These days it's not enough to be the price leader. Consumers expect corporations to support the community, insure that they are not employing child labor, avoid polluting the air and water, etc.
Target is a place you can be proud to shop, because not only do they say they care... they're proving it, too.
Here is their Environmental Philosophy:
We recognize that we have a responsibility—as team members, as a company, and as global citizens—to minimize our environmental footprint. So we've sought ways to reduce waste, use energy more efficiently, and operate more sustainably. We're proud of our accomplishments and we're continually improving, one store at a time.
One way we're improving the quality of our buildings and reducing their impact on the environment is by following the Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED®) Green Building Rating System for some new Target stores.
A few ways they are following through on their promise:
- Waste Reduction - in 2006, Target:
- reused 385 million garment hangers and recycled 2.1 million pounds of plastic and 153,000 pounds of metal from broken hangers.
- Recycled 911.1 million pounds of cardboard
- Recycled 4.3 million pounds of shrink wrap
- Energy Efficiency - Target focuses on designing and operating energy-efficient stores. As part of the EPA's voluntary Climate Leaders Program, they track their annual greenhouse gas emissions.
- They use flourescent lamps and are currently changing their sales floor lighting to reduce their consumption by 22%
- When possible, they purchase energy from renewable sources.
- They are switching from neon to LED to increase energy efficiency by 78%
- They use solar power. Four stores in California draw 20% of their annual electricity from their rooftop panels. Target is currently retrofitting 14 more Californiat stores to operate on solar.
- Innovative Thinking- Target goes beyond waste reduction and energy conservation.
- Low-VOC (volatile organic compound) carpet, adhesives, sealands and paint are used in all new store construction.
- They are able to redevelop environmentally impaired properties or reuse existing buildings. In 2006, more than one-third of new construction projects involved redevelopments.
- They work to identify packingoptions with less environmental impact and greater recycling potential.
- They have focused on new site design techniques which conserve energy and control urban storm-water runoff.
Anyone who has a Target in their community knows that they also concentrate on helping hungry families by partnering with America's Second Harvest. In 2006, Target donated 7.8 million pounds (approximately 6.2 million meals) to hungry families.
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