A donation to make a difference
For the past 4 years, Publix has donated a portion of money made from reusable bag sales to the Arbor Day Foundation, which uses the money to plant trees in watersheds damaged by natural disasters or pollution.
In 2019, we donated $125,000 to plant 125,000 trees in the Orange Creek and Withlacoochee watersheds. The trees were planted in January and February 2020, which brought the total number of trees planted to 480,000.
How trees clean the water
Adding trees to our watersheds makes a huge difference in the quality of fresh water in our communities and reduces the cost of treating drinking water. That’s because trees
- absorb excessive nutrients like nitrogen and phosphorus, preventing them from entering the water system and
- help pull rain water into the ground, so clean water is absorbed into the aquifer.
Bonus: Healthy watersheds restore natural habitats for wildlife, which can help protect endangered and threatened animal species.
How you can help
Purchase a Publix reusable bag! For each bag purchased, we’ll donate 10 cents, up to $125,000 per year, to the Arbor Day Foundation. So, the next time you need a new bag, buy a Publix reusable bag to do the most good!
Watershed (n.)
An area of land where water drains from higher ground into creeks, streams and rivers. The water eventually drains to larger bodies of water like bays, lakes and the ocean.
Our impact 2016 – 2019
- $480,000+ donated
- 480,000 trees planted
- 3 watersheds improved:
- Upper Ocklawaha River Basin
- Little Orange Creek Preserve
- Withlacoochee River Watershed
Estimated 50-year impact
- 52+ billion gallons of rainfall intercepted
- 140,000+ net tons carbon dioxide absorbed
Watch videos and read about our previous donations:
