State Honors Gold Mine Natural Food Company

SAN DIEGO--Gold Mine Natural Food, a San Diego based retail mail order company was honored today by the California Integrated Waste Management Board for its commitment to sustainability and reuse. The Waste Board is the State's lead recycling and reuse agency, and a part of the California Environmental Protection Agency (Cal/EPA).

A dedicated user of the Waste Board's California Materials Exchange (CalMAX) program, Gold Mine was awarded the Board's annual CalMAX "Connection of the Year" award, which was presented by Waste Board Chair Linda Moulton-Patterson. San Diego Assembly Member Howard Wayne, City Council Member Brian Maienschein and Richard Hays, Director of Environmental Services for the City of San Diego joined in the ceremony.

"Gold Mine promotes reuse, recycling and composting at their place of business while saving money," said Moulton-Patterson. "This is smart business, environmentally and economically. It epitomizes the principles of reuse and recycling, which continue to put California at the forefront of resource and energy conservation nationwide."

Every year, the Waste Board pays tribute to a local business by awarding the CalMAX Connection award. Over the past 16 years, Jean Richardson, owner and founder of Gold Mine Natural Food of San Diego has incorporated her recycling and reuse ethic into all aspects of the company's operations.

Known for its Web site (www.ciwmb.ca.gov/CalMAX/) and quarterly "Waste-Not Want Ads" catalog, CalMAX provides an exhaustive list of surplus materials, allowing businesses, schools, and nonprofit organizations to locate and exchange materials instead of sending them to the landfill. Users can post either "available" or "wanted" ads for specific materials they have, or need.

Last year, CalMAX created more than 560 significant exchanges, moving in excess of 150,000 tons of surplus materials between a variety of businesses and institutions. Since its inception, CalMAX has helped save companies nearly $6 million in reduced procurement and avoided disposal costs, while helping communities divert hundreds of thousands of tons of waste from California landfills.

Gold Mine (www.goldminenaturalfood.com) began its reuse program in 1997 when the company placed a "wanted" listing in the CalMAX catalog for clean, reusable packing materials such as polystyrene and cornstarch peanuts, loosefill, clean shredded paper, and cardboard boxes. Since that time, the company has established several ongoing exchange relationships with local businesses. The Museum Company, one of many to respond to the CalMAX listing, now provides Gold Mine with a truckload of clean bubble wrap and packing peanuts monthly. Through CalMAX, Gold Mine annually receives 300 to 500 cubic yards of free packing materials.

Gold Mine ships 50 to 100 packages daily throughout the world. With the help of CalMAX, the company collects and reuses shipping cartons and packing materials collected from local businesses. These reuse and recycling efforts have reduced the company's waste generation by 50 percent, resulting in a $36,000 annual savings.

Local companies that provide packaging materials to Gold Mine benefit economically from this reuse program; they reduce both their trash disposal and labor costs associated with breaking down the boxes. Having recently relocated to a warehouse district near the Miramar Naval Base, Gold Mine Natural Food plans to promote this cooperative waste reduction strategy to other businesses.

Gold Mine Natural Food generates $1.3 million dollars in annual sales. Specialty items offered though this thriving mail order company include organic and heirloom foods, macrobiotic products from Japan, top-quality kitchenware, books, and natural personal care products.

Gold Mine's environmentally responsible philosophy is apparent throughout the company. For example, they print their catalog with soy-based inks on 100 percent postconsumer paper, purchase recycled-content office products, reuse and recycle paper products, and compost their organic waste. The California Integrated Waste Management Board has also acknowledged Gold Mine as a Waste Reduction Awards Program (WRAP) winner since 1994.

You can obtain more information about Gold Mine Natural Food Company by contacting Gary Cunningham, Warehouse Manager, at (800) 475-3663. The warehouse is located at 7805 Arjons Drive, San Diego, CA 92126.

The six-member Integrated Waste Management Board is responsible for protecting public health and safety and the environment through management of the estimated 66 million tons of solid waste generated in California each year. The Board works in partnership with local government, industry, and the public to reduce waste disposal and ensure environmentally safe landfills. California now diverts 42 percent of its solid waste away from disposal.

The Waste Board is one of six boards and departments within the California Environmental Protection Agency.

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