Waste Management celebrates Earth Day with commitment to plant trees

Team members at Waste Management in Tehachapi are celebrating Earth Day every day by personally pledging to live more sustainably at home, at work and on the go.

In honor of every pledge made, WM is partnering with the National Forest Foundation and Tree Canada to plant trees across North America.

“We set a goal to plant 50,000 trees, representing our team’s collective commitments to the environment. We want to be part of the solution by providing a tangible benefit to the environment that lasts 365 days a year and beyond,” said Waste Management of Southern California Spokesperson Mary Hartley. “The impact yielded from trees planted, combined with our team members’ combined efforts to live more sustainably, will extend beyond our lifetime.”

WM Teammates in Tehachapi made the following pledges to make every day Earth Day:

• Plan out meals before going to the grocery store to reduce food waste.

• Donate gently used clothing and household items to someone in need.

• BYOB - bring your own (reusable grocery) bag to conserve paper and plastic.

• Maintain vehicles for fuel efficiency.

• Use natural lighting in the home as much as possible instead of turning on the lights.

• Stay mindful of keeping unused appliances/devices unplugged and powered off.

• Walk, ride a bike, carpool or take public transportation whenever possible.

• Set-up a backyard compost.

• Encourage multi-family complexes to order WM’s Recycle Right Reusable Tote Bag for all personal units to easily transport recyclables to the main bin.

“Environmental protection is one of our core values at WM. We are always working for a sustainable tomorrow which is why our overarching environmental goal is to reduce greenhouse gas emissions (GHG) while protecting the environment and avoiding and offsetting even more GHG,” said Hartley. “As an environmental solutions leader, we are on track to attain our environmental goals. But it’s more than that to us. This Earth Day we’re highlighting our personal commitments and our dedication to environmental change by demonstrating simple promises that will make a difference.”

Trees are a solution since forests are the most efficient natural system for pulling carbon dioxide out of the atmosphere. By working with National Forest Foundation and Tree Canada, the right trees will be planted in the right places to protect our tomorrow while aligning with WM’s 2038 goal to reduce four times the GHG emissions we generate through our operations.

Read WM’s 2020 Sustainability Report at sustainability.wm.com/downloads/WM_2020_SR.pdf for additional examples that showcase a commitment to continuous improvement. The report includes stories that describe how WM and its stakeholders Build Value Together - one way to make every day Earth Day.

About Waste Management

Waste Management, based in Houston, Texas, is the leading provider of comprehensive waste management environmental services in North America, providing services throughout the United States and Canada. Through its subsidiaries, the Company provides collection, transfer, disposal services, and recycling and resource recovery. It is also a leading developer, operator and owner of landfill gas-to-energy facilities in the United States. The Company’s customers include residential, commercial, industrial, and municipal customers throughout North America. To learn more information about Waste Management, visit http://www.wm.com.