Photo Doug Kohen

What is white and green and wears roller skates? Leola Moola, of course - the fiberglass cow that represents the first Green Cow Certified business in Lafayette. She was the center of attention at the recent launch party celebrating environmentally friendly Urban Suburban, though clearly her fame hadn't gone to her large head. Look for her to make appearances at other Green Cow Certified businesses as the program gains momentum.

She spends most of her time at Urban Suburban, a car repair company on Mt. Diablo Boulevard, and doesn't seem to mind her role as the poster girl of the program that identifies green businesses that give back to the community. Residents may have seen her, along with her wrangler Rene Aguirre, decked out in a pink tutu at the Reservoir Run or the Farmers' Market. Plans are in the works to post her out front of the "charity of the month" and at local hotspots.

"Green Cow Certified is a rating system designed to inform the local community you care about the community you are in," said Krysten Laine. Qualifications include giving back through donations, participating in community events or fundraising, adopting green practices at work, and being located in Lafayette. Both Laine and husband Aguirre, President and Owner of Urban Suburban, believe in supporting the local economy and taking steps to live a less environmentally impactful lifestyle.

The Chamber of Commerce Green Committee, in partnership with Sustainable Lafayette, seeks to make residents aware of environmentally friendly businesses, products and services in Lafayette with their Green Shopping Guide. The Urban Suburban team wanted to take it one step further - adopting green practices and giving back to the community.

Residents may have also seen a distant cousin of Leola, a large SUV with a similar two-tone paint job, green wheels and horns on the hood used to pick up and drop off customers. When asked how the heifer got her unique name, Aguirre replied, "She was named after my Grandma Leola, who grew up on a farm - pioneer stock. She would just laugh (at her namesake); she had a great sense of humor."