Macy’s new green initiatives include greater use of LEDs

Cincinnati -- Macy’s reported a series of new initiatives in its multi-year strategic program to enhance environmental sustainability, including a plan to begin replacing fluorescent fixtures in its store with LEDs.



The new initiatives are consistent with the company’s sustainability principles first adopted in 2008 and implemented with increasing intensity over the past six years. Results through 2013 include a 38% reduction in the company’s electricity usage (since 2002), and a 95% adoption rate of recycled or certified paper used in the company’s marketing materials.



New and enhanced elements of sustainability at Macy’s include:



Lighting: The company has already installed more than 1.1 million LED bulbs in more than 800 Macy’s and Bloomingdale’s stores across America, cutting energy consumption used in lighting by up to 73% compared with conventional bulbs replaced. In 2014, LED technology is being extended fluorescent fixtures.



Solar power: Plans call for the developing of 20 additional solar power arrays to be installed on the roofs of stores and distribution centers in California, Connecticut, Massachusetts, New York and other states in 2014 and 2015. At year-end 2013, solar energy was being generated on 55 active installations at Macy’s and Bloomingdale’s facilities.



Waste reduction: Plans include reducing waste in the merchandise supply chain by standardizing the size of packing cartons, incorporating recycled polyester fibers in many woven garment labels, minimizing packaging materials and adopting paper hangtags made from FSC-certified paper. Work on packaging reduction is being researched and piloted in Macy’s Private Brands, with plans to collaborate with market merchandise vendors in the months ahead.



Electric vehicle charging stations: Macy’s is collaborating with Volta Industries to install 17 new free-to-operate electric vehicle (EV) charging stations outside eight Macy’s stores in the Los Angeles area by late fall 2014. This installation will bring to 33 the number of EV charging stations available to customers at Macy's store locations in southern California.



Paperless billing: The company is setting new and higher goals to increase customer adoption of electronic (paperless) billing statements and electronic bill payment. In 2013 alone, nearly 18% of Macy’s and Bloomingdale’s customers opted for paperless statements, saving about 745,000 pounds of paper.

Digital receipts: When making a purchase, customers can choose to have a copy of their receipt emailed to them, thus eliminating the unnecessary use of paper receipts. Digital receipts are a convenience for many customers and support the company’s sustainability objective of reducing the use of paper in its business operations. In 2013, about 6% of all store transactions were paperless.