STEVENSVILLE, Md. -- The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency recently joined Food Lion to recognize a Food Lion supermarket here as being the chain's 400th store to earn the Energy Star designation for superior energy performance and management.
t strategy is a model so many businesses can follow," said Kathleen Hogan, director of the EPA's Climate Protection Partnerships Division, who toured the store with Food Lion executives. "Rising energy costs are dominating the headlines today, yet Food Lion is a first-hand example of how smart businesses can, and do, reduce their energy use and costs while protecting the environment."
Since 1998, Food Lion and the EPA have worked in partnership to push Food Lion's energy-conservation efforts to increasingly higher levels. Food Lion said it has "far more" such energy-efficient stores than any other U.S. grocery retailer. Nearly half of all Energy Star stores in the country belong to Food Lion. Food Lion has doubled its number of Energy Star stores in just 12 months.
Since 2000, Food Lion has trimmed its energy use by more than 25%, despite a net increase in the number of stores operated. The 2.29 trillion BTUs cut from Food Lion's energy program since 2000 have saved more than $104.8 million annually, the company said. The amount of energy each store uses each week decreased by 8.3% in 2004, and the chain's energy expenses overall dropped 3%, even though utility rates increased substantially.
Global lighting manufacturer Sylvania donated 400 Soft White Dulux EL MiniTwist compact fluorescent lamps as a way to encourage energy conservation in consumers' homes.
