The Wal-Marts in Canada are making a concentrated effort to reduce their ecological footprints this summer! They are hoping to reduce their lighting by 1/3. Doing so will cut 4,500 tons of carbon emissions, reduce smog and energy consumption and stabilize provincial power grids. 240 of the 284 stores across Canada are expected to take part.

This initiative is part of Wal-Mart’s bigger plan to reduce their overall carbon emissions by 19,000 tons this year!

“We have found that there is a great marriage between environmental sustainability and business sustainability,” said Mario Pilozzi, president and CEO of Wal-Mart Canada Corp. “There are many ways we can benefit our environment while benefiting our business. The effect of our lighting reductions is a great example: less lighting means we save more than a million dollars in energy costs while also taking the equivalent of 500 cars off the road for the year.”

In addition, Wal-Mart Canada announced three long-term sustainability goals it hopes to reach: to produce zero waste; to be powered 100 per cent by renewable energy; and, to make more environmentally preferable products available to customers.

via cnw