Not only does the Food Bank help people, we help the environment.

The Food Bank is proud to be “Green”. Here is what we do:  

• Recycle paper, plastic, aluminum and cardboard (we sell the cardboard to raise additional money to purchase food with).
• Recycle plastic bags that food from food drives come in
• Recycle paper bags that food from food drives come in – if the bag is not ripped we reuse the bags at some food distributions. If the bag is ripped, it gets recycled.
• Solar panels on the roof of our Concord Warehouse which reduces the electric bill to a very small amount. Learn more about our solar panels.
• Provide fresh produce which cannot be given to humans to the Oakland Zoo for the animals, Loma Vista Farm and Garden in Vallejo (www.lomavistafarm.org) and a pig farm in Knightsen. The produce has broken open, has cuts in it or major bruises and does not follow Public Health Department distribution standards. However, the zoo keepers will cut up the produce and add it to the meals for the animals. This reduces our garbage bill and provides a use for otherwise discarded produce.

The Food Bank staff and volunteers are always looking for new way to be even more environmental. We need to help feed our community but we also owe it to our community to be a responsible business partner.