Sustainability

BENTONVILLE, Ark. -- Walmart announced that, through the Walmart Foundation, it has donated $319 million in cash and $480 million in in-kind contributions around the globe during the fiscal year ending Jan. 31. According to Walmart, the company's U.S. giving grew by 64%, largely due to donations of produce, meats, poultry and other nutritious food to local food banks from Walmart stores, Sam's Club locations and distribution centers.

EL SEGUNDO, Calif. -- Fresh & Easy Neighborhood Market announced that it has relaunched its Design-A-Bag contest, inviting Fresh & Easy customers to design and vote on the grocer's next reusable bag. Customers can submit their original bag designs at www.freshandeasy.com/designabag through May 15. Based on feedback Fresh & Easy has expanded the contest this year to anyone 13 years of age or older in Arizona, California and Nevada.

HOUSTON — Sharps Compliance's TakeAway envelope solution is making its way to Kroger and its family of stores.

Kroger, which operates stores under several banners across 31 states, will offer the the medication disposal envelopes at its pharmacy counters. The goal: To offer a safe and environmentally-responsible means of disposing unused, expired or unwanted noncontrolled prescription and over-the-counter medications.

Kroger joins such retailers as Rite Aid, which recently implemented Sharps Compliance's TakeAway program in its stores.

Salem, Ore. -- Anthropologie and the Cork Forest Conservation Alliance (CFCA) announced a joint initiative in all 153 Anthropologie stores in the United States and United Kingdom to increase awareness and promote the preservation of Mediterranean cork forests, one of the planet’s most important ecosystems.

INDIANAPOLIS -- Mall owner Simon Property Group announced Tuesday that it has completed its first installation of an electric vehicle charging station at one of its shopping centers.

The initial installation has been completed at Simon's Florida Mall in Orlando and will be complete at Stanford Shopping Center in Palo Alto, Calif., later in April.

Indianapolis -- Mall owner Simon Property Group announced Tuesday that it has completed its first installation of an electric vehicle charging station at one of its shopping centers.

The initial installation has been completed at Simon's Florida Mall in Orlando and will be complete at Stanford Shopping Center in Palo Alto, Calif., later in April.

Target plans to give away one million reusable shopping bags on Sunday, April 17 in line with the release of its weekly ad featuring an assortment of environmentally-friendly products in conjunction with Earth Day on April 22.

Framingham, Mass. -- Staples on Monday said it has been named a 2011 Energy Star Partner of the Year in Energy Management by the EPA. The chain has increased its renewable energy purchases and development to cover 53% of its total U.S. electricity consumption, more than double the company’s previous level.

Staples has also been named an Energy Star Leader by the EPA for reducing energy consumption by more than 11% across its facilities, based on EPA's standardized tools for tracking energy use.

AKRON, Ohio — The USDA has chosen Purell green certified instant hand sanitizer foam as a featured product for the formal launch of its new BioPreferred label program.

USDA Deputy secretary Kathleen Merrigan made the announcement Thursday at a biobased product meeting in Glenwillow, Ohio.

MINNEAPOLIS -- Target announced that as part of its Earth Month celebration, it is offering customers the chance to win a "Refresh Your Nest" home makeover worth up to $50,000 with the help of LEED accredited designer Sabrina Soto, as well as hundreds of other sustainable prizes. Guests can log on to Target.com/Eco to enter the sweepstakes.

The Target.com/Eco site also features sustainable products for purchase, sustainable decorating tips from Soto and coupons for use at Target stores.