Sustainability

Henderson, Nev. -- Efficiency upgrades at 621 7-Eleven stores in California, Washington, and Oregon, will result in an anticipated energy savings of approximately $1.2 million annually.

The upgrades were completed by Castrovilla, a subsidiary of Blue Earth, an energy efficiency and renewable energy services company. The project involved the installation of energy efficient electronically commutated motors, anti-sweat heater controls, evaporator fan controls, gaskets, door closers and strip curtains.

New York -- In an effort to reduce vehicle air pollution, Duane Reade, in partnership with Mission Electric, is asking New Yorkers to help determine which of the chain’s stores should be served solely by electric trucks. Combined, more than 30 stores have been identified as electric truck ready in the city’s boroughs of Queens, Bronx, Brooklyn, and Manhattan.

Pittsburgh -- Ikea has plugged in the new solar energy system installed at its Pittsburgh-area store in Robinson Township, Pa. The 86,800-sq.-ft. PV array consists of a 694-kW system, built with 2,884 panels. It will produce approximately 852,200 kWh of clean electricity annually, the equivalent of reducing 648 tons of carbon dioxide, eliminating the emissions of 115 cars or powering 73 homes yearly.

Basking Ridge, N.J. -- Verizon Wireless said Tuesday that its green retail store design has achieved pre-certification in the U.S. Green Building Council's LEED (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design) Volume Program. 

Verizon Wireless is one of only eight retailers in the United States and the only wireless company to achieve pre-certification from the USGBC, according to the company.

By David Asselin, [email protected]

New York -- Standard & Poor's Ratings Services is further lowering its credit rating on J.C. Penney Co., attributing the move to a continuing weak performance.

J.C. Penney’s corporate credit rating has been lowered to "B+" from "BB-." The junk rating is four notches below investment grade. The move marks the second downgrade from S&P since mid-May.
 

East Cleveland, Ohio -- Walgreens recently upgraded its general lighting across 80% of the chain's nationwide locations, through a partnership with GE Lighting.

As part of its new lighting initiative, Walgreens said it has changed its lights to the new GE F25 T8 linear fluorescent tubes, which is designed to save thousands of dollars as it impacts more than 4.3 million lights at nearly 7,000 stores. Additionally, the new linear fluorescent fixtures from GE Lighting are expected to increase energy efficiency by 9% and extend re-lamp cycles by 10%.

BATTLE CREEK, Mich. — Kellogg Company has once again been named one of the "40 Best Companies for Diversity" in 2012 by Black Enterprise magazine. The recognition reflects the company's ongoing commitment to diversity and inclusion and marks the sixth time Kellogg has been named to the list.