Since 1852, Wells Fargo has been mindful of resources and has demonstrated a thoughtful approach to conservation in its operations. Explore the Green Timeline for examples of Wells Fargo’s practice of conservation through the years and efforts made to help improve our environment.
- Green Beginnings
- Green Then
- Green Now
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1852:
Henry Wells and William G. Fargo founded Wells Fargo & Company March 18, 1852 as a banking, express and mail delivery company to serve the residents of Gold Rush era California. Opening its first offices in San Francisco and Sacramento, Wells Fargo quickly prospered, becoming known as one of the West’s most innovative and dependable companies. |
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1858:
Low Emission Vehicle:
Wells Fargo assists in the development of the Overland Mail Company. Concord stagecoaches carry passengers and mail across the United States.  Carrying up to 18 passengers, inside and on top, stagecoach travel exemplifies ridesharing for the 19th Century.
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1884:
Federal court rulings halted the destructive dumping of debris from hydraulic mining; not for the sake of the environment, but to preserve downstream farmland and economic interests. When the mining industry attempted to resurrect hydraulic mining through federal lobbying in 1892, a miners association asked Wells Fargo & Co. to contribute to its cause. John J. Valentine, general manager of Wells Fargo declined, standing alone among major corporations in its refusal to support efforts to resume the practice. |
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1886:
In a letter written to Hosmer Parsons in New York on July 23, Wells Fargo Superintendent E.M. Cooper reported that the San Francisco office sold all its accumulated way-bills prior to 1885 for old paper. The high rag content in the waste paper meant it could later be reused.
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1892:
Forty years after Wells Fargo was established, the Sierra Club was co-founded by John Muir who was also its first president. During Muir’s presidency, the Sierra Club corresponded with Wells Fargo’s 7th president, John J. Valentine
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1893:
Notable financier and philanthropist, Adolph Sutro, drew upon his Wells Fargo account to send money to the recently established environmental organization, the Sierra Club.
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1908:
Environmentalist John Muir sends Wells Fargo money orders to his daughter Helen in the Southern California town of Daggett.
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1910's:
At the high point of Wells Fargo's Express years, Best Practices were called "The Fargo Way." It meant doing things with top service and performance in mind -- including cost savings and smart use of resources. Wells Fargo & Co. offices used tags to remind Express personnel to save electricity.
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1917:
Waste Not, Want Not:
Wells Fargo General Supply Agent, A.G. Brandenburg addressed fellow company employees, “Every Wells Fargo man can help check the American habit of wastefulness … by practicing economy in the use of supplies himself and by urging others to do so. It does not mean doing without what you actually need, but getting the largest use of everything that passes through your hands … Let us all remember that the elimination of waste means economy of a sort that counts not only for the company, but for the country as a whole.”
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1962:
Save A Tree:
 Construction of a new Wells Fargo Bank in Mountain View, California is specially designed to preserve “the old 75-foot cedar tree” on the development site. The new modern bank building is literally built around the cedar tree, incorporating it into the bank’s design.
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1968:
Team Member Donald Zappa receives a $200 award for his suggestion to re-use and recycle cardboard records storage containers. Before Zappa's suggestion, used boxes were simply discarded. Years later, ecologically-minded Zappa won another award for reducing paperwork in his department
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1969:
Wells Fargo converts its credit card filing and retrieval system from paper to a microfilm system, thereby eliminating some 30,000 printed pages each month.
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1969:
Reusing Resources:
The staff of the McHenry Avenue Office in Modesto, California, decorates their branch with recycled newspaper – festive, cost efficient and earth friendly!
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1970:
Wells Fargo'sAnnual Report states, “A basic trend in American life in the Seventies will be acceleration of concern with the quality of all facets of our existence. It will be accompanied by a growing need for capital to improve our environment, rebuild our cities, improve transportation, and eliminate air and water pollution. Wells Fargo is committed to do its share in providing capital and expertise in these areas.”
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1970:
Wells Fargo initiates an ecology program at its San Francisco Operations Center – the single greateast user of paper in the organization. The program recycles 250 tons of waste paper annually – the equivalent of 6,200 pine trees!
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1970:
Wells Fargo Bank President Richard Cooley (right) presents a Suggestion Award check for $1,000 to Dennis Hart. Hart devised the procedure to sell waste paper generated by computers at Wells Fargo’s San Francisco Operations Center. The supposedly worthless trash is recycled and re-used, not thrown away.
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1970:
Dennis Hart (left) and a 110-gallon trash can of paper trash to be sent for recycling.
Watch Video "Turning Waste Into Dollars"
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1970:
Wells Fargo encourages all employees to read about and vote on California State Proposition 1 – The Clean Water Bond Law which provides funds for water pollution control.
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1971:
Wells Fargo employees establish an Ecology Task Force "to seek means that individuals, the Bank, and other firms can use to help abate pollution and create a better environment for everyone."
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1971:
The monthly publication, Eco-Logic is first published by Wells Fargo's Ecology Task Force.
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1972:
The Wells Fargo Banker is printed on recycled paper. A green stagecoach and the symbol of the National Association of Secondary Materials appeared on the cover of the October issue.
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1972:
Bike ‘N Bank:
Wells Fargo installs concrete bicycle stands and bicycle racks at various northern California branches for customers who prefer to use an alternative method of transportation to take care of their financial matters.
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1972:
Wells Fargo is the first bank in the U.S. to switch its entire check printing production to bagasse paper, instead of all wood pulp. Bagasse is the crushed, juiceless residue of sugarcane as it comes from the mill, which, if not recycled for paper, would simply become industrial waste. With over 200 million checks printed each year, the switch to bagasse spares over 8,000 trees.
 Watch video"Sugar Cane Checks"
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1972:
Wells Fargo establishes an Ecology Donation Program. When purchasing a new supply of checks, customers can elect Wells Fargo to donate a portion of the check purchase price to an ecology group of their choice. In the program's first year, over $25,000 was donated to 34 different ecology organizations in California.
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1972:
Funds For Ecology:
Chairman of the Board Ernest C. Arbuckle (center) presents checks totaling $6,000 to the first environmental groups to benefit from Wells Fargo's Ecology Donation Program. Checks were presented to Warren Lemmon (left) of The Nature Conservancy, and to Paul Howard (right) of the National Audobon Society.
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1973:
Wells Fargo establishes an Energy Task Force to explore ways in which the Bank can contribute to the conservation of energy. One of the first methods implemented by the task force was the black-out of all of the Bank's lighted outdoor billboards as an effort to conserve energy.
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1974:
Wells Fargo receives a Superior Rating in the social responsibility area by The Dreyfus Third Century Fund – a mutual fund which invests in companies that not only meet traditional investment standards but also show evidence in the conduct of their business of contributing to the enhancement of life in America. One of the fund's considerations for the Superior Rating was Wells Fargo’s exemplary record in the “protection and improvement of the environment and proper use of natural resources.”
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1975:
S.C.S. Engineers, a firm evaluating high rise waste disposal for the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, chooses Wells Fargo’s Ecology Program as a model for U.S. Government and Agency high rise building recycling efforts.
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1976:
Wells Fargo's Corporate Responsibility Committee responds favorably to a proposal on the new concept of "vanpooling" - a cost-effective method of public transportation that allows employees to share a ride to work. Vanpooling helps eliminate traffic congestion, lessens energy consumption, and reduces air pollution.
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1977:
Wells Fargo partners with the California State Energy Commission in the state's first program to provide energy conservation home improvement loans. As part of its commitment to encourage energy conservation, Wells Fargo offers a rate discount on energy conserving home improvement loans. Wells Fargo is the only institution that offers the program throughout the Central Valley.
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1977:
Wells Fargo Mortgage Company arranges financing for two solar energy industrial buildings in Santa Clara, California, at the time considered to be the largest solar energy industrial development in the United States.
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1979:
Wells Fargo opened its first solar-powered branch in Culver City, California. The novel project underscored the company’s expanding involvement in solar energy. 
At the time, solar air conditioning systems were unique – and considerably more expensive than solar heating systems. Wells Fargo’s Culver City office was the first financial institution in Southern California to use this novel cooling technique.
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1980:
Wells Fargo encourages its employees to participate in ridesharing – an economic alternative for commuters. Ridesharing reduces gasoline consumption, highway congestion, and air pollution.
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1983:
Wells Fargo CEO Carl Reichardt declares “war on paper.” A new major campaign is launched to reduce the amount of paper used throughout the Bank. Dozens of new ideas for paper-savings methods are implemented throughout the Company.
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1983:
Wells Fargo Escrow Services is chosen as the distribution agent for revenue earned by wind turbine generators in the Altamont Pass, near Livermore, California.
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1983:
Wells Fargo opens a new solar office in Fresno, California. The building features a direct gain distributed mass-passive solar design, providing a 40 percent monthly savings in energy costs.
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1984:
Winners of Wells Fargo’s Paper Reduction Campaign slogan contest receive an extra floating holiday for their winning entries. The slogans – “The Paper Re-shaper” and “Join the Paper Roundup” are featured on paper stackers (center) located throughout corporate buildings.
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1990:
Wells Fargo launches a new, major company recycling program, "Recycle - It Makes Sense." The program focuses on purchasing recycled paper from vendors and implementing a formal recycling program for aluminum cans, bottles, and paper in major office buildings. In addition, all teller receipts handed to customers at branches, company stationery, and even ATM envelopes are converted to recycled paper.
Watch video
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1990:
Read a report, save a tree
Wells Fargo’s Quarterly Report to Shareholders is printed on recycled paper for the first time. In the report, Lou Ann Winchell, recycling program coordinator, discusses environmental efforts practiced throughout Wells Fargo and encourages shareholders to practice recycling at home.
Click here to read Wells Fargo's Quarterly Report to Shareholders.
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1990:
Wells Fargo introduces new recycling logo
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1990:
Wells Fargo partners with the Metropolitan Water District of Southern California for its summer water conservation campaign and distributes free water saving kits from branches.
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1991:
As part of the company’s ongoing commitment to recycling, Wells Fargo introduces two new recycled check designs.
Wells Fargo is one of the first banks in the industry to offer checks printed on recycled paper, which had only recently become available for checks.
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1991:
San Francisco’s Chief Administrative Officer applauds Wells Fargo’s recycling efforts and recognizes the company as “providing a model for other companies to follow.”
See Letter
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1991:
A checking account brochure states, “Wells Fargo is committed to using recycled paper in all areas of our business, from stationery to computer paper to loan applications. As a checking customer you see that commitment in monthly account statements and envelopes made from recycled paper, as well as in teller receipts and deposit envelopes. Recycling is important to us and our communities and our goal is to do our part to make it work.”
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1992:
Wells Fargo Bank’s deposit bags are made of recycled plastic and are Green Cross Certified.
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1995:
A "Green" Christmas:
Wells Fargo’s corporate holiday greeting cards are embedded with premium blue spruce seeds, encouraging reuse and recycle of waste materials.
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1999:
Wells Fargo is the first bank to partner with American Forests – the nation's oldest conservation organization for trees and forests – to promote a tree-planting campaign through nearly 2,000 Wells Fargo ATMs across 10 Western states. Each time Wells Fargo customers use their ATM card at selected Wells Fargo ATMs to purchase an Express 10 or Express Balance Statement, Wells Fargo will donate a portion of the proceeds to buy and plant trees as part of American Forests' Global Releaf campaign – an education and action campaign to help people and organizations improve the environment.
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2001:
Wells Fargo forms a new Environmental Services Group to serve middle-market customers in the waste management industry. Headquartered in San Francisco, this specialty unit serves companies that collect, transfer, recycle and dispose of solid waste regulated by their states and the Federal Government.
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2004:
Mary S. Wenzel is appointed to the newly created position of Vice President of Environmental Affairs for Wells Fargo & Company.
Wells Fargo creates a new Environmental Affairs Council comprised of senior managers from across the company’s major lines of business and support functions. The council is responsible for monitoring the company's environmental policies and procedures, and providing guidance and counsel on communication of the company's environmental achievements, issue management and public positions to senior management, team members, customers, communities, shareholders and regulators
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2005:
Wells Fargo’s William Barnhart Consumer Loan Center in Beaverton, Oregon starts a “worm ranch” to recycle food scraps from its cafeteria. What used to be garbage is now converted to help the environment. The worms' waste, called “castings,” sift to the bottom of the tank where they can be easily collected. The castings are used to fertilize the grounds of the Barnhart Center.
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2005:
Wells Fargo earned the Partnership of the Year and Land Use awards from the Minnesota Environmental Initiative for the company’s assistance in providing long-term leadership and support to the Phalen Corridor in St. Paul, a community development project involving businesses, community leaders and local government working together to restore wetlands, clean and redevelop brownfields, and create jobs. Partnership of the Year is awarded to the project that best exemplifies its mission to build partnerships that result in positive environmental outcomes. It is the first time that one project has won two awards in the history of the Minnesota Environmental Initiative Awards.
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2005:
Wells Fargo achieves the Environmental Protection Agency’s “Energy Star” rating for excellence in energy performance at its Corporate Headquarters building in San Francisco.
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2006:
Wells Fargo hires Barry Neal, a 20-year veteran of the energy finance industry to be the company's first head of Environmental Finance. Wells Fargo created the new position to help implement its $1 billion environmental commitment and to integrate a formal process for environmental due diligence into its business practices and procedures.
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2006:
Over 400 ATMs in California are converted to Envelope-Free WebATM® machines. Accepting deposits without an envelope helps reduce waste and saves more than a thousand trees per year and reduce air pollutants by more than a quarter million tons of CO2 equivalents.
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2006:
Wells Fargo is the largest corporate purchaser of renewable energy in the United States, according to the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency. In October, Wells Fargo began purchasing renewable energy certificates to support generating 550 million kilowatt-hours of wind energy a year for the next three years.The purchase will offset 40 percent of Wells Fargo’s electricity consumption with 100 percent Green-e® -certified wind energy, helping the development of renewable energy and preventing the emission of more than 380,000 tons of carbon dioxide each year.
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2006:
Wells Fargo’s Haight Street store is the first and only bank in San Francisco to meet The San Francisco Green Business Program standards to become a certified Green Business. "We have made a commitment to our team members and our customers to work to protect the environmental health of our community by adopting green business practices," said Joanne Schultz, San Francisco Downtown Regional President (left) with Pia Alfonso, Haight Street banking store manager.
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2007:
Wells Fargo makes the largest equity investment in solar energy in the company's history-in Nevada Solar One, a 64-megawatt Concentrated Solar Power plant southeast of Las Vegas. The $266 million project developed by Acciona Energy is the largest solar energy facility built in the world in 16 years.
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2007:
Wells Fargo is the first private company to rank #1 on the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency's (EPA) list of Top 25 Partners in the Green Power Partnership. Wells Fargo earned the top spot by voluntarily agreeing to buy more than 550 million kilowatt-hours (kWh) of 100 percent Green-e certified wind energy each year for three years. The EPA estimates that Wells Fargo's purchase is equivalent to avoiding the carbon dioxide emissions of more than 75,000 cars per year, or avoiding the equivalent CO2 emissions associated with more than 40 million gallons of gasoline annually.
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