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Valle Verde Retirement Community, an American Baptist Homes of the West continuing care retirement community, has won its fifth consecutive Waste Reduction Award from California’s Department of Resources Recycling and Recovery (CalRecycle).
“We are very pleased that our Green Footprint program is working so well, and that CalRecycle has again recognized our continued environmental programs,” said Tim Wetzel, executive director of Valle Verde Retirement Community. “We have found that through our Green Footprint program we can improve our local environment, provide a nicer community for our seniors and save money.”
According to the CalRecyle, this year’s WRAP honorees “have diverted over 2.3 million tons of materials from landfills during 2010 and recorded more then $200 million in cost savings from their waste-reduction efforts.”
Valle Verde’s green efforts put it alongside other winners, such as Apple Inc., 20th Century Fox Film Corp., Loyola Marymount University and the San Diego Padres-PETCO Park.
Valle Verde’s Green Footprint program lowers energy and water consumption and produces photovoltaic energy through solar panels on covered walkways. With the use of solar electrical panels, Valle Verde can produce about 72,000 watts of electricity. In addition to solar electrical panels, Valle Verde has installed solar water heaters, high-efficiency boilers, low-flow toilets and showerheads, which have greatly reduced its utilities consumption.
During the past seven years, Valle Verde Retirement Community has created and expanded its campuswide green initiative and continues to reduce its dependence on electricity, decrease waste, improve air quality, compost green waste, use reclaimed water and buy local produce.
Valle Verde’s green initiative includes:
» Up to 85 percent of produce consumed on campus is purchased from local farms
» Electronic records in the medical center
» Reclaimed water usage for all irrigation
» Climate-sensitive irrigation controllers for minimal water usage
» Drought tolerant, native plants
» Campuswide recycling and waste reduction program
» Employee and senior resident alternative transportation programs
» Built Green practices on campus remodels
Valle Verde has received the following awards for its campuswide green initiative:
» CalRecycle Waste Reduction Award 2007, 2008, 2009, 2010 and 2011
» International Council on Active Aging 2010 Green Award
» City of Santa Barbara Solar Energy System Recognition Award & Certificate 2007, 2009 and 2011
» AAHSA Leading-Edge Care and Services Award 2008
» Central Coast Magazine Green Award Nominee 2008
» Santa Barbara Green Award 2007
Valle Verde Retirement Community has been located at 900 Calle de Los Amigos in Santa Barbara since 1966. It is a nonprofit retirement community committed to helping people live full, happy and long lives. Click here for more information, or call 805.883.4000.
— Toby Ayars is a publicist representing the Valle Verde Retirement Community.
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