Retailer Daily

Retailers See Green

A review of the top five retailers on the EPA’s Green Power Partnership list, representing companies which work with EPA to purchase renewable energy, shows that retailers across a variety of verticals are pursuing substantial environmental sustainability efforts. The most recent list, released January 5, 2010, contains representatives from the department store, supermarket, discount, foodservice, and office supply verticals. Following is a brief review of the top five retailers and recent notable environmental activity. Kohl’s: Department store retailer Kohl’s purchases 100% of its energy, about 1.37 billion kilowatts (kwh) annually, from renewable sources, using biogas, biomass, small-hydro, solar and wind power. The retailer achieved 100% energy sustainability in January 2010. Kohl’s plans to install a rooftop solar system on a distribution center it will open in California in June 2010. Earlier this month, Kohl’s was recognized as 2010 Energy Star Partner of the Year for Energy Management by the EPA and U.S. Department of Energy (DOE). The award recognizes Kohl's commitment to energy management and reductions in greenhouse gas emissions, such as activating solar systems in 13 new locations during 2009. Last month, Kohl’s announced that a soon-to-open store in Queens, NY would be its first store to meet Leadership in Environmental Energy and Design (LEED) for Retail Commercial Interiors certification. The certification includes factors such as reduced water consumption and construction waste. Whole Foods Market: Whole Foods Market obtains 105% of its annual energy usage (excess power can be sold back into the grid) from renewable sources, using solar and wind power. This totals about 790.4 million kwh. While Whole Foods has been fairly quiet with new sustainable activity recently, in September 2009, the retailer completed a 776 million-kilowatt-hour purchase of wind renewable energy credits, most of which helped fund a new Texas-based wind farm. Wal-Mart (California and Texas Facilities): Wal-Mart uses solar and wind power in its California and Texas facilities, equaling 243.3 million kwh, or about 8% of its total annual energy output. In February 2010, Wal-Mart launched an initiative to eliminate 20 million metric tons of greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions from its global supply chain by the end of 2015. This represents 1.5 times the company's estimated global carbon footprint growth during the next five years and is the equivalent of taking more than 3.8 million cars off the road for a year. In January 2010, Wal-Mart installed more than 5,300 ground-mounted solar panels generating one megawatt of power at a California distribution center, and also completed solar power projects at three California stores. Starbucks: Starbucks purchases 25% of its total annual energy output, or about 237 million kwh, from wind power providers. In January 2010, Starbucks launched an initiative with municipal governments and other key stakeholders, including raw materials suppliers, cup manufacturers, retail and beverage partners, recyclers, environmental NGOs and experts from the academic sector, to develop a comprehensive recyclable cup program by 2012. Staples: Staples uses biogas, biomass and wind power for 20% of its total annual energy needs, or about 124.2 million kwh. In February 2010, Staples kicked off the first Staples Global EcoEasy Challenge, a competition among leading technology educational institutions around the world to create an innovative environmentally-preferable office product. A month earlier, Staples went live with a 175,000-square-foot, one-megawatt rooftop solar power installation at a distribution center in Maryland.