Kohl’s honored by EPA for reducing greenhouse gas emissions

New York -- Kohl's Department Stores was honored by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency for its efforts to reduce emissions linked to climate change. The retailer was recognized with EPA’s Excellence in Greenhouse Gas Management (Goal Achievement) Award for reducing carbon emissions by improving the energy efficiency in its stores and buying renewable energy and installing solar panels.



In 2009, Kohl's established an absolute GHG reduction goal under EPA's former Climate Leaders program to reduce its emissions by 100% each year from 2010 to 2012.



“To meet its goal, Kohl's carried out a variety of GHG [greenhouse gas] reduction activities, including upgrading its stores' lighting to lower-wattage and longer-lasting technologies and utilizing a centralized energy management system to help control, standardize, and eliminate energy waste,” the EPA stated. “Kohl's also purchased renewable energy and carbon offsets each year of the goal period.”



Kohl's was also honored for setting a new goal to reduce 100% of its absolute GHG emissions from its U.S. operations from 2013 to 2015.



“To help meet its new GHG target, Kohl's will deploy new energy efficiency technologies throughout its stores including building controls, lighting, lamps, and HVAC innovation,” the EPA stated.



The retailer will continue to support renewable energy technologies through both on-site generation of solar and wind energy and the purchase of renewable energy



Kohl's has been recognized with numerous EPA Energy Star and Green Power Leadership Awards during the past several years.