New Ideas CityHello Museum

Urban Growth

At Whole Foods Market, we understand that companies can have a large impact on our environment. We were the first major retailer to offset 100 percent of our energy use with wind energy credits and we’re glad to see that some of the world’s largest retailers are following the examples we’ve set in green construction and building design, the use of solar power, company-wide recycling and composting, the banning of plastic bags, and support for organics. When more companies take green steps, we all win. We are especially proud of our pioneering composting program. Spoiled produce and other compostable waste from our stores that used to go into landfills is now being backhauled by our delivery trucks to regional facilities where it is turned into compost. We then donate it to community gardens or sell it in our stores, reducing our landfill waste by up to seventy-five percent.

Thanks to urban composting initiatives and farm-to-table advocacy from organizations such as Just Food, it’s become increasingly easy for New York City residents to participate in the composting process and reap the benefits for household plants and community vegetable gardens. It’s exciting to imagine all the untapped growing potential across the five boroughs simply by reducing, reusing, and recycling.