Company recognized by the EPA for sixth consecutive quarter
Broomfield, Colo. (30 January, 2006) – WhiteWave Foods Company announced today that it has made the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency’s (EPA) list of Top 25 Green Power Partners. The company, which has been on the list quarterly since its inception in 2004, is being recognized for the contributions its Silk® and Horizon Organic® brands have made toward the development and use of renewable energy.
Both Silk and Horizon Organic offset 100 percent of the electricity used in manufacturing their products by buying wind energy Green Tags from Bonneville Environmental Foundation. Green Tags represent the real savings in carbon dioxide and other pollutants that occur when clean, renewable power replaces power produced from burning fossil fuels, including coal and natural gas, in the national electric grid.
With the Green Tags, both Silk and Horizon Organic match each kilowatt-hour of electricity used in production of their products with one new kilowatt-hour of wind energy. The combined result, almost 50,000 megawatt-hours of wind energy annually, is equivalent to the elimination of 35,000 tons of greenhouse gas emissions. That benefit is the same as taking nearly 7,000 cars off the road or planting more than 9,000 acres of trees each year.
"We are proud to be part of the Green Power Partnership," said Mike Keown, Senior Vice President of Marketing and Research & Development for WhiteWave Foods. "Silk and Horizon Organic are committed to renewable energy as part of WhiteWave Foods’ mission to be an environmentally responsible corporate citizen. Using renewable energy, such as wind power, is an important step in securing a sustainable future for our business and our planet.”
In 2005, Silk and Horizon Organic won the EPA Green Power Leadership Award for their commitment to, and ongoing promotion of, renewable energy. In addition to purchasing wind energy credits, Silk and Horizon Organic promote the use of green power on product packaging and online.
“WhiteWave Foods is providing an outstanding example of environmental leadership,” said Matt Clouse, director of the EPA’s Green Power Partnership. “Their actions are helping drive development of new renewable energy sources and further reducing greenhouse gas emissions normally associated with conventional electricity generation.”
Wind power is an affordable and inexhaustible energy source that does not cause pollution, generate waste, or deplete natural resources. It also has the potential to supply as much as 20 percent of the nation’s electricity; it currently represents less than two percent. For more information on wind energy and purchasing Green Tags, visit www.silksoymilk.com or www.horizonorganic.com
The U.S. EPA released its latest list of the nation’s Top 25 green power purchasers last week. The full list is available at www.epa.gov/greenpower/partners/top25.htm
About Silk
Launched in 1996, Silk Soymilk is the best-selling refrigerated soymilk brand in the country. Silk products deliver great taste and as much calcium as dairy milk, plus other essential vitamins and minerals for a healthy, active lifestyle. Silk is loaded with soy protein, which may reduce the risk of heart disease when consumed as a part of a diet low in saturated fat and cholesterol. Silk is available in virtually all major supermarket chains, with a number of varieties and flavors to meet specific tastes and nutritional needs. For more information, visit www.silksoymilk.com.
About Horizon Organic
Horizon Organic is the country's leading brand of certified organic milk and dairy products. Since offering its first organic product in 1991, Horizon Organic has remained committed to the long-term success of the organic community and the integrity of the organic standards. Today, more than 350 certified organic dairy farms nationwide supply the brand with organic milk produced without the use of harmful pesticides, antibiotics or added growth hormones. Horizon Organic products can be found in conventional supermarkets and natural food stores across the U.S. For more information, visit www.horizonorganic.com
About the U.S. EPA’s Green Power Partnership
The Green Power Partnership is a voluntary EPA program that seeks to increase the use of green power among leading U.S. organizations. Partners in the program switch to green power for a portion of their electricity needs in return for EPA technical assistance and recognition. The Green Power Partnership currently has more than 600 partners including Fortune 500 companies, states, federal agencies, trade associations and universities. For more information on green power, visit www.epa.gov/greenpower.
About BEF
The Bonneville Environmental Foundation, a non-profit organization, was established in 1998 to restore watershed ecosystems and further the development and use of new renewable energy resources. Through revenues generated from the sales of green power products, BEF funds projects that restore damaged watersheds and support new renewable energy projects from solar, wind and biomass. BEF pioneered the sale of Green Tags in 2000 and has helped establish national standards for certification and trading. Created by regional environmental groups and the Bonneville Power Administration, the Foundation operates collaboratively with but independent of both. More information is available on the web at
www.b-e-f.org.
