Valle Verde Retirement Community received Looking Good Santa Barbara’s Spirit of Service Award in recognition of its extensive waste reduction efforts.
“We are thrilled that the City of Santa Barbara has chosen Valle Verde for this wonderful award,” said Tim Wetzel, executive director of Valle Verde. “We worked hard on our campus-wide recycling and green-waste-to-mulch programs, so it feels great to be recognized. It is exciting to see the success of our Green Footprint program, and we are always looking at ways we can expand it.”
Over the last 10 years, Valle Verde Retirement Community has designed and implemented a Green Footprint program to decrease waste, reduce dependence on electricity, and improve air quality. The Green Footprint program includes:
» A natural gas bus for resident transportation
» Electronic medical center records
» Solar residential water heaters
» Reclaimed water for irrigation
» Drought tolerant and native plants
» Alternative transportation programs for employees and residents
» Built Green practices used in campus remodels
» Campus-wide recycling and waste reduction programs
» Mulched green waste
— Toby Ayars represents Valle Verde.