Retailers mark Earth Day with sustainability efforts

LANDOVER, Md. — Giant Food of Landover, Md., is one of several retailers promoting environmental awareness as part of Earth Day Monday, the Ahold USA-owned retailer said.

Giant-Landover said it would focus on offering products that are sustainably sourced and reducing the environmental effects of its operations, including a commitment to reducing its carbon footprint by 20% by 2015. A new "Sustainable Choice" program is designed to encourage customers to choose sustainable products, including seafood, and the company hopes to divert 90% of waste going to landfills and incineration plants through an expansion to its organic recycling program, in order to reach "zero waste."

"Giant is proud to renew our focus on environmental sustainability," Giant-Landover public and community relations manager Jamie Miller said. "Making efforts to reduce our impact and encouraging our customers to do the same is crucial to protecting and preserving the communities in which we live and work."

Stop & Shop, another Ahold USA banner, made a similar announcement last week.

Meanwhile, mass merchandiser Target Corp. marked Earth Day on Sunday by giving away 1.5 million reusable shopping bags, 250,000 of which contained samples of sustainable products such as Annie's Bunny Grahams, Seventh Generation Laundry Detergent, Burt's Bees Moisturizing Cream and Method Dish Soap.