Happy Earth Day!
Across the Clark Associates family of companies, we put an emphasis on sustainability with the goal of building a better future. In this article, we’ll focus on a few ways we do this.?Learn more about our overall efforts here.
Lancaster Conservancy – Clark's Contributions??
Clark Associates, headquartered in Lancaster, PA, partnered with the Lancaster Conservancy to support reforestation efforts, stormwater runoff prevention, and plant and wildlife research.??
In 2021, in celebration of Clark Associates’ 50th anniversary, the Clark Associates Charitable Foundation donated $5 million to the Lancaster Conservancy.
“We were looking for a project that would keynote our 50 years of business that we’re celebrating this year,” said Fred Clark, Founder and Chairman of Clark Associates. “This was the best way to share the gift of our good fortunes with the community and the county – to preserve as much of these natural lands as we can, so that everyone can enjoy these wild places for generations and generations to come.”?
In honor of the donation, Lancaster Conservancy combined three nature preserves into the new Clark Nature Preserve. These 373 acres of land are completely open to the public and will feature a new universally accessible trail named the Lloyd Clark Trail. Employees are encouraged to enjoy this space located just 30 minutes south of our corporate headquarters, with the trailhead in southern Lancaster County.?
This new trail will include accessible wildlife blinds, and it will provide members of our community, including those who use wheelchairs or other mobility devices, the ability to explore this unique meadow ecosystem and participate in hunting, a passion of Lloyd Clark. Ground broke on this trail in March 2024, and we’re excited to play a part in providing opportunities for community members with mobility concerns or those who use wheelchairs, walkers, strollers, or other mobility devices to explore this nature preserve and spend time outdoors.?
CVP Machines?
We installed Sparck Technologies CVP Impack machines across our distribution network, eliminating cardboard waste and the need for plastic filler. Because the Impack system creates custom boxes for each shipment, we have reduced packaging material by up to 50% per package.?
With millions of boxes produced from the CVP machines, we’ve decreased bubble wrap usage by over 12 million feet (about the width of the United States). Additionally, we have eliminated the need for adding gripper stickers, wrapping foam around products, or bagging liquids.?
Our distribution centers proactively recycle cardboard by utilizing an industrial shredding machine to break down materials into an eco-friendly shredded corrugate alternative. 40% of packages ship using shredded corrugate, averaging thousands of packages per day.?
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Eco-Friendly Product Offerings and Resources
We carry many eco-friendly disposable options from eco-friendly toilet paper to compostable drinkware and dinnerware. These products are designed for convenience and conscientiousness, with many items made from materials that are compostable or recyclable. This guide goes over the types of green disposable dinnerware products we carry.??
Our New Roots line launched in 2023. We produce top-quality, sustainable products that will allow businesses, communities, and the environment to flourish together. Through our partnership with the National Forest Foundation, we pledge to plant new trees and restore the environment for future generations.???
We have many resources on our blog to help customers with any eco-friendly related questions. This includes everything from green catering tips to plastic and Styrofoam bans to ways your restaurant can go green. Check out some of our top articles below: ?
Solar Energy
We have taken a major step in the right direction by powering some of our locations with solar energy and have imminent plans to power more.?Currently several corporate and The Restaurant Store locations have solar panels installed. In 2024, we will be adding solar panels to eight additional buildings.
Long’s Park Clean-Up ?
Every year our in-person summer interns participate in a cleanup day at a local Lancaster park, Long’s Park. We’ve had over 50 interns volunteer in the past to get the park ready for their annual 4th of July event. Around 30,000 people attend the event each year, so their assistance is greatly appreciated. ?
They help with setting up temporary fencing, power washing the stage, weeding the grounds, picking up trash, repainting park benches, and setting up chairs and trash cans.