6/2/2008 - Napa Valley, CA-In keeping with the Napa Valley Vintners' (NVV) leadership role in green and sustainable practices in the vineyard and the winery, the non-profit trade association has now increased its efforts to make its community fundraiser, Auction Napa Valley, The American Wine Classic, a model of green event management.
The comprehensive plan involves a three-pronged plan of attack: reducing materials produced for the event (precycling); composting or recycling a minimum of 75% of the waste (including food) generated during the event; and mitigating the amount of traffic created by the event. It has also encouraged its more than 300 member wineries to do the same for their events by providing green resource and event checklists.
Materials reduction efforts included significantly reducing the number of printed materials through the use of electronic media or signage; replacing individual plastic bottles of water usually offered to guests with large, refillable water crocks or carafes; and designing materials to be useable for several years instead of being specific to one year's event.
While Auction Napa Valley has recycled glass, paper and plastic for years, it was unable to compost food waste. But by developing a pilot food waste compost program with Napa County's Upper Valley Disposal over the past year, and requiring all food vendors to reduce and only use certified compostable cups, utensils, plates and napkins, the event will be able to significantly increase its waste diversion rate. The NVV has also set up a system with ReCork America to recycle all the wine corks pulled during the event - which total in the thousands.
With the number of guests, vintners and volunteers involved in hosting the world's most successful charity wine auction, traffic was also concern, particularly for the Friday Taste Napa Valley event. The NVV has secured shuttle transportation for local guests coming from the Valley's largest population center, the town of Napa; worked with area hotels to provide shuttles to and from the event for attendees from out of town; and provided carpooling incentives to its hundreds of vintner members, guests and volunteers.
"It's been exciting and gratifying to see how our vintners, vendors, volunteers and community members really came together and took the goal of 'reduce, reuse and recycle' to heart," said Auction Napa Valley 2008 Chair Kathleen Heitz Myers of Heitz Wine Cellars, "especially as we celebrate the 40th anniversary of the Napa Valley Agricultural Preserve, the first-ever ag preserve in the U.S. It reinforces our commitment to preserving and enhancing the Napa Valley for future generations."
"With such a high-profile, world-renowned event such as this, it only made sense that we set an example, and provide resources for our members and for other events as well. These green efforts ultimately benefit our community and offer long-term benefits to Napa Valley, this is very much in keeping with the spirit of Auction Napa Valley," said Pat Stotesbery, president of the NVV's Board of Diretors.
The Napa Valley Vintners
Now in our seventh decade, the Napa Valley Vintners (NVV) non-profit trade association is the sole organization responsible for promoting and protecting the Napa Valley Appellation as a winegrowing region second to none in the world. Respect for our history reinforces our commitment to the preservation and enhancement of the Valley's land, wine, and community for future generations. We address the shared interests of our more than 300 member wineries and aspire to be the essential organization for all Napa Valley vintners.
Read more about the NVV's Napa Green Programs
Contact: Terry Hall, Communications Director 707-968-4217 thall@napavintners.com
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