EPA awards WhiteWave Foods for efforts to use and advance green energy

DENVER The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency named WhiteWave Foods the 2008 Green Power Leadership Award winner at an event held in conjunction with the 2008 National Renewable Energy Marketing Conference in Denver, Colo. This is the fifth time the company has been recognized as the leader in purchasing green power in an effort to increase the use of renewable energy.

WWFC started buying renewable energy credits in 2003 for the manufacturing of Silk Soymilk. Today, the company uses these sustainability practices for its Horizon Organic, International Delight and Land O’Lakes, as well as at its corporate headquarters. WWFC combines wind energy and recycling to reduce its carbon footprint. Its wind energy purchases have saved 450 million pounds of greenhouse gas emissions annually, the equivalent of taking 40,200 cars off the road for one year. It also developed a recycling and composting program in 2006 that resulted in the equivalent of saving more than 328,000 gallons of water and planting approximately 800 trees.

Silk and Horizon Organic spread awareness of the benefits of green energy through consumer promotions, messages on their packaging and through their Web sites. The two brands have also purchased Renewable Energy Certificates (RECs, or Green Tags) for the past three years to offset the electricity used to power the convention centers that host the annual natural and organic products trade shows. For the past two years, they did the same with the annual Farm Aid concerts. WWFC also “greened” the University of Colorado?s football stadium through recycling, composting, the promotion of alternative transportation and replacing the electricity with renewable energy.

“Our nation is shifting to a ‘green culture,’ with more and more Americans understanding that environmental responsibility is everyone’s responsibility,” said EPA Administrator Stephen Johnson. “The EPA commends WhiteWave Foods Company for making a long-term commitment to protecting the environment by purchasing green power.”