Disney receives award for saving water
Sarah Tully
OC Register
11/02/2010
The Disneyland Resort is set to receive an award for its programs to reduce storm-water runoff during a ceremony Tuesday (today).
The California Stormwater Quality Association plans to honor Disney during its sixth-annual awards luncheon in Rancho Mirage. Disney is among five recipients of the award and the only one from Orange County.
The resort created a program to cut down on the amount of water dumped into storm drains and the ocean.
Disney is recognized mostly for using a type of porous asphalt that allows rainwater to seep into the water table, instead of going into the ocean.
The concrete surfaces have spaces and holes, almost like a sponge, which allow water to seep into the ground, said Jill Bicknell, awards committee chair. That prevents the water from running off, picking up pollutants and carrying them into the ocean.
Crews used water-friendly practices for the construction of a new central bakery, a parking lot on Harbor Boulevard, four back office buildings, as well as the Grand Californian Hotel expansion, said Betsy Sanchez, a Disneyland Resort spokesman. Read a story and see a video about Disney's environmentally friendly bakery.
"As we grow and expand, one of the ways we continue to build on this legacy is by investing in new technologies, systems and processes that improve water quality," said Frank Dela Vara, director of environmental affairs at the Disneyland Resort, in a prepared statement. "We are honored to receive this award and look forward to continuing to develop innovative practices that help sustain our environment and support our core business values, because it is the right thing to do."
Last year, Disney received another environmental award for different water program and sustainable practices: Governor's Environmental and Economic Leadership Award. See a story about the Disney environmental award.
