St. Patrick’s Day is this coming Thursday, March 17, and to get in the holiday spirit Stewart’s Shops is highlighting some of the company’s green initiatives.
Based in New York state, Stewart’s Shops does its part to be more sustainable.
The company’s plant has over 2,400 individual solar panels on the roof which supply 75% of the power to 50 of its locations. The energy created by the solar panels of the plant is equivalent to taking 80 cars off the road each year. Stewart’s also uses solar energy from two offsite New York locations in Halfmoon and Castle Creek.
Additionally, Stewart’s uses hydroelectricity to offset its energy usage at 10 Vermont shops.
Stewart’s also recycles over six tons of cardboard daily. That much weight is equivalent to one large elephant or about 2,000 half gallons of milk. Each year the convenience retailer recycles over 4.5 million pounds of cardboard, office paper, plastic, metal and light bulbs.
Much of what the chain uses to ship products to its shops is reusable. Its totes, dairy cases, ice cream baskets and bread trays are all reused during deliveries to reduce waste.
Stewart’s encourages customers to reuse, too. At all Stewart’s Shops, customers get a discount on their coffee when they use any refillable mug. Stewart’s offers reusable bags at all its shops for 99 cents. The bags are not only durable and stylish, but they are great for reducing waste. Stewart’s also offers an insulated reusable bag so customers can keep their pints and half gallons of ice cream cold.
Every Stewart’s Shop is equipped with LED lighting, which is more energy efficient and has improved environmental performance. Stewart’s also provides plant-based straws to customers.
Through a partnership with EVolve NY, Stewart’s is committed to expanding its EV charging network. The company plans to have more than 82 EV charging stations at 16 shops by the end of 2022. Currently, it has five Tesla Super Chargers up and running in Ballston Spa, N.Y.; Chestertown, N.Y.; Clinton Corners, N.Y.; Hudson, N.Y.; and East Rutland, Vt. locations with plans to expand the program by three more by the end of the year.
