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Sierra Nevada Businesses Earn State Environmental Awards: 13th
annual Waste Reduction Awards Program honors 12 local companies
SACRAMENTO—For outstanding commitment to environmental protection, 12
businesses and nonprofit organizations in Amador, Calaveras, Mariposa,
Mono, and Tuolumne counties are being honored by the state’s 2005
Waste Reduction Awards Program (WRAP). The annual
awards are sponsored by the California Integrated Waste Management Board
to recognize environmentally friendly business practices that include
recycling, conservation, waste reduction, materials diversion and reuse,
and more.
Local winners include The Arc of Amador and Calaveras, Southern
California Edison, DNC Parks and Resorts at Yosemite, Inc., Safeway,
Inc., and others. Cumulatively, this year’s WRAP honorees have diverted
nearly 1.8 million tons of materials from California landfills through
excellent resource management and recycling. In addition, their waste
reduction efforts have saved well over $149 million in operating costs.
"Stewardship of the environment is a commitment that affects every
Californian and we are more than pleased to honor these dedicated
businesses for all they are doing to reduce the waste they create in the
course of providing jobs, goods, and services," Board Chair Rosario
Marin said. "We congratulate and thank them for every ton of material
recycled, every surplus item donated, and every creative solution they
have put to work to reduce what they send to our crowded landfills.
Their environmental leadership is an inspiration to companies
statewide."
More than half of the waste generated in California comes from the
business sector. The voluntary efforts of businesses and nonprofits to
prevent waste and reduce disposal is key to helping cities and counties
meet mandated waste diversion goals. Statewide, 1,870 WRAP Awards will
be made this year. Since the program’s inception in 1993, over 13,870
WRAP awards have been made, with many companies winning the award for
multiple years.
Detailed information about
all WRAP winners in Amador, Calaveras, Mariposa, Mono, and
Tuolumne counties,
as well as statewide, is available online from the Board.
Now in its 13th year, the Waste Reduction Awards Program is open to
private industry and nonprofit organizations throughout California and
provides recognition for exemplary and model business practices to
prevent and reduce waste, recycle, reuse materials, and send less to
landfills. Companies of all sizes and from every industry are encouraged
to enter the annual competition.
The Arc of Amador and Calaveras (Sutter Creek, Amador County)
The Arc of Amador and Calaveras recently adopted an Environmental policy
in expanding their efforts to be a community leader in recycling and
waste reduction efforts. The Arc is a nonprofit organization serving
people with developmental disabilities. The Arc has been involved in
recycling efforts since the early 1990s, and was initially recognized
for their waste reduction efforts back in 1994 when they received a Take
Pride in California Award for pioneering recycling efforts at several
parks managed by East Bay Municipal Utilities District. Since receiving
this prestigious award, The Arc has expanded both their in-house and
community recycling efforts. Arc management estimates that the
organization was instrumental in diverting over 3.7 tons of (in-house)
material from local landfills in the past year alone.
Southern California Edison (throughout the region and in Mono
County)
Today's Southern California Edison (SCE) is the product of more than a
century of providing reliable electric service to some of the most
dynamic areas of Central and Southern California. SCE is one of the
largest electric utilities in the United States and the largest
subsidiary of Edison International. SCE provides electric service to 12
million individuals in 835 cities and communities. SCE serves 4.6
million customer accounts, including 285,000 commercial, industrial, and
non-profit customers in thriving areas of Central and Southern
California. SCE helps its customers get the most for their energy
dollars, and even earn rebates, through SCE's award winning energy
efficiency programs. As a part of SCE's commitment to environmental
protection, the electric power SCE provides its customers includes more
alternate and renewable energy from a greater variety of resources than
nearly any other utility in the world. SCE has been active in improving
Southern California air quality since the 1940s. In 1993, Edison
initiated its "Waste-Not" recycling program that focuses on waste
prevention, green purchasing, reuse, and recycling. SCE recycles paper,
cardboard, compost material, glass, plastic, metal and wood. In 2004,
SCE generated 44,700 tons of waste material, and over 80% of these were
recycled. SCE saved $6.5 million in solid waste hauling fees at 79
California facilities by recycling.
DNC Parks and Resorts at Yosemite, Inc. (Yosemite, Mariposa County)
DNC Parks & Resorts at Yosemite is a medium-sized company which is under
contract with the National Park Service to operate facilities in
Yosemite National Park, including warehousing, transportation, guest
recreation, maintenance, lodging, and food and beverage facilities. In
2004, DNC recycled 567 tons and diverted another 857 tons, approximately
24 and 38 percent, respectively, of the waste generated from the
facilities. DNC's waste diversion programs incorporate recycling, reuse,
organic waste diversion, educational programs and green purchasing
practices. Cost savings through their waste diversion was $97,580 in
2004. The waste diversion program has made it possible for Yosemite
National Park to become a leader in waste reduction. This business is
also a 'WRAP of the Year' honoree from the year 2000.
Safeway, Inc. (located throughout California)
Safeway is one of the largest retail grocery companies in North
America. With more than 211,000 employees, the company operates 557
California stores in its Vons and Northern California Divisions. Vons
has conducted a composting program for green waste at its stores since
1995. This program has been expanded into Safeway's Northern California
Division. The company reports significant savings have resulted from
reducing their waste disposal and landfill costs. Last year, the two
divisions diverted 210,926 tons from landfill disposal through
composting and recycling. In addition, Safeway’s recycling programs
divert other materials from landfills, such as corrugated cardboard,
plastic, meat waste, metal, paper, and glass. For 2005, the company has
also been designated as a 'WRAP of the Year' honoree.
The 'WRAP of the Year' award is a special distinction made from among
hundreds of outstanding businesses that earn WRAP awards from the
State’s Integrated Waste Management Board each year. For their
leadership and model waste reduction efforts, a total of 95 businesses
have received the special designation of 'WRAP of the Year.'
The California Integrated Waste Management Board is the State’s
leading authority on recycling and waste reduction. It promotes a zero
waste California in partnership with local government, industry, and the
public. This means reducing waste whenever possible, promoting the
management of all materials to their highest and best use, and
protecting public health and safety and the environment. |
