Vote for Eco Groups to Receive $ from New Leaf

Did you know that every time you bring your own bags to shop at New Leaf Community Markets, you help support local environmental nonprofits? And that each year, New Leaf customers vote to determine which nonprofits will be beneficiaries for a year?

How the Envirotoken program works: When New Leaf customers reuse a grocery bag, they receive an Envirotoken worth 10 cents that they can direct to the nonprofit of their choice. It really adds up! Over the last year, New Leaf donated $56,289 to 22 different local organizations. $9,754.70 was donated to Coastside nonprofits.

Voting will take place online from April 22 to May 31 at: www.newleaf.com/community/envirotokens.

On the New Leaf Half Moon Bay ballot are: California Certified Organic Farmers, Coastside Land Trust, Coastside State Parks Association, Community Alliance with Family Farmers, Fish Wise, Pie Ranch, Richard J. Elkus Ranch, Save Our Shores, Surfrider, Foundation San Mateo, Wildlife Associates, Friends of the Sea Otter, California Farmlink and San Mateo County Resource Conservation District.

While voting is open, organizations will be tabling at New Leaf stores to educate the community about their mission and work.

New Leaf Community Markets introduced the Envirotoken program in 1993 to encourage the use of reusable bags and support the efforts of local environmental nonprofits. New Leaf has donated a total of $543,289 to environmental groups since 1993, and close to 9,000 trees have been saved as a result of customers reusing bags over 6 million times. New Leaf was the first retailer on the Central Coast to introduce this kind of program, and many other retailers in the county and across the U.S. have followed suit.

For more information about the Envirotoken program and New Leaf’s other community giving programs, visit www.newleaf.com/community.