Company increases use of environmentally responsible initiatives in its operations
KEENE, N.H. - C&S Wholesale Grocers, Inc. will significantly increase use of environmentally responsible initiatives in its operations in an effort to reduce the company's carbon footprint.
"Environmental sustainability is important to us. We're gathering and interpreting data and using it to evaluate improvements in our business operations," said Scott Charlton, Executive Vice President of Operations. Charlton is responsible for the Transportation, Warehousing, Construction, Facilities and Maintenance areas at C&S.
C&S is taking the following steps to minimize environmental impact:
Energy Audits
With the belief that "what gets measured gets done," C&S has embarked on an ambitious program to perform energy audits and sustainability analyses of all its buildings. Benchmark data is being collected and tracked for: refrigeration/air conditioning, electricity, propane, propane for materials handling equipment, natural gas and water. Careful monitoring will help company leaders recognize when usage is higher than expected and quickly correct the situation.
The company's next step in reducing its environmental footprint is to create a comprehensive plan to improve energy conservation and to reduce resource consumption at its sites.
Buildings
C&S is implementing energy efficiency measures in its warehouses, including replacing current indoor lighting with systems that automatically dim lights when no one is in an aisle. C&S will also install dock doors with high R-value and U-factors, and replace wood pallets with long-lasting plastic. The company is also analyzing the roofs on its buildings with the goal of improving the thermal envelopes, which would reduce energy usage.
Green Power
Hydropower, considered to be a clean and renewable energy source, currently provides more than 40% of the energy at the C&S distribution centers in the Greater Buffalo, N.Y. area. The company is studying the feasibility of buying green power for additional locations to reduce the environmental impact of electricity use and to support renewable energy generation nationwide.
Recycling and Waste Management
Employees at C&S drive waste reduction and recycling initiatives in areas that include office paper, cardboard, wood pallets, plastic wrap and electronics. In 2008, almost 540,000 pounds of office paper were recycled from C&S facilities in New England alone. This is the equivalent of saving 4,500 mature trees or more than 1.8 million gallons of water. Also, we responsibly recycled more than 3,889 tons of cardboard, 831 tons of plastic, and more than 21,000 tons of wooden pallets during the six-month period between October 1, 2008 and April 1, 2009.
Computers and other electronics that C&S deems to be outdated are donated to local nonprofit organizations or are recycled following EPA guidelines. In a recent 12-month period, the company recycled 6,377 pounds of retired, non-functional or outdated electronics with the help of one of the world's leading information technology asset disposition companies. Intechra adheres to a zero-landfill policy.
Distribution Fleet
C&S continues to invest in network optimization technology to reduce the number of miles traveled by our trucks, saving fuel and lowering our impact on the environment. The company estimates that it will save 400,000 gallons of diesel fuel in a 12-month period between 2008 and 2009. This represents reduced emissions of 8.9 million pounds of carbon dioxide. That is the equivalent of the average annual footprint of more than 220 Americans. (Equivalence calculation provided by The Conservation Fund)
C&S experimented with biodiesel fuel several years ago, however its trucks did not run well, partly due to temperature-related issues. The company will continue to track biodiesel technology and will reconsider it in the future.
Onboard computer systems ensure that C&S trucks run as efficiently as possible and that idling rates are both tracked and minimized. New, aerodynamically designed trucks have decreased drag and increased fuel efficiency. To safely transport frozen and perishable foods, the company's trucks use environmentally-friendly refrigerants that meet or exceed federal standards.
Carbon Sequestration
In partnership with The Conservation Fund, C&S offset the annual carbon emissions of its corporate headquarters buildings (including the estimated roundtrip commutes of its employees) in 2007 and 2008. Through The Conservation Fund's Go Zero program, the company is helping to address two of the world's most pressing environmental challenges: habitat loss and climate change.
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About C&S Wholesale Grocers
C&S community involvement programs support initiatives to stop hunger and to promote the health and enrichment of communities that are homes to the company's employees and facilities.
C&S Wholesale Grocers of Keene, N.H. is the largest food wholesaler and according to Forbes magazine, the 12th largest privately held company in the United States. The company distributes food to supermarkets, retail stores and military bases across the country.
Currently, C&S serves about 3,900 stores from more than 50 locations in 11 states. Among our customers are many of America's best known companies, including Stop & Shop, Giant of Carlisle, Giant of Landover, Shaw's, Great Atlantic & Pacific Tea Co. (A&P), Ralphs, Safeway and Target.
