Whole Planet Foundation Campaign Results

by fortlauderdale, April 9, 2009 | Permalink

Thank you to all of our customers and team members who donated to the Whole Planet Foundation campaign that we did from mid-February until the end of March.  As a result of your generosity the Florida region raised $143,166 and the Ft. Lauderdale store raised $8,302.  The funds the region raised will go to microloans that directly impact 755 people living in communities where we source products that our customers purchase. Thanks again to everyone who was involved in helping this great organization that helps people get a hand up, not a hand out. 

It’s Earth Month!

by fortlauderdale, April 4, 2009 | Permalink

April is Earth Month and here at Whole Foods Market Ft. Lauderdale we’re not only celebrating but we’re also passing along great information to our customers that will help the environment. 

We know that actions speak louder than words so here at the Ft. Lauderdale store we’re not only recycling the basics.  We’re also recycling #5 plastics.  #5 plastics (yogurt containers, medicine bottles, containers from our Prepared Foods department) generally aren’t recycled at curbsides and if they are, the plastics are often sold to foreign countries to be burned for energy, which isn’t great for the environment.  Our solution?  We work with Preserve on the Gimme 5 Program – we take your #5 plastics and send them to Preserve.  The plastics are turned into pellets and then transformed into new Preserve products.  How can you tell if something is a #5 plastic?  Just turn it over and look for a number 5 on the bottom.  Our Gimme 5 recycling bin is located at Customer Service so bring your #5 plastics back to the Ft. Lauderdale store and help save landfill space. 

We also want to encourage you to bring in your own bags to pack your groceries so we provide you with a 10 cent refund for every bag you bring and use to put your groceries in.  It helps save on paper bags and it’s a great way to celebrate the Earth all year long. 

On April 11 our store will be having an Earth Month Celebration from 11am to 3pm.  Our teams will be demo’ing products that use sustainable farming practices, are organic, are part of our Whole Trade Guarantee or are a local product.  Vendors scheduled to be in the store include Gaby’s Farm, Beeceuticals, and Kopali Organics.  The first 50 customers to come to our event that day will get a free reusable tote bag.  And the first 25 children ages 3 to 7 who go to customer service during our event will receive a special environmental goody bag (children must be present to receive the goody bag so don’t forget to bring all the kids!).  And stop by our Earth Friendly Trivia table.  When you come by for a trivia tidbit you can register to receive a gift basket filled with $100 worth of Earth friendly cleaning products (rules and regulations apply). 

On April 18 we’ll be at the Wildlife Care Center’s Walk for Wildlife at Quiet Waters Park.  It’s a great family event and a great way to support an organization that works to preserve natural Florida wildlife. 

Then there’s Earth Day, which is April 22.  The first 500 customers to go through our registers with their purchases that day will receive a free reusable tote bag (one tote per customer please).  And at 12pm that day we’ll be having a Lunch and Learn with the Broward County Waste & Recycling department.  They’ll be talking about why it’s important to recycle your electronics and how to do so in Broward County.  The cost is $5 and you’ll receive a sandwich, salad and drink.  That’s a deal you can’t beat!

So come by the Ft. Lauderdale store and help us celebrate Earth Month the all-natural way.