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    Home»Sedona»Manzanita Outreach Leads the Way in Sustainable Business Practices
    Sedona

    Manzanita Outreach Leads the Way in Sustainable Business Practices

    October 26, 2023No Comments
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    Manzanita Outreach Executive Director Ben Burke and Warehouse & Distribution Manager Jimmie Treakle pose with over 200 excess pallets collected from Manzanita operations. Manzanita volunteers and staff upcycle pallets and cardboard to create shade structures, raised garden beds, and composting bins.
    Manzanita Outreach Executive Director Ben Burke and Warehouse & Distribution Manager Jimmie Treakle pose with over 200 excess pallets collected from Manzanita operations. Manzanita volunteers and staff upcycle pallets and cardboard to create shade structures, raised garden beds, and composting bins.
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    Verde Valley News – This week, Manzanita Outreach earned the status of Gold Level
    Certified Sustainable Business by the Verde Valley Regional Economic Organization. Only four other Verde
    Valley organizations have this designation, and Manzanita is the only one outside of Sedona and the Village of
    Oak Creek with this Gold Level status.

    “Some of what makes Manzanita different is our holistic view of creating food security, which is our primary
    goal,” said Dave Stabenfeldt, Vice Chair of Manzanita’s Board of Directors. “If we want a more resilient,
    sustainable, and food-secure region, we’re going to need to support local agriculture. Much of our sustainability
    is simply being smart about the resources we have available to us for growing more food locally.”

    Some of Manzanta’s more innovative practices involve upcycling traditionally wasted materials from its food
    assistance operations. Upcycling is the reuse of discarded material in such a way as to create a product of
    higher value than the original. For example, the organization uses excess pallets and cardboard to build
    composting bins for libraries and schools as well as raised beds for home gardening.

    “Manzanita Outreach is an impressive operation with solid sustainability practices that others can learn from,”
    said Lisa Voss, Sustainable Business Certification Program Manager. “We thank the organization for its
    commitment to sustainability and visible leadership on food security in the Verde Valley.”

    The Sustainable Business Certification was developed by the Sustainability Alliance in 2017. In 2022, the
    Verde Valley Regional Economic Organization assumed leadership of the program. A Gold Certification
    recognizes an organization’s effort to reduce negative impacts by conserving resources, create positive impacts
    beyond basics, and actively encourage other stakeholders to get involved in sustainability efforts.

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    “The nature of how we operate is such that we aim to reduce inputs and maximize outputs, with as little waste
    as possible,” said Ben Burke, Executive Director of Manzanita. “It turns out that many lean business decisions
    also translate into highly sustainable practices.”

    Now armed with a set of recommendations for improvements provided by the Sustainable Business
    Certification Program, Burke says that the organization will be even more attentive to energy reductions and
    opportunities for enhanced practices.

    The demand for food assistance is increasing dramatically. In August and September, Manzanita distributed
    over 400,000 pounds of food into the community. Manzanita now receives 12 semi trucks of food per month,
    which creates many opportunities for optimizing waste channels. The organization plans to earn the Platinum
    Level Certified Sustainable Business by 2025. There are currently no businesses at this level.

    Businesses interested in becoming certified in their sustainability practices should visit
    vvreo.com/sustainability to learn more.

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