TURNER — Food City in Turner has been recognized by the Maine Department of Environmental Protection for its voluntary efforts to reduce the impact the store has on the environment.
The store, along with two others in Maine, was recently certified by the department as an Environmental Leader, bringing the total certified grocers in the state to 13.
The Environmental Leader program is a self-guided process offered by the department as part of its pollution prevention program. The program encourages lodging facilities, restaurants and grocers to implement selected improvement initiatives from those offered in the department-developed workbook to achieve points towards certification. Grocers can earn points for practices such as adopting and posting an environmental policy, selling a percentage of local and/or organic foods, installing energy-efficient refrigeration equipment, having a posted anti-idle policy in delivery bays and educating patrons about the store’s green initiatives.
Businesses submit their completed workbook to DEP for review and certification approval, and must increase their point total to be recertified after two years.
Food City’s Turner store has green practices, including selling locally grown food; utilization of a refrigeration system with heat recovery that contributes to heating the store and its hot water; using energy-saving lighting controls and efficient LED signage; and implementation of an environmental policy and an environmental task force of employees that meets quarterly.
For more information about the Environmental Leader certification program and a complete list of participants, go to www.maine.gov/dep and click on “Environmental Leader Green Business Certification” under the featured links or contact the Office of Assistance at 1-800-789-9802.
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