Subway going all in with LEDs

Subway has upped its commitment to sustainability.



As a part of the restaurant chain's ongoing goal to make its restaurants and operations more socially responsible, the company has made LED lighting the standard for all new and remodeled restaurants.



The upgrade will provide energy-efficient lighting that, in 2014 with a small percentage of stores participating, saved 21.9 million kilowatt hours – enough energy to power 1,996 households in a single year.



This news follows a number of recent environmental milestones for Subway, adding to its number of "Eco-Restaurant" certified store locations. Additionally, several more are in various stages of development and an increasing number of franchisees are incorporating green elements into their existing stores.



"From reducing water and waste to using energy-efficient equipment, our franchisees are deeply committed to finding new ways to make their stores more 'green,'" said Elizabeth Stewart, who heads the Subway brand’s corporate social responsibility efforts.



Subway has taken significant steps in recent years as part of its environmental commitment, including:

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  Standardizing low-flow faucets/taps with increased water pressure in all Subway restaurants, a small change, which annually saves an estimated 277 million gallons of water;

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  Using cleaning supplies that are CARB (California Air Resources Board) and Green Seal certified;

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  Exclusively offering napkins made from 100% recycled fiber, processed chlorine-free, and printed with soy or water-based inks; and

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  Ensuring a majority of the packaging used in North American stores is made with recycled content, which can be recycled or composted where facilities exist.