CALIFORNIA (July 14, 2011 - Pasadena-Star News)—U.S. Foodservice, one of the nation's leading foodservice distributors, has long promoted a culture of conservation and sustainability. This week, the company's Los Angeles-area facility in La Mirada flipped the switch on a 1.15-megawatt solar system that's expected to provide 16 percent of the facility's annual power needs.
The system - most of which is roof-mounted on the 400,000-square-foot U.S. Foodservice-Los Angeles building - consists of nearly 5,000 solar panels.
"Our entire corporation has a social responsibility code that includes building sustainable projects and creating stronger relationships in our communities," said Gene Steffes, division president for U.S. Foodservice-Los Angeles. "We've been doing this as a company for years. We started the solar program last year and this is our second facility that has it."
The company's goals, according to Steffes, are to safeguard the environment, minimize waste, conserve resources, recycle materials and provide customers with environmentally preferable products.
The U.S. Foodservice-Los Angeles division is a certified green business facility that is also celebrating its 100th anniversary this year.
"We received the green certification through a number of actions, including recycling and waste control," Steffes said. "We have also reduced the amount of fuel we use in our trucks with more efficient engines and reduced idle time."
Read more on the Pasadena-Star News website: http://www.pasadenastarnews.com/ci_18471204
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