53rd Annual GRAMMY Awards® Embrace Cork Wine Stoppers as Part of Commitment to Sustainability

LOS ANGELES, Feb. 11, 2011 /PRNewswire/ -- In keeping with its commitment to improving its sustainability initiatives, the 53rd GRAMMY Awards® will host two events serving wine sealed exclusively with natural cork and will recycle all of the closures, 100% Cork announced today. The 53rd GRAMMY Awards will take place at STAPLES Center in Los Angeles and will air on CBS at 8 p.m. ET/PT on Sunday, Feb. 13, 2011.

"Choosing cork over petroleum-based or metal wine stoppers is one of the many small but helpful decisions that consumers can make every day to improve the health of our planet," said Allen Hershkowitz, Ph.D., a senior scientist at the Natural Resources Defense Council.  "I applaud the GRAMMYs® and other high-profile events that have embraced sustainability programs to protect biodiversity and reduce their carbon footprints."

Wines sealed with cork will be served at the MusiCares® Person of The Year fundraiser honoring Barbra Streisand two days prior to the awards ceremony and at the official GRAMMY Celebration®.

Both the MusiCares fundraiser and the GRAMMY Celebration will be equipped with recycling bins provided by ReCORK, a cork recycling organization that will collect the stoppers and provide them to SOLE, a company that manufactures shoes and sandals from recycled cork.

Natural cork is one of the world's most sustainable products. Biodegradable and recyclable, its use provides an economic incentive to preserve vast cork oak forests in the Mediterranean Basin that trap greenhouse gases, prevent desertification and provide habitat for hundreds of plant and animal species.

There is no shortage of cork, and cork oaks are not cut down to make cork.  A portion of their bark is removed every nine years during a 250-year lifespan.

About The Recording Academy®

Established in 1957, The Recording Academy is an organization of musicians, producers, engineers and recording professionals that is dedicated to improving the cultural condition and quality of life for music and its makers. Internationally known for the GRAMMY Awards – the preeminent peer-recognized award for musical excellence and the most credible brand in music – The Recording Academy is responsible for groundbreaking professional development, cultural enrichment, advocacy, education and human services programs. The Academy continues to focus on its mission of recognizing musical excellence, advocating for the well-being of music makers and ensuring music remains an indelible part of our culture. For more information about The Academy, please visit www.grammy.com. For breaking news and exclusive content, join the organization's social networks on Facebook (www.facebook.com/thegrammys), Twitter (www.twitter.com/thegrammys), and YouTube (www.youtube.com/thegrammys).

About 100% Cork

100% Cork is a campaign to educate U.S. wine consumers about the benefits of choosing wine with real cork stoppers because of cork's environmental, technical and societal advantages.  The campaign seeks to recruit and organize wine consumers to request that winemakers and retailers choose natural cork over artificial stoppers.  The campaign is funded by the Portuguese Cork Association and the Cork Quality Council.

About SOLE

Based in North Vancouver, British Columbia, SOLE is known for its line of supportive, do-it-yourself, heat moldable custom footbeds and footwear, including sandals and closed-toe options. In 2009, SOLE partnered with ReCORK to make products with natural, sustainable cork, and reduce the amount of petroleum products that would normally be used.

About ReCORK

ReCORK by Amorim is a natural wine cork recycling program. ReCORK’s goal is to recycle corks and to educate and inform our audiences about the crucial role cork forests play in curbing climate change.  ReCORK has collected 14.6 million corks and, in partnership with SOLE, has sponsored the planting of nearly 4,500 cork oak trees.

SOURCE 100PercentCork.org