Ways to Save Earth

Select an organization and get involved with it. Explore the links on the various sites. Volunteer and/or donate money to at least one environmental or wildlife rights group on a regular basis. Many of these organizations operate on small budgets. Even small donations help.

Get Whole Foods Market to "grow green."

Landscaped soil roofs, or "green roofs," provide coolness in the summer, and hold heat inside a structure in the winter, reducing heating and cooling costs. Green roofs absorb air pollution while putting forth oxygen. They absorb city and traffic noise, and help filter rainwater. They also provide terrain for local wildlife, such as birds. Covered with native wildflowers a green roof provides food for bee and butterfly populations, which are on the decline throughout the world - threatening both biodiversity and our food supply.

Whole Foods Market has approximately 195 stores in North America and the UK, and many more stores either under construction or in the planning stages. Consider how many acres of land those stores cover. Many of those stores are over 50,000 square feet. Consider that the roofs of all of those WFM stores are essentially dead zones where nothing grows. The roofs and their accompanying parking lots create "heat islands" and contribute to global warming. The company states on its web site that they are "committed to sustainable agriculture," and that is nice. But it is time for them to get committed to sustainable buildings with green roofs, and parking lots with hanging gardens from their lamps, which can also support solar panels.

Why am I targeting Whole Foods Market for this campaign to green the roofs of commercial structures when there are dozens of other store chains? Because WFM is more likely to do it than any other company, and because, as a company that controls billions of dollars, they can. Their company web site states that, "We believe companies, like individuals, must assume their share of responsibility as tenants of Planet Earth." Growing green would show that they are in fact truly committed to a better planet. It would reduce the "heat island effect" that large roofs create.

Please write to Whole Foods Market CEO John Mackey to encourage his company to be the example to chain stores everywhere by covering their stores with living green roofs. John Mackey's address:

John Mackey, CEO
National Office
Whole Foods Market
550 Bowie Street
Austin, TX
78703-4677

512.477.4455 phone
512.477.5566 phone
512.482.7000 fax

And also, please send an email to John Mackey by accessing: Whole Foods > Contact

Landmark growing green companies:

• The Ecover biodegradable cleaning products company in Belgium installed a green roof on their factory in 1992.
• Ford Motor Company installed a 10.4 acre green roof on their truck plant in Dearborn, Michigan.
• The city of Chicago installed a green roof on their city hall in 2001.

Chain stores and office buildings need to start doing the same.

To find out more, access:

• Earth Pledge Green Roofs Initiative
• Emory Knoll Farms
• Green Grid Roofs
• Green Roof Directory
• Green Roofs for Healthy Cities
• Greening Gotham
• RoofScapes Inc.