Friskies(R) and Fancy Feast(R) Host a First-of-Its-Kind 'RePURRposed' Gallery to Raise Awareness for the Recyclability of Pet Food Cans

ST. LOUIS, April 14 /PRNewswire/ -- Cat food can art? Yes, if it's a means of reaching pet owners with an important message about recycling and, if it's about raising money for a worthwhile organization dedicated to protecting the environment. Pet food cans are an often overlooked contributor to landfills. According to recycling industry sources, it's estimated that less than 20 percent of aluminum pet food cans are recycled each year, compared to 54 percent of aluminum beverage cans. In fact, according to a recent Purina survey, only a little over half of cat owners recycle their cat food cans all of the time.

To demonstrate the recyclability of pet food cans to consumers and celebrate the 40th anniversary of Earth Day, Friskies and Fancy Feast have created the "Together We Can" campaign.  The program brings together more than 100 artists nationwide, including some celebrities, to create art work out of used Friskies and Fancy Feast cat food cans and other materials.  The art work will be displayed at The "RePURRposed" Gallery, a one-of-a-kind event on April 14, 2010 in New York City.  

"As a company that produces over three billion cat food cans each year, we feel it is our responsibility to educate our consumers and encourage them to recycle," says Mark Brodeur, Director of Environmental Sustainability for Nestle Purina.  "Through the Together We Can campaign, we hope to shine a spotlight on the benefits of recycling aluminum pet food cans to show pet owners that every recycled can does make a difference. In fact, there's no limit to how many times aluminum can be recycled, which means every aluminum can that a pet owner recycles today has the potential to be recycled again and again."

The simple act of recycling aluminum cat food cans has tremendous benefits:

• Recycling one 3 oz Fancy Feast aluminum can saves enough energy to power a 60-watt light bulb for over 2 hours.  
• Recycling one 5.5 oz. Friskies aluminum can saves enough energy to power a 30 inch (95W) TV for over 2 hours.
• Recycling aluminum cans saves 95 percent of the energy used to make aluminum cans from virgin materials

"As a proud owner of four cats, I know just how many cat food cans one cat owner can go through each week!  I love my cats and want the best for them, but I also want what's best for the environment," says Kahi Lee, green expert, recurring interior design expert on the Rachael Ray Show and designer from HGTV's Design on a Dime.  "Friskies and Fancy Feast's Together We Can campaign shows us simple ways we can lead greener, more responsible lives – by recycling and repurposing recyclable materials like your aluminum cat food cans.  It's as easy as giving the can a quick rinse before you recycle them."

Select pieces of cat owner artwork, including pieces created by husband and wife actors Peter Facinelli and Jennie Garth, musician Roberta Flack, and designers Kahi Lee and Katie Brown will be available for purchase on an eBay auction site.  Visit www.togetherwecanrecycle.com starting April 19 for more information on the auction.  Proceeds from purchased artwork will benefit Keep America Beautiful, a national nonprofit organization which combines education with hands-on stewardship to prevent litter, reduce waste, increase recycling and beautify public spaces."

Additionally, pet owners can visit www.togetherwecanrecycle.com until May 30 to pledge to recycle their aluminum pet food cans. For every pledge received, Nestle Purina Pet Care Company will donate $1 to Keep America Beautiful (up to $100,000).  By taking part in the campaign, cat owners can feel good in knowing that they, along with their pets, are helping to lessen their impact on the environment, as well as performing a good deed for the planet that they both call home!  

About Purina® Fancy Feast® and Purina® Friskies®

The Fancy Feast and Friskies brands are owned by Nestle Purina PetCare Company, a global leader in the pet care industry. Nestle Purina PetCare promotes responsible pet care, humane education, community involvement and the positive bond between people and their pets. The North American headquarters for Nestle Purina PetCare is located at Checkerboard Square in St. Louis, Missouri. Nestle Purina PetCare is part of Swiss-based Nestle S.A. -- the world's largest food company. For more, visit www.purina.com.

About Keep America Beautiful, Inc.

Keep America Beautiful, Inc., established in 1953, is the nation's largest volunteer-based community action and education organization. With a network of over 1,200 affiliate and participating organizations, Keep America Beautiful forms public-private partnerships and programs that engage individuals to take greater responsibility for improving their community environments. For additional information, visit www.kab.org.

SOURCE Nestle Purina PetCare Company