C&S Wholesale Grocers

Food for Thought: C&S Wholesale Grocers Makes a Commitment to the Environment

Chances are, you’re a customer of C&S Wholesale Grocers, and you just might not know it. As the largest wholesale grocery supply company in the U.S., C&S supplies a supermarket near you with products ranging from seafood to soap. While C&S is making a big impact inside on store shelves, it is also making an impact outdoors by working with The Conservation Fund to address climate change and its forest supply chain by making investments in forests that result in healthy, resilient communities.

Challenges

Address the company’s environmental impact in a way that produces tangible results.
Create a more sustainable forest-based supply chain.
Enhance the communities where the company’s employees live.

Solutions

For more than a decade, C&S has partnered with the Fund to protect and restore forests in an effort to address climate change, create habitat for wildlife, engage employees and enhance communities. The company recently announced it would commit to a more sustainable forest-based supply chain. While C&S doesn’t use a lot of paper or make paper-based products or packaging, C&S transports large quantities of food and goods to its network of retailers across the country. Nearly everything it ships to a grocery store near you is stacked on wood pallets.

C&S worked with The Conservation Fund to measure its “forest footprint” for those pallets, and committed to offset a portion of that use by protecting responsibly managed forests. The timber sustainably harvested from these forests will help offset approximately 20,000 wood pallets.

“The willingness of C&S to forge new ground with forests demonstrates the company’s leadership and commitment to a sustainable forest supply chain. C&S has made a significant and lasting impact in the protection and restoration of forests across America, especially in states where it has operations and employees.”

—Jena Thompson Meredith, Vice President, Business Partnerships, The Conservation Fund

Results

Since 2007, C&S has contributed to the planting of more than 91,000 trees across 250 acres in national wildlife refuges in Louisiana, Missouri and Texas. Restoring these areas to their former forested glory benefits a range of animals like Louisiana black bear, American alligator and long-eared bat. Restored forests also help flood-prone communities within the Mississippi River basin by acting as natural sponges and soaking up excess water. Communities downstream of restoration areas not only stay drier, but they also get an economic boost resulting from enhanced public recreation opportunities.

Along the north coast of California, donations from C&S are enabling the sustainable management of Garcia River Forest. This 24,000-acre expanse of redwoods traps harmful greenhouse gases boosts the local timer economy, cleans water for downstream communities and shelters coho salmon, steelhead trout and Northern spotted owl.

Since announcing its commitment to protecting forest-based supply chains, C&S is helping conserve 8,700 acres of working forestland surrounding Success Pond in northeastern New Hampshire. Furthermore, with the ongoing production of responsibly harvested timber, the land will continue to support more than 20 local and regional jobs for loggers, truckers, foresters and road contractors, while providing timber to mills in New Hampshire, Maine and Canada.

C&S Wholesale Grocers’ commits to a more sustainable forest-supply chain with the ongoing conservation of Success Pond Forest. Located within the Mahoosuc Gateway Initiative, Success Pond is part of a broader conservation effort of 30,000 acres that includes protection of the Appalachian National Scenic Trail in New Hampshire’s North Country region, which is considered a scenic gateway between Maine and New Hampshire. Photo by John Van Hoesen.

Looking Forward

At C&S Wholesale Grocers, we make it a priority to give back in ways that make our employees proud and our communities stronger. We recognize that protecting the environment is a key area where we can make a meaningful difference. Our team is honored by the results we have achieved with The Conservation Fund over the past decade. Together with the Fund, our employees and business partners, we look forward to developing new ways to make lasting, positive impacts for conservation and communities across the U.S.”

—Gina Goff, Senior Director of Community Involvement at C&S Wholesale Grocers

Andy Kopp
Defying the Desert Odds

Longtime Go Zero donor and Navy veteran, Andy Kopp, spends half of his year driving his hybrid back and forth to work from his condo in the heart of downtown San Diego. The other half, however, is spent overseas where he works as an imagery analyst. Each year, he calculates his carbon footprint via Go Zero and donates to offset his emissions. "In the desert, so much turns into trash that has to be burned," he said. "Right next to me is a little plant that is defying the odds of its environment. Nature can push through a lot; the fight in that plant proves it. But considering the nature of human consumption, we all need to help as well. Go Zero does that by planting trees. That's why The Conservation Fund is so important. I'm proud of the work you do."

Photo: Andy Kopp

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A Ride to Remember
Mingo National Wildlife Refuge

A canoe trip down the Mingo River brings a smile to biologist Brad Pendley as he surveys the 110,000 new Go Zero seedlings at Mingo National Wildlife Refuge, which will provide new habitat to the federally endangered Indiana bat.

Photo courtesy U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service. Pictured: Brad Pendley
U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service
Champions of Conservation

With more than 150 million acres to manage, the team at the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service has dedicated their lives to science, habitat conservation and restoration. Support from Go Zero donors has helped the Fund plant nearly two million trees across 15 National Wildlife Refuges. As they grow, we'll lean on the 9,000 USFWS employees to steward, study and protect the budding forests.

Photo: Tom MacKenzie. Pictured (from left): Dan Ashe, Director and Cindy Dohner, Regional Director, Southeast Region, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Serivce
C&S Wholesale Grocers
Food for Thought

Do you know where your food comes from? Chances are, C&S Wholesale Grocers does. As the largest wholesale grocery supply company in the U.S., C&S is committed to reducing its carbon footprint when storing and shipping food from the farm to you—and that's making a difference in the air and on the ground. Over the past five years, they've helped Go Zero plant more than 35,700 trees across 118 acres, providing habitat (and food!) for ducks and bears.

Photo: Mark Corliss. Pictured: (back row, left to right) Brandon Clark and Trent Griffith and (front row, left to right) Bob Dimezza, Keith Rounds and Mike Rogers.
Dell
Small Change, Big Results

What does it take to become one of the greenest technology companies on the planet? In part, support from thousands of customers who care. Since 2007, Dell customers have donated more than $2.3 million to the company's Plant a Tree program, which benefits Go Zero. Small change can have big results; it’s only $2 to offset the CO₂ emissions of your notebook. Already, Dell and its customers have helped Go Zero plant 186,000 seedlings from Texas to Louisiana.

Photo courtesy Dell. Pictured (from left): Sarah Gilliam and Kelly McCarthy

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Grand Cote National Wildlife Refuge
Duck, Duck, Goose

Nestled between the central and Mississippi flyways, Grand Cote National Wildlife Refuge is a haven for wintering waterfowl, especially Northern pintail. Go Zero donors have helped to restore 427 acres here (about half the size of New York's Central Park) with more than 120,000 oak, sycamore and pecan trees that provide food and shelter for ducks, including mallards, wood ducks and green-winged teal.

Photo: Dexter Soileau. Pictured (from left): Paul Provence, Wildlife Biologist; Bradley Bordelon, Deputy Project Leader; Brett Wehrle, Project Leader. Heroes of Go Zero sign created by Zoe and Jean-Pierre Bordelon.

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Lake Ophelia National Wildlife Refuge
Forests Are Nature’s Sponges

Go Zero helps restore marginal agriculture fields back to native forest. The benefits? Forestland stabilizes top soil and slows the rate of runoff, helping to protect downstream communities from flooding. Restoration of native forestland also cleans the water in our rivers and streams which benefits wildlife and people alike.

Photo: Sean Gardner
Momentum Group
Weaving in the Wilderness

Momentum Group, a textile manufacturer in Irvine, CA, is weaving a path toward environmental sustainability--in its business practices and in the products it offers--from its solar powered headquarters to investing in research and development of innovative environmentally sustainable textiles and materials. Momentum is also offsetting 100% of the CO₂ emissions from its operations. As a part of that effort, the company has offset 1,635 tons of CO₂ through donations to Go Zero. Now, over 1,360 trees have become part of the tapestry of wilderness at the Lake Ophelia National Wildlife Refuge in Louisiana

Photo courtesy Momentum Group

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Our Kids!
Let’s Move (Outside!)

The budding Go Zero forests, spanning over 6,300 acres, offer kids new places to explore, climb, collect ladybugs or enjoy the simple beauty of a walk in the woods. We give cheers to all the heroes out there helping our nation's children fall in love with the great outdoors.

Photo: Morgan Lane Studios/iStockphoto.com
The North Face
Never Stop Exploring

Exploration and adventure can sometimes leave a footprint on our planet, but the staff at The North Face knows the size of that footprint doesn't have to be huge. Each year, they offset 100% of their U.S. headquarters employees’ business travel and daily commutes through Go Zero. The result? More than 100 acres are now protected and restored—primed and waiting for future adventure seekers like Todd.
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The North Face

Ain't no mountain high enough to keep Adam Mott, manager of corporate sustainability program at The North Face, above base camp when it comes to climate change. Their goal is to protect the places where North Face products are used. That includes nearly 100 acres of North Face forest through donations to Go Zero in Louisiana.

Photo: Aaron Kehoe/The North Face. Pictured: Adam Mott, Corporate Sustainability Manager, The North Face
Laguna Atascosa National Wildlife Refuge
A Texas Wildcat

The elusive, solitary ocelot is the rarest cat in the United States. The Texas subspecies is federally endangered—the few remaining ocelots can be found in the southern most section of Texas, including the Laguna Atascosa National Wildlife Refuge, where Go Zero helped restore 175 acres for this feline to stalk and prowl.

Photo: Graeme Purdy/iStockphoto.com
Upper Ouachita National Wildlife Refuge
A River Runs Through It

The restoration of 2,600 acres with nearly 800,000 trees at Upper Ouachita NWR is part of the largest ongoing floodplain restoration project in the nation. With help from the biologists, foresters and managers working at Upper Ouachita NWR, the left side of the river will soon resemble the healthy bottomland hardwood forest on the right.

Photo courtesy U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service
Philadelphia Eagles
Field Goals For Forests

Even in the off season, the Philadelphia Eagles are training to save their energy and leave a lighter footprint on and off the field. Each year they work with Go Zero to measure and then offset the CO₂ emissions associated with team travel. They also work with Go Zero to offset fan travel for select games and attendee travel for special events. These efforts are game changers for birds, especially the bald eagle, which now has 3,800 new trees for roosting thanks to the Eagles' donations to Go Zero.

Photo: Tom Brennan for Philadelphia Eagles
Travelocity
Travel For Good

When you book with Travelocity, you can help zero out the greenhouse gas emissions created by your trip via a contribution to Go Zero. Travelocity's Travel for Good program is helping to protect the places travelers love to visit—more than 26,000 trees at seven national wildlife refuges thus far.

Photo: Lisa Longenecker, Travelocity. Pictured (from left): Jillian Melton, Montserrat Zarco, The Roaming Gnome, Hedish Connor and Tammy Gorman
U-Haul
Moving Sustainability Forward

One Million. That's how many U-Haul customers have opted to become Heroes of Go Zero by donating to offset their moves at checkout. Thanks to support from the U-Haul team nationwide, those donations have topped $3.3 million and planted nearly 330,000 trees at six national wildlife refuges.

Photo: Brigitte Bavousett. Pictured: Shawna Session, Amanda Hill, Elaine Gutierrez, Teresa Baca (upper left); Jon Denowh (middle left); Adam Weeby (bottom left); Lucien Sahali (center); Jeremy Donohue, Susan Howell, Sperry Hutchison II (uper right); Jacqueline Perkins, Tina Vu, Leilany Halim (mddle right); Rod Baldwin, Pamela Coon (bottom right)

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United Talent Agency
Making Forests Famous

Are you ready to walk the green carpet? Thanks to the support of the United Talent Agency, forests and climate change are playing leading roles in the entertainment industry. As UTA works to reduce its carbon footprint with Go Zero, more than 2,100 seedlings have sprouted across seven acres.

Photo courtesy United Talent Agency. Pictured (from left): Andy Hanson, Chelsea Antin, Gus Hickey, Blair Eberdt, Carmen Williams, Jonathan Levy, Max Silva, Melanie Mousazadeh.

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World Class Charters, Inc.
Forests in Flight

Catherine Smith, CEO of World Class Charters Inc., has a bird's eye view of forest loss—and so do her clients. That's why WCCI's customers make donations to Go Zero when they use her charter flight service to help lighten the impact of air travel. Already, WCCI's customers have helped to plant nearly 5,000 trees across 16 acres.

Photo: Heather Cavallaro. Pictured: Catherine Smith, CEO, World Class Charters Inc.
UPS
Destination Reforestation

UPS loves logistics. And they are pretty fond of trees too. The Conservation Fund created a "test drive" carbon calculator for UPS employees to measure their carbon footprint and determine how many Go Zero trees would need to be planted to zero out that footprint as the trees mature. Thankfully, UPS employees do more than just calculate their impact. They are also helping their customers achieve meaningful results in carbon impact reductions. Additionally, through the UPS carbon neutral program, the company has funded a select set of CO₂ offset projects, including The Conservation Fund's Garcia River Forest in Northern California. Jessica Scrace with UPS joined The Conservation Fund's Jordan Golinkoff at the Garcia River Forest to demonstrate how foresters measure the circumference of a redwood tree to estimate the amount of carbon it stores.

Photo: Russ Ensley. Pictured (from left): Jessica Scrace UPS and Jordan Golinkoff, The Conservation Fund.
MaCher
Making (Greener) Things Happen

The creative staff at MaCher takes small steps every day to find innovative ways to save time, energy and their clients' money. MaCher works with Go Zero to reduce its carbon footprint and offset its operating emissions every year. Now that's a bright idea!

Photo courtesy Macher. Pictured (from left): Pedro Nava, Jamila Jackson, Skylla Jones, Betsy Kaufman, Heather Haas, Thalassa Tam, Alex Roncal, Peta Russell, Carolyn Hinojos, Terry Villanueva, Hannah Mitchell, Erica Lastufka, Annette Levy, Cindy Lou, Sandra Volpe, Lauren Crabtree, Lynne Bozajian, Wendy Skolfield, Derek Hydon

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