Sustainability

AUSTIN, Texas — Whole Foods is rewarding customer that live a green lifestyle through its new app it created with Whole Planet Foundation and BlueAvocado.

Austin, Texas — Whole Foods is rewarding customers that live a green lifestyle through a new app it created with Whole Planet Foundation and BlueAvocado.

Lakeland, Fla. — Publix has achieved the eco milestone of saving more than 2 billion grocery bags since mid 2007. The company said it achieved this goal by training front service clerks and cashiers to increase the number of items per bag, implementing bag reduction goals for each store, holding communication campaigns to encourage the use of reusable bags and donating reusable bags to non-profits and partner organizations throughout the Southeast.

Chicago-based General Growth Properties is taking steps toward reducing the carbon footprint of four New Jersey-area malls by outfitting them with state-of-the-art solar panels.

Bridgewater Commons (shown here), Paramus Park, Willowbrook Mall and Woodbridge Center will in total be equipped with 20,000 5.1 megawatt panels that will provide an estimated 12% of the properties’ energy needs.

Ontario -- Ikea said Tuesday that it has begun construction on the expansion of its current Montreal store to what will be its largest store in North America.

Set to be complete summer 2013, the new Ikea Montreal will be 469, 694 sq. ft. and will feature expanded inventory and services such as a 600-seat restaurant and 1,400+ parking spots.

PLEASANTON, Calif. and WASHINGTON — The Humane Society of the United States is praising Safeway's efforts to establish a gestation stall-free supply chain.

Safeway annnounced Monday that, due to concernes over animal welfare, it is working toward the goal of purchasing pork from producers that have made commitments to decreasing gestation stalls in their breeding facilities.

Boston -- City Sports will open its 21st store, in Burlington, Vt., on May 6.

The eco-conscious space—built utilizing reclaimed materials from previous stores—was designed to capture the spirit of the community. The existing ceiling was kept, and all lighting fixtures were replaced with energy-efficient bulbs.

New York -- The California State Teachers' Retirement System (CalSTSR), the second largest U.S. public pension fund, has filed a lawsuit against current and former Wal-Mart Stores’ executives and board members over mishandling of allegations that officials knew about a bribery campaign in Mexico and covered it up. The fund holds more than 5.3 million shares of Wal-Mart.

BENTONVILLE, Ark. — Walmart is working hard to improve its image with its latest announcement that its Acres for America program is conserving an additional 300 acres of land to protect and restore wildlife habitats in the heart of U.S. cities, including Bridgeport, Chicago, Portland, San Diego, and Washington, D.C.

Bentonville, Ark. -- Walmart announced that its Acres for America program is conserving an additional 300 acres of land to protect and restore wildlife habitats in the heart of U.S. cities, including Bridgeport, Chicago, Portland, San Diego, and Washington, D.C.