Green From the Beginning
Fareway Stores recognized the importance of conserving our natural resources long before "green initiative" and "carbon footprint" became part of our everyday language. In 1955, we began heating our stores by reclaiming heat generated by refrigeration compressors. Back then, environmental issues weren't a focus, but Fareway found ways to conserve. This allowed us to pass the savings along to our customers so we could provide the highest quality food at an affordable price.
Recycling Efforts Expanded
The conservation operation was so successful it led to the development of other methods for recycling frequently used materials. Wooden pallets, waste oil, tires, antifreeze, batteries, scrap iron, aluminum, magazines, newspapers, waste paper, ink cartridges, fluorescent bulbs, plastic shrink wrap, plastic grocery sacks, and plastic bottles all became a part of our recycling mission.
Today we recycle:
- 900,000 pallets per year
- 12,500 tons of cardboard per year
- 400 tons of plastic shrink wrap per year
- 4,500,000 plastic grocery sacks per year
- 5,000 gallons of waste oil per year
Materials are collected at our recycling facility for initial handling and then shipped to major recyclers for final processing. Instead of being wasted, we make sure our byproducts take on a new life through recycling.
Remembering to Reduce and Reuse
- We started recycling cardboard at both our stores and our warehouses in the late 1960s and have continued this effort ever since.
- We work with shipping companies and local manufacturers to coordinate backhauls. This allows a driver making a delivery to return home with a loaded truck rather than an empty one. This saves fuel which reduces our carbon footprint, making our planet and our communities healthier.
- Even simple steps, such as offering reusable cloth-like shopping bags made from recycled plastic make a difference.
While we've made great strides over the decades, we don’t intend to stop moving forward and continuing our green initiatives. This includes our commitment to installing charging stations at key store locations and collaborating on a 1-megawatt solar facility near Fareway’s campus. Our commitment to corporate social responsibility extends to taking care of the environment that our communities live in. We promise to continue searching for new and improved ways to positively impact our environment.