrors, tall furniture, heavy objects and glass

10. During a power outage:

• Be familiar with the physical layout of your facility and the availability of natural light; try to imagine your work area without any interior lighting
• Limit movement between floors; if necessary use the stairs until power is restored
• Turn off computers or other sensitive electrical equipment to protect against a possible surge when power is restored
• Open window coverings for light and locate emergency equipment such as flashlights or light sticks

From the San Diego Green Building Council:

Are you a business owner or manager?
Do you want to save money on your energy, water, and waste bills?
Is free marketing and outreach interesting to you?

If you answered yes to one or more of the above questions then you should sign up for the free Green Business Network today and take advantage of free waste, water, and energy evaluations and the opportunity to market yourself as a green business!

To learn more AND to enter in a drawing for a dozen delicious Sprinkles cupcakes, take the survey below. Ends September 1st.

Click here to take the survey

We want to hear your feedback and learn how to make resource efficiency easy for you!

Welcome CC Summerfield to the OBMA Board of Directors. She was elected in early July 2017 to the Board.

At the July 13, 2017 OBMA Board Meeting, the votes werer counted and ratified. These board members were re-elected for another three-year period: Barbara Iacometti, Matt Kalla, Tevia Oskin, and Craig Gerwig. We look forward to another busy year for our hard-working Board of Directors.

Food safety is always top of mind when you are operating a commercial foodservice establishment. FSTC (Fisher Nickel Testing Center)  is teaming up with Abraham Wilson, AKA Mr. Food Safety to discuss the important role that preventative maintenance plays in food safety. FSTC's Denis Livchak will talk about the importance of maintaining cooking equipment, refrigeration, ice machines and water heating in relation to food safety.

Its going to be an information filled seminar that will have you walking away with tips and tricks to help you keep your food safe!

Attendees will learn:
• Basic food safety essentials.
• The best locations for refrigeration.
• Hot water temperature requirements.
• The best method for thawing frozen food items.
• Preventative maintenance practices to keep your refrigeration food safe.

Learn more at SDG&E!