Sustainability

BENTONVILLE, Ark. — Walmart has unveiled its first onsite large-scale wind turbine pilot project at  its distribution center in Red Bluff, Calif. The wind turbine, expected to be operational by this fall, will provide roughly one megawatt of power or 15% to 20% of the distribution center's yearly electrical use.

Asheville, N.C. -- Ingles Markets’ new store in Mills River, N.C., has received an Energy Star certification from the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) that recognizes the energy efficiency of the store’s design. The store was awarded the certification after meeting strict EPA guidelines for the estimated energy use of the building.

Oakland, Calif. -- Lucid, a provider of real-time feedback technology for buildings, is spearheading a study of resource consumption and behavior change with Starbucks Coffee Co. The pilot project, developed in conjunction with the Snohomish County Public Utility District and Portland Energy Conservation Inc., will be hosted by 10 Starbucks stores in Snohomish County, Ore., and will serve to test and document measurable energy savings in the stores.

No company gave more money and products to charity in 2011 than Walmart, according to The Chronicle of Philanthropy’s annual ranking.

The publication put Walmart at the top of its list of the 10 most charitable companies, indicating that the company donated $342 million in cash and $616 million in products last year. That is the equivalent of 4.1% of the company’s 2010 pretax profits.

The addition of retired KPMG International chairman Timothy Flynn to the Walmart board gives the retailer some compliance expertise amid ongoing investigations into alleged violations of the Foreign Corrupt Practices Act.

Orlando, Fla. -- Darden Restaurants reduced restaurant water usage by 17% on an aggregate basis between fiscal years 2008 and 2011, exceeding its 2015 goal of reducing water consumption in each of its restaurants by 15% on aggregate and is more than half way toward meeting the same goal for reducing energy consumption in its restaurants, according to the company’s second annual sustainability report.

Denver -- National Grocers by Vitamin Cottage said Tuesday that its first Arizona store – in Flagstaff – has opened, and will be joined by two additional stores located in Sedona and Prescott.

The privately owned regional grocery chain, which operates 56 stores in 12 states, incorporated environmentally friendly elements into the Flagstaff store. Energy-efficient features include motion light sensors, 100% post-consumer content tiles, polished concrete flooring and commercial-grade LED lights.  And the chain is 100% shopping bag free.

SAN DIEGO, Calif. — Walmart has unveiled its 100th solar-powered store on College Avenue in San Diego. By working with California-based SolarCity, the company’s focus on solar power has generated more than 3,000 contract construction jobs in California. In turn, SolarCity has hired 1,213 employees since announcing its first Walmart projects in September 2010. The San Mateo, Calif.-based company will install, manage, and maintain 70 of the 100 new solar power systems.