At WFM, we just happen to celebrate Team Member Appreciation Week during the same week as Earth Day, so at the Global office, it always turns into a great party. This year we enjoyed perfect Texas weather on the Plaza, complete with live music from Colin Gilmore, seed planting, face painting, cake and gelato eating….we held a trash art contest, played “Pin the Continent on Mother Earth” (in which Team Members donned a bandana, were twirled around a few times, and tried to pin all the continents to the correct geographical location on the map, ha!) and “Wheel of Waste” (in which Team Members spun the wheel and determined whether the selected item should be recycled, reused, composted, or thrown away). It was super FUN!

But I saved the best for last…for the second year in a row we held a voluntary pledge in honor of Earth Day. Last year, we had over 100 Team Members pledge to take the stairs, conserve energy, carpool, bring their own water bottles, etc.-in general, they pledged to become more conscious of the simple, daily things they could do to help the earth.

This year, we asked Team Members to take it one step further and give up their trash cans! “Think Trash Last” was the theme. We asked them to take the following things into consideration:

• Can I reuse? …use a SIGG bottle, drink from a reusable coffee mug, bring your own silverware and containers – skip the plastic silverware, re-use bulk bin/produce bags and containers!
• Can I recycle? …recycle glass, aluminum, #1,2 (& soon #5) plastics, paper, cardboard, batteries, electronics, etc.
• Can I compost? …compost uneaten food, soiled napkins, soup & salad bar containers…even gum.
• Can I buy better? …make some changes in my purchases that will eliminate the trash that I am producing…less packaging!

And guess what?! 77 brave souls gave up their trash cans. They are now having to pile their trash on their desk, which will force them to want to reduce the amount they generate, which will force them to re-think what they are buying, which will eventually eliminate more and more waste going to the landfill. We are making Earth Day every day, that’s for sure.

How green are your groceries? Take the “Conscious Consumption” Earth Month trivia quiz.

Don’t forget to join us for our live blog at 1pm CST today (Friday, April 24th).

We’re getting together to share ideas for ways to keep Earth Day going all year long. Kathy Loftus, nationally recognized green management expert and active member of Whole Foods Market’s Green Mission Team, will guide the chat.

Whether you are new to green living or have been on the bandwagon a long time, join us to share your questions and answers to how we can all work together to protect the world around us.

Read the replay here:

We know that our customers hold us to a higher standard than conventional stores. If you talk the talk, then you better be walking the walk. We agree. So, in case you missed the press coverage of our company’s big Earth Day announcement, here’s a recap. We set the environmental bar higher than ever before with our comprehensive energy commitment that more than triples the number of Whole Foods Market stores with solar panels, extends our 100% offset of any non-renewable electricity with wind energy, and provides for a significant investment in energy reduction by retrofitting existing stores with energy efficient lighting, equipment and mechanical components.

Here’s the breakdown:

Solar Power: 20 more stores will be powered by rooftop solar installations. Future rollout phases include plans for around 70 solar locations (about 1/4 of our total stores.)

Wind Power: We are continuing our 100% wind power offset; which brings our four-year total purchase to 2 million megawatt-hours of renewable energy credits from wind farms. This is the equivalent of the electricity used in more than 160,000 homes in one year. Read the rest of this entry »

Happy Earth Day! We know we have customers, team members and vendors who are dedicated to helping our planet. Give yourself a quick pat on the back for everything you’ve done in the last year to green your life and business!

Now that we’ve gotten that out of the way, let’s get together and share ideas for ways to keep Earth Day going all year long. We’ll host a live blog this Friday, April 24th, at 1:00pm CST.

Kathy Loftus, nationally recognized green management expert and active member of Whole Foods Market’s Green Mission Team, will guide the chat. Whether you are new to green living or have been on the bandwagon a long time, join us to share your questions and answers to how we can all work together to protect the world around us.

Sign up for a reminder for this event!

Earth Day is Wednesday, April 22. In celebration of our planet’s big day, why not take a moment to make a simple green resolution for the coming year?

Here’s mine: Bike to work at least once a week.
Full disclosure: The last time I owned a bike, it was a blue Schwinn with a hot pink basket and I was 10. Sadly, I’ve outgrown that bike. But now, after months of bugging my friends for bike recommendations and visiting all of the bike shops around town, I’ve narrowed down my choices and am finally ready to invest in an “adult” bike at last. By this Earth Day, I am determined to be a proud bike owner/commuter/road warrior at least once a week. Why not every day? After years of making (and always breaking) grandiose New Year’s resolutions, I’ve learned that the simple, realistic changes are the ones that really last.

Now it’s your turn. Tell us one simple green change you’re planning to make for Earth Day. Everyone who enters a comment on this post between now and April 30th will be entered to win a $25 Whole Foods Market gift card and a FEED 100 bag. The winner will be announced the first week of May in our Whole Story blog, so stay tuned!

And even if you don’t win the prizes, your green resolution efforts will be rewarded with a cleaner, greener, healthier planet for many Earth Days to come. Here’s to wishing you and yours a Merry Earth Day and a Happy Earth Year!

Check out more green ideas on our Whole Story blog. Visit our website for more Earth Month tips, trivia, contests and more.

Send this Earth Day Greeting to your friends! Share through Facebook. Digg It.

Ever felt guilty about forgetting your reuseable grocery bags and having to use a paper one instead? Well I certainly have! That’s why I’m excited to let you know that Whole Foods Market is the first national retailer to provide Forest Stewardship Council (FSC) certified paper bags at our checkout counters. This means we are reducing pressure on virgin forests and protecting biodiversity. Hopefully other retailers will follow our lead and the impact will be even greater! Read the rest of this entry »

How savvy are you about energy efficiency and renewables? Take the “Up for Renewal” Earth Month trivia quiz.

Which eco-friendly choices give power to the people? Take the “For the Greener Good” Earth Month trivia quiz.

Do you know enough to bring the 3Rs (Reduce, Reuse, Recycle) full circle? Take the “In the Loop” Earth Month trivia quiz.