Grand Rapids, MI — Meijer, a Grand Rapids, Mich.-based retailer, recently joined the U.S. Environment Protection Agency’s GreenChill Partnership to reduce its refrigerant emissions.
Grand Rapids, MI — Meijer, a Grand Rapids, Mich.-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 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.
Meijer is a Grand Rapids, Mich.-based retailer that operates 198 supercenters and grocery stores throughout Michigan, Ohio, Indiana, Illinois and Kentucky. For more information, visit www.meijer.com.
EPA’s GreenChill Partnership works with supermarkets to reduce refrigerant emissions and decrease their impact on the ozone layer and climate change. For more information, visit www.epa.gov/greenchill.