The Sonoma Valley Chamber of Commerce and City of Sonoma are pleased to announce that Valley Bar & Bottle is this year’s Earth Day 2021 Honoree! A recent addition to the Sonoma Plaza, Valley Bar & Bottle Shop officially opened in July 2020 at 487 First Street West.
Sonoma Mayor Logan Harvey and Sonoma Valley Chamber of Commerce CEO Mark Bodenhamer presented Lauren Feldman and Stephanie Reagor a Certificate of Recognition for Valley Bar & Bottle’s stewardship of the environment through their sustainable business practices including sourcing food locally, reducing waste and water conservation, and their ongoing commitment to environmental sustainability and climate action. A recent addition to the Sonoma Plaza, Valley Bar & Bottle Shop officially opened in July 2020 at 487 First Street West.
“We are so excited to honor Valley Bar & Bottle for this recognition on Earth Day. During 2020, it would have been easy for the team at Valley to save money by cutting corners on their green practices. But they overcame the challenges while staying committed to the environmental and sustainability goals that are central to their vision for the business. We are proud to work with people who have demonstrated that you can create amazing food and a special gathering place while making sustainability a top priority,” Says Mark Bodenhamber.
Valley Bar & Bottle was selected, in part, for their environmentally sustainable business operations. From investing in water-conserving and energy-efficient appliances and improving recycling and organics recovery through employee training and customer outreach to providing electric vehicle charging opportunities and encouraging alternative forms of transportation such as bicycles, walking and public transportation – Valley Bar & Bottle has demonstrated their commitment to protecting our environment and making our local economy more “green.”
When asked what sustainable practices they are most proud of, Valley Co-Founder Lauren Feldman points to the fact that “Ninety percent of our food products are sourced from local farmers, and our wine program is made up of entirely organic biodynamic or better – such as regenerative, permaculture, etc. – grape growers with minimal intervention (and/or) natural practices in the cellar.” Lauren Feldmen notes that their dedication to sustainability extends to the materials that their locally sourced food is served on. “We are quite proud of the work we’ve done to source all compostable takeaway materials and we even do our own coffee bagging in order to buy in bulk and then bag to order in compostable kraft bags to reduce waste.”
Congratulations to the Valley Bar & Bottle team!
About the Earth Day 2021 Business Recognition
As part of the City of Sonoma Earth Action Week and in celebration of Earth Day 2021, the Sonoma Valley Chamber of Commerce and City of Sonoma partnered to recognize a local business for its green practices. Any business that operates in the City of Sonoma was welcome to nominate itself (or another business) for consideration via an online survey that was made available to the public. A small committee of environmental and civic leaders reviewed the candidates and selected a business for this year’s recognition.
Photos Courtesy of the Sonoma Valley Chamber of Commerce.