Meijer Going Greener with Wind Power

Meijer (Grand Rapids, Mich.) will soon expand its green initiatives to include the use of wind power at some of its facilities.

The supercenter retail chain says it has received approval to install the wind turbines in the city of Walker, the Grand Rapids suburb where Meijer's headquarters facility is located. Current plans are for six wind turbines to be installed on the roof, with meters placed inside the building.

Meijer also hopes to expand the project to include its stores in the west Michigan lakeshore communities of Grand Haven and Norton Shores.

“We continue to look for ways to decrease our carbon footprint and this wind turbine project is another example of how we can apply innovation to be greener,” says Stacie Behler, Meijer vp, communications and public affairs.

Cascade Engineering is manufacturing the turbines, which should be installed within the next couple of months. Meijer has launched several green initiatives in recent years, including the construction of LEED-certified stores, a plastic bag recycling program and the continued expansion of green products sold inside its stores.

The company operates 185 supercenters throughout Michigan, Ohio, Indiana, Illinois, and Kentucky.