REDONDO BEACH, Calif., April 22 /PRNewswire/ -- As part of an Earth Day celebration and its ongoing commitment to the environment, Vons announced today that it is donating 500 tons of organic compost to qualifying Southern California parks, schools and community gardens. The compost has a retail value of $75,000, and was generated entirely through a Vons program to compost excess produce and other organic-based items at its supermarkets throughout Southern California. Joined by Congresswoman Jane Harman, Vons kicked off the program at the 6th Annual Earth Day Festival hosted by the Los Angeles Conservation Corps (LACC) SEA Lab and the City of Redondo Beach.
"Vons has always been dedicated to creating clean, green and healthy communities and we are proud to have pioneered our composting program more than ten years ago," said Tom Keller, Vons President. "We are thrilled to partner with our local neighborhoods and organizations like the Los Angeles Conservation Corps to help make the most of our programs so that they benefit communities in a meaningful way."
Each year, Vons and parent company Safeway recycle nearly 100,000 tons of usable produce and green waste to produce high quality organic compost for garden fertilization. Unlike many commercial fertilizers that can include sewer sludge and animal manure, Vons uses only produce trimmings, organic packaging, and discarded perishable products such as baked goods, floral items and dairy products.
The program expansion comes after a recent donation of nearly 20 tons of compost to the Sepulveda Garden, a 16-acre community garden in Encino, and Mount Gleason Middle School in Sunland. Vons is partnering with the Los Angeles Conservation Corps to make compost available to qualifying charitable organizations through the end of the year. As a free, environmentally friendly alternative to traditional fertilizer, the compost will improve soil fertility, texture, and aeration; increase soil's water-holding capacity; and stimulate healthy root development in plants.
"By making and using compost, this program is a great way for kids to help make every day earth day," said LACC Executive Director Bruce Saito. "We are proud our partnership with Vons is moving forward to create a new generation of environmental leaders."
The composting program is part of a comprehensive recycling effort by Vons that has reduced the amount of waste it sends to landfills by nearly 90 percent over the past decade -- diverting enough waste from Southern California landfills to fill a line of trucks stretching from City Hall to Disneyland. In 2005 Vons and Safeway also recycled more than 300,000 tons of corrugated cardboard, nearly 8,500 tons of plastic materials, and 30,000 tons of additional food waste unsuitable for composting annually.
For its commitment to recycling, Safeway received the 2005 WRAP (Waste Reduction Award Program) award for all stores in California. This recognizes extraordinary efforts and results in waste reduction. The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) also recognized Safeway's commitment to using renewable "green" energy to power its nationwide fuel stations and Pleasanton corporate offices. In January 2006, the EPA named Safeway among the Top 25 Renewable Energy Users for purchasing 78 million kilowatt hours of wind power, making the company the largest buyer of renewable energy in California and one of the top 25 purchasers in the country.
For more information on Vons' composting program or to apply for compost, please call the Vons Public Affairs line at (626) 821-7291.
About Vons
Vons, which this year is celebrating 100 years of service, is a division of Safeway Inc. Safeway Inc. is a Fortune 50 company and one of the largest food and drug retailers in North America based on sales. The company operates 1,775 stores in the United States and Canada and had annual sales of $38.4 billion in 2005. The company's common stock is traded on the New York Stock Exchange under the symbol SWY.
About the Los Angeles Conservation Corps (LACC)
The primary mission of the Los Angeles Conservation Corps is to provide at-risk young adults and school-aged youth with opportunities for success by providing them with job skills training, education and work experience with an emphasis on conservation and service projects that benefit the community. A community-based nonprofit, the LACC has engaged over 20,000 young people in improving the quality of life across greater L.A. over the past 20 years. Their SEA Lab is a community supported, hands-on coastal science education center in Redondo Beach, offering free and low-cost programs including beach explorations, touch tank tours and coastal conservation activities.
