THOUSAND OAKS : Businesses Honored for Recycling Efforts

Every week, Larry Lewis salvages 3,000 wire shirt hangers. Every few months, he dumps 100 pounds worth of old invoices into the recycling bin. And every day, he saves dozens of plastic bags.

Such painstaking conservation efforts earned Lewis’ workplace, the Westlake Village Cleaners, one of Thousand Oaks’ 1994 Waste Watch awards.

And Lewis plans to display the honor prominently, as part of his ongoing effort to woo new customers by emphasizing his environment-friendly practices.

“It costs a little more, but customers really pay attention,” Lewis said.

“We have gained a lot of customers because people know we recycle. This recognition should be beneficial.”

Westlake Village Cleaners won the city award in the waste reduction category, for recycling clothes hangers, plastic bags, invoice slips and cardboard boxes.

Other winners in that category were biotechnology giant Amgen and the Body Shop, which sells bath lotions and cosmetics.

In other categories, the city honored Lindsay Jackson Designs for reusing materials at work, and bestowed gold medals for recycling on Corlund Electronics, the Tri-Valley Environmental Committee and Pep Boys.

Mrs. Gooch’s Natural Foods Market won for consistently buying recycled products.

“It is important to recognize business and nonprofit agencies for their efforts to reduce waste,” Mayor Elois Zeanah said.

“Every little bit helps.”

Those interested in more information about effective waste reduction can call the city’s Recycling Hotline at 496-8679.