Meijer, the Grand Rapids, MI-based retailer, recently joined the U.S. Environment Protection Agency's GreenChill Partnership. Created as a voluntary partnership, GreenChill members focus on reducing refrigerant emissions and decreasing their impact on the environment and ultimately people's health.
By joining GreenChill, Meijer is pledging to meet higher standards that go beyond the regulatory requirements to protect the ozone layer and combat what has been described as "global warming" or, more recently due to unseasonable cold periods, "climate change."
According to GreenChill, partners have refrigerant emission rates that are nearly 50% lower than the national average; if more supermarkets and supercenters set-forth similar procedures, the industry could save more than $100 million in refrigerant costs and reduce greenhouse gas emissions by an amount equal to 2.5 billion gallons of gasoline.
"EPA is very glad to have Meijer join GreenChill," says Keilly Witman, EPA's GreenChill program manager. "Meijer's participation in the partnership brings GreenChill that much closer to our goals of ozone layer protection and the fight against climate change."
In addition to joining the GreenChill partnership, Meijer has also embarked on several additional environmentally-friendly initiatives including fuel centers that offer alternative fuel choices such as E-85 Flex Fuel, clean diesel and electric vehicle charging stations. Meijer is also building all new stores using LEED (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design) program guidelines and principles, and is testing wind turbines at several locations with the understanding that tapping wind as a renewable power source can make a difference in reducing a total carbon footprint. "We're very committed to positive environmental care through our many corporate actions and decisions," says Julie Croll, senior vice president, properties, real estate and procurement for Meijer.
"This pledge demonstrates Meijer's ongoing effort to provide our customers with more than just a great shopping experience, it gives them the peace of mind that we are doing everything we can to keep them and their families healthy and the environment protected."
Meijer is a Grand Rapids, MI-based retailer that operates 198 supercenters and grocery stores throughout Michigan, Ohio, Indiana, Illinois and Kentucky.