When it comes to smart growth, the City of Santa Cruz means business – green business. Through the California Green Business Program the City joined a rich network of environmentally friendly small and medium-sized businesses driving the green economy. What started in 1995 in Sonoma as a certification program has since reached small to medium enterprises across all nine bay area counties, and accredited over 3,500 certified businesses in California alone. By creating and setting a benchmark in the Bay Area, the California Green Business Program has become a renowned model for positive environmental business practices and resource management.