SPRINGFIELD, Mo. — The Missouri Recycling Association (MORA) presented its Outstanding Business Recycling and Waste Reduction Award to Bass Pro Shops for implementing measures at its headquarters in Springfield, Mo., aimed at protecting our natural resources.
“Bass Pro Shops is a company with a long track record of investing in efforts to conserve America’s natural resources, said Tammy Sapp, Bass Pro Shops director of communications. “From reducing, reusing and recycling to introducing young people to the outdoors to cultivate the next generation of natural resource stewards, Bass Pro Shops supports conservation at both national and local levels.”
The company’s 1.7-million-square-foot headquarters facility recycled, repurposed or reused 4,299 tons of materials in 2014, including glass, electronic waste, scrap metal and cardboard. In addition, Bass Pro Shops has partnered with Habitat for Humanity for more than a dozen years to donate furniture, fixtures and equipment that are no longer in use. Habitat for Humanity then sells those items to fund its mission to build affordable housing.
Bass Pro Shops’ commitment to recycling extends beyond its doors. For the last 27 years, Bass Pro Shops has invited area residents to drop off their Christmas trees at its Springfield Outdoor World store. Bass Pro Shops then partners with Missouri Department of Conservation and the U.S. Army Corp of Engineers to use these trees to create habitat for fish and wildlife at area lakes and local conservation areas. Since Bass Pro Shops started this highly successful program in 1986, more than 265,000 Christmas trees have been recycled into fish and wildlife habitat.
Another way Bass Pro Shops works to create healthier fish habitat is by encouraging the removal of rough fish species by hosting the popular U.S. Open Bowfishing Championship at Table Rock and Bull Shoals lakes. Anglers who participate in this bowfishing tournament create healthier lakes by using specialized archery tackle to remove common carp, grass carp, buffalo and gar. Many of these rough fish species degrade water quality by stirring up mud while also competing with spawning game fish by destroying their spawning beds. These undesirable species are then put to good use as environment-friendly fertilizer for organic farmers and home and garden purposes. In 2014, 20 tons of fish were recycled as a result of Bass Pro Shops’ bowfishing championship.
Dan Hoy, facilities director at the Sportsman’s Park Center, accepted the award on behalf of the Bass Pro Shops team of associates. Hoy was also the keynote speaker at the 2014 MORA Conference, sharing Bass Pro Shops’ story of 30 years of company growth while demonstrating the success of sustainable business practices including pollution prevention and waste reduction.