Holy Family Church Sets a New Standard for the Roman Catholic Archdiocese

First Place of Worship in North America to Achieve AGZA Green Zone^® Certification

South Pasadena, California – Holy Family Church, located in South Pasadena, California, has become the first AGZA Certified Green Zone® place of worship in North America. Situated in the San Gabriel Valley—one of the most air-quality-challenged regions in the country—this achievement marks a major milestone in environmental stewardship for the faith community.

The Holy Family parish is part of the Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Los Angeles, which spans Los Angeles, Ventura, and Santa Barbara Counties. With 288 parishes across 120 cities and nearly 4.5 million Catholics, the Archdiocese is the largest in the United States.

A LEGACY OF LEADERSHIP AND COLLABORATION

Under the leadership of Father Ricardo (Ricky) Viveros, Holy Family Church follows in the footsteps of the City of South Pasadena, which became the first AGZA Certified Green Zone City in 2015. The project was made possible through a collaborative partnership among AGZA, Father Ricky, South Pasadena Council Member, and South Coast Air Quality Management District (SCAQMD) Chair Michael Cacciotti, and Raul Sanchez of Go Green Landscape & Design, the maintenance contractor for Holy Family Church properties.

With guidance from AGZA, Go Green Landscape & Design utilized the SCAQMD eL&G (Electric Lawn & Garden) Program to transition from gas-powered to commercial-grade battery-electric equipment at a significantly reduced cost through trade-in incentives. Additionally, Go Green Landscape & Design qualified for AGZA Green Zone credits for STIHL AP Commercial battery electric equipment.

VERIFIED AGZA CERTIFIED GREEN ZONE OPERATIONS

AGZA independently quantifies the reductions in emissions, noise, and fuel consumption, along with a cost-benefit and ROI analysis confirming the project’s long-term economic viability.

AGZA conducted several field shadow visits with Go Green Landscape and Design who maintains Holy Family Church. These visits verify that Holy Family’s landscape operations across all properties met the AGZA Green Zone Level 2 Standard. This level asserts that all two-stroke and four-stroke handheld tools and lawnmowers have been fully replaced by electric alternatives.

AGZA worked hand and hand with Go Green Landscape and Design owner Raul Sanchez to help his company test equipment, facilitated participation in the South Coast Air Quality Management District gas for electric equipment trade in program, and verified Go Green crews use of battery electric equipment.

The verified shift to quieter, cleaner landscape maintenance operations deliver clear benefits to parishioners, maintenance crews, and the broader community. The American Green Zone Alliance (AGZA) commends Holy Family Church and Go Green Landscape & Design for their leadership in sustainability and their commitment to creating a healthier environment for workers, neighbors, and the planet.

CONGRATULATIONS, HOLY FAMILY CHURCH!

HISTORICAL CONTEXT: MISSION SAN GABRIEL ARCÁNGEL

Founded in 1771 by Father Junípero Serra, Mission San Gabriel Arcángel—located just east of South Pasadena—marks the birthplace of Catholicism in Los Angeles County and a cornerstone in the region’s development. The Mission’s Franciscan roots remain evident today across the Archdiocese in the names of many streets, cities, and neighborhoods.

ABOUT THE PROJECT COLLABORATORS AND SUPPORTERS

Father Ricardo (Ricky) Viveros

Throughout his career in the Archdiocese of Los Angeles, Father Ricky has held several notable leadership roles:

Holy Family Church (Current): As pastor, he oversees the parish and school, focusing on themes of diversity and community involvement under the motto “All are Welcome”.

Holy Trinity Church (2014–2023): Served as pastor in Atwater Village, where he guided the community through the challenges of the COVID-19 pandemic.

St. John Vianney Church (2010–2014): Served as associate pastor during a traumatic period when the church was destroyed by arson in 2011. He was a key figure in supporting the parishioners and even testified in the trial of the arsonist. St. Genevieve Parish: His first assignment as an associate pastor after being ordained.

Father Ricky is known for his emphasis on the Resurrection as a symbol of hope and his ability to build resilient communities in the wake of tragedy. Fr. Ricky – “Growing up in the LA Harbor Area, I lived near a lot of industry. Wilmington/Harbor City is very blue collar and has very hard-working people. I am proud to be from there. But yes, the air pollution when I was a child definitely triggered my asthma. As pastor, making sure our parishioners have a safe environment while at Holy Family is my top priority. You always want a better quality of life for those behind them. Holy Family has had a proud tradition of striving to live out the Gospel of Jesus Christ in many different ways. As disciples of Christ, we have a moral obligation to be good stewards of God’s creation. Many parishioners are very passionate and persuasive, so I have to really credit them for their passion on this topic. We need to protect the environment for all of God’s people, because life is precious from conception to a natural death.”

Michael Cacciotti – South Pasadena City Councilman & Chair of the South Coast AQMD

Councilmember Cacciotti was first elected to the City Council in 2001 and was re-elected in 2005 and then re-elected again in 2009, 2013, and 2017. He was chosen by his fellow Councilmembers to serve as Mayor during the 2003-2004, 2007-2008, 2011-2013, 2016-2017, and 2021-2022 mayoral terms. He also served as Mayor Pro Tem for the 2015-16 term.

He also serves on the South Coast Air Quality Management District representing the 34 eastern cities of LA County since 2008 and on the Santa Monica Mountains Conservancy as an advisory board member since 2001. In 2006, 2007, 2008, 2009, 2015 and 2018 he visited China as part of education programs for elected officials, promoted environmental, particularly clean-air initiatives, and established relationships between South Pasadena and several Chinese cities.

Councilmember Cacciotti has been actively involved in raising awareness of environmental issues. He instituted the South Coast AQMD Electric Lawn Mower Exchange and Leaf Blower Exchange programs in the city. In addition, he was responsible for the City’s adoption of a low-emission vehicle (LEV) purchase policy in 2005, which was subsequently adopted by the San Gabriel Valley Council of Governments.

In early 2015, through Councilmember Cacciotti’s initiative, the City’s Garfield Park became the first municipal park in the United States to be maintained entirely by gas free, electric commercial lawn equipment. Soon thereafter, in September 2016, the entire city became the first municipality in the U.S. to be AGZA Certified – meaning all city-owned properties were maintained entirely by advanced non-polluting, commercial electric lawn equipment.

Michael Cacciotti – “With Holy Family Church’s efforts to becoming the first AGZA Certified Green Zone place of worship in North America, can in large part, be attributed to you. Like the City of South Pasadena becoming the first certified Green Zone in the United States back in 2015 and with the city’s police department going all-electric with its police car fleet in 2024, having Holy Family Church going green with its lawn and garden maintenance is another first.

For several years now going back to 2015, when South Pasadena became the first city in the United States to be certified as an American Green Zone Alliance (AGZA) city by performing all of our lawn maintenance operations by battery electric lawn maintenance equipment, Dan Mabe and I have worked with other cities, colleges, school districts and commercial gardeners to transition their lawn care operations to non-polluting, zero emission commercial battery electric lawn maintenance equipment. However, I was always interested in working with the various faith communities/Houses of Worship in our Air Basin to help them transition to non-polluting commercial battery electric lawn care operations.

When I read Pope Francis’s 2023 encyclical “Laudate Deum” concerning the Climate Crisis, I sensed the Pope’s frustration with, as he described it, the worlds (including our faith communities) inadequate response to the Climate Crisis. I realized our Faith Communities needed to be educated and made aware of the adverse effects of Air Pollution on human health and all of Gods creation and the simple actions faith communities could implement to reduce harmful, toxic air pollutants at their facilities.

Being an active parishioner at Holy Family church in South Pasadena, I decided to first meet with Pastor Fr. Ricky Viveros, who I knew, having grown up near the San Pedro Ports, Oil Refineries, etc., and experienced asthma as a child, that he would understand the adverse impacts of air pollution on people in our communities. After meetings with and support from parish staff and leaders, Dan Mabe and I met with Fr. Ricky and the landscape contractor for the church/school facilities, Raul Sanchez of Go Green. At first Raul was justifiably a little hesitant about the transition to all battery electric lawn equipment, but after some “encouragement” from Fr. Ricky and learning about the SCAQMD’s commercial battery electric lawn and garden incentive program, and Dan’s help, Raul implemented the complete transition to battery electric lawn maintenance operations in several months. Go Green has been conducting zero emission, battery electric lawn maintenance operations at the Holy Family Church, School and associated facilities for over a year and now Holy Family Church is the first AGZA certified church in the country.

The reduction in harmful air pollutants from not using polluting gas-powered lawn equipment is substantial. Reductions in carbon monoxide, nitric oxides (NOx), Volatile Organic Compounds, Particulate matter 2.5, CO2, benzene and formaldehyde have led to improved air quality for the students, teachers, staff, parishioners at Holy Family church, surrounding residents of South Pasadena, and the workers themselves.

Moreover, and as we knew from over a decade of anecdotal and empirical evidence, is that the fuel (gas and oil), and maintenance savings from using commercial battery electric equipment was significant (no oil filters, spark plugs, etc). What Holy Family Church, School and associated facilities have done is provide an example and/or model for other Faith Communities and Houses of Worship to follow. A model that will reduce harmful air pollution and loud noise in the community, reduce greenhouse gases that impact our climate, protect the health of our communities and our planet, and, at the same time, save professional gardeners thousands of dollars in their lawn care operations.”

About the American Green Zone Alliance (AGZA)

The American Green Zone Alliance (AGZA) was founded by Dan Mabe and is the leader in low-impact grounds maintenance certification, advocacy, and education. AGZA’s Green Zone Certification and Environmental Landscape Footprint (ELF) programs provide verifiable pathways for organizations to reduce noise, emissions, and operational costs while improving public and worker health.

Dan Mabe – “The American Green Zone Alliance (AGZA) is honored to work with Fr. Ricardo Viveros to designate Holy Family Church as the inaugural place of worship to be recognized as an AGZA Certified Green Zone property. How fitting that this monumental achievement once again belongs to a trailblazer in the City of South Pasadena, which in 2015 became the nation’s first AGZA Certified Green Zone City in North America.

AGZA would like to thank South Pasadena Councilman and South Coast AQMD Chair Michael Cacciotti for his support of this project. We also extend our gratitude to Raul Sanchez of Go Green Landscape and Design, Charles Trevino of the Upper San Gabriel Valley Municipal Water District, and the South Coast Air Quality Management District, which has led the nation in clean-technology incentives for the landscape maintenance industry.”

About Go Green Landscape & Design

Go Green Landscape & Design was founded by Raul Sanchez and is a full-service landscape installation and maintenance company and maintains Holy Family Church properties.

Raul Sanchez – “Our experience using battery powered electric equipment on the grounds of Holy Family Church has been superior and we couldn’t have a better organization to work with on this initiative. My team has noticed a clear improvement in the overall environment. The equipment is significantly quieter, which makes a big difference during services and events. We are able to continue working without being disruptive.

Yes, the working conditions have greatly improved since switching to emission-free equipment. Eliminating gas exhaust, our crew isn’t breathing in fumes throughout the day, which has made a noticeable difference in how everyone feels. Lingering smell of fuel on clothes is no longer an issue.Switching to 100% electric equipment at Holy Family Church over the past year has resulted in noticeable cost savings. The most significant savings come maintenance expenses. Charging batteries is far cheaper and more predictable than refueling with gas. This conversion has saved us 33% on average.

In 2025, Go Green Landscape decided to continue to become a steward of setting the bar of leading industry standards. We introduced a Ford “E” transit van which is fully electric to accompany our complete electric landscape equipment spread. This has received positive feedback and has improved overall productivity. The van has saved 40% in fuel savings alone and offers zero maintenance needs. This allows us to be on the road longer servicing Holy Family Church and other clients alike. These upgrades have helped the environment and have been profitable as much as desired. We are officially doing our part when it comes to taking care of our planet. Our company goal is to add more electric vehicles to our fleet in 2026!”

About Charles Treviño – Upper San Gabriel Water District

Treviño was first elected to the Upper San Gabriel Valley Municipal Water District Board of Directors in November 2008 and is serving his fifth consecutive four-year term. He represents Upper Water’s Division 2 which includes the cities of Rosemead, San Gabriel, South Pasadena, and a portion of Temple City. Treviño served as Board President in 2011, Vice-President in 2009 and 2010 and Treasurer in 2017, 2018, and 2022.

He has been a strong supporter of Upper Water’s development of the Integrated Resources Plan, Urban Water Management and Water Use Efficiency Plans, which have outlined the district’s blueprint for water reliability and ensure a sustainable, clean water supply. Treviño has also strongly advocated for the expansion of Upper Water’s robust recycled water system and community-based storm water capture projects across the district.

Previously, he served as a Government Affairs Representative for MWD (Metropolitan Water District), collaborating with the chairmen of the Senate and Assembly water committees on legislation to enhance the efficiency of the State Water Project. His efforts ensured the delivery of an adequate, reliable supply of affordable, high-quality water for Southern California and earned him legislative recognition for raising awareness of critical water issues and improving the quality of life for all Californians.

Charles Treviño – “I am honored to be a part of another AGZA Green Zone Certification project here in the City of South Pasadena. This nationally recognized certification helps consolidate sustainable land care to ensure the benefits of lower noise, emissions, and higher quality of life are achieved for the community.

Upper San Gabriel Water wants to support South Pasadena’s Holy Family Church’s AGZA Green Zone Certification Level 2 by working with Go Green Landscape and Design to qualify for water efficiency irrigation and vegetation for the church grounds. These efforts can result in an AGZA Level 3 rating which factors in irrigation, water wise landscape watering practices.”

The Water District will work with the City of South Pasadena and Holy Family Church in identifying water savings programs available to assist in continuing the mission of being good stewards of our most precious resources: WATER and AIR.