AAFES unveils sustainable initiatives

DALLAS The Army and Air Force Exchange Service announced that it is undertaking a number of initiatives to reduce its impact on the environment.

Among other initiatives, AAFES said it added 40 additional ENERGY STAR beverage vending machines in 2007, and said it planned to make at least 10% of its 21,000 beverage machines ENERGY STAR compliant before the end of 2008.

AAFES reported that it is working with a number of franchises to reduce energy consumption in tis fast food offerings. Initiatives include HVAC systems that run based on need versus a constant rate, eco-friendly building designs, LED menu boards and concept signing, as well as energy efficient refrigeration and heating methods.

AAFES has also launched an ENERGY STAR awareness campaign to help spread the word on energy-efficient products. AAFES noted that CFL purchases have increased from 8.2% of retail lighting sales in 2006 to 10% in 2007.