Walbridge, Ohio — Rudolph Libbe Inc., of the Rudolph Libbe Group, will serve as design/build contractor for First Solar Inc.’s new $400 million solar module manufacturing facility in Lake Township, Ohio.
green news
San Francisco — The San Francisco Bay Area will now have access to 41 enhanced industry-leading electric vehicle (EV) charging stations owned, operated and provided by Blink Charging Co. at 16 area McDonald’s restaurants. These stations are an additional example of Bay Area McDonald’s commitment to sustainability. In January, McDonald’s announced new packaging and recycling goals, and in March, McDonald’s became the first restaurant company to set an approved science-based target to reduce greenhouse gas emissions.
Brunswick, Me. — Eighty-four Sprouts Farmers Market grocery stores in Texas, Colorado, Utah and Arizona have been awarded Manomet’s Grocery Stewardship Certification (GSC). The GSC recognizes Sprouts’ commitment to operational best practices that reduce a store’s environmental impact and save resources. The certification is the latest sustainability milestone for Sprouts, one of the fastest-growing retailers in the country.
Walmart Unveils Plans for Expanding EV Charging Stations and Doubling U.S. Wind and Solar Energy Use
by Katie Lee
Bentonville, Ark. — On April 18, 2018, Walmart announced that suppliers have reported reducing more than 20 million metric tons (MMT) of greenhouse gas emissions in the global value chain, as part of the company’s Project Gigaton initiative. Walmart launched Project Gigaton last April, seeking to work with suppliers to reduce emissions from the company’s value chain by a gigaton, or one billion metric tons, by 2030. The emissions reduction progress was shared at Walmart’s annual Sustainability Milestone Summit, where expanded commitments on solar and wind power, as well as …
Denver — Chipotle Mexican Grill plans to divert half of all of its restaurant waste from landfills by 2020. Since 2015, Chipotle has made significant strides towards reducing the amount of food and packaging waste bound for landfills, increasing its diversion rate from 31% that year to 40% in 2017. Now the company embarks on achieving a 50% diversion rate.
Lancaster, Pa. — Armstrong Flooring has named Linron, the nation’s leading national account distributor for retail chain stores, as the 2017 Flooring Recycler of the Year. In 2017, Linron successfully recycled more than 23 million pounds of vinyl tile through the Armstrong Flooring On&On™ Floor Recycling Program. The award was presented at the 2018 GlobalShop tradeshow.
Hoffman Estates, Ill. — Sears Holdings Corporation has been named a 2018 ENERGY STAR® Partner of the Year – Sustained Excellence Award winner for continued leadership in protecting the environment through superior energy efficiency achievements. In addition, the Kenmore brand has been named a 2018 ENERGY STAR® Partner of the Year – Product Brand Owner. According to the EPA, it marks the first time a company has won all three awards: Retailer, Energy Management and Brand Owner.
Ottawa — For the first time, ENERGY STAR certification is now available in Canada for commercial and institutional buildings. Canada’s Minister of Natural Resources, the Honourable Jim Carr, has challenged building owners and managers to take advantage of this new tool to demonstrate their commitment to green growth and to be the first to apply to earn their certification.
Cincinnati — The Kroger Co. has launched a new wastewater treatment system — an anaerobic digester —at K.B. Specialty Foods, a manufacturing plant owned and operated by the company in Greensburg, Ind. The digester will convert biogas from food byproducts into energy.
Oak Brook, Ill. — On March 20, 2018, McDonald’s announced it will partner with franchisees and suppliers to reduce greenhouse gas emissions related to McDonald’s restaurants and offices by 36% by 2030 from a 2015 base year in a new strategy to address global climate change.