Whole Foods Market(R) Makes Largest Ever Purchase
of Wind Energy Credits in United States
AUSTIN,
Texas, Jan. 10 /PRNewswire-FirstCall/ -- Whole Foods
Market (Nasdaq:WFMI), the world's leading natural
and organic foods supermarket, has made a landmark
purchase of renewable energy credits from wind farms
to offset 100% of the electricity used in all of
its stores, facilities, bake houses, distribution
centers, regional offices and national headquarters
in the United States and Canada. This is the largest
wind energy credit purchase in the history of the
United States and Canada and makes Whole Foods Market
the only Fortune 500 Company purchasing wind energy
credits to offset 100% of its electricity use.
"Whole
Foods Market is a leader in the natural and organic
foods movement, and that involves caring about our
communities and respecting our environment. This
purchase of wind energy credits is a natural extension
of that leadership and is integral to our core values,"
said Michael Besancon, Whole Foods Market Southern
Pacific regional president and Green Mission task
force leader. "Offsetting 100% of our electricity
use with renewable, clean energy strengthens our
commitment to be a leader in environmental stewardship
by helping to clean the air and reducing our dependence
on fossil fuels."
As
of December 9, 2005, Whole Foods Market is purchasing
more than 458,000 megawatt-hours (MWh) of renewable
energy credits from wind farms. This purchase will
avoid more than 700 million pounds of carbon dioxide
pollution this year. To have the same environmental
impact, more than 60,000 cars would have to be taken
off the road or more than 90,000 acres of trees
would have to be planted.
"Whole
Foods Market has made the largest ever corporate
purchase of renewable energy credits in the nation,"
said Kurt Johnson, U.S. Environmental Protection
Agency Green Power Partnership director. "Conventional
electricity generation is the largest industrial
source of air pollution in the United States, and
wind power is a clean and renewable alternative.
Whole Foods Market's commitment to wind power is
providing an outstanding example of environmental
leadership."
Renewable energy credits make nationwide wind power
transactions possible since it would be physically
impossible to deliver electrons from a wind farm
directly to all of Whole Foods Market's stores,
facilities, and businesses. When a wind farm produces
electricity, renewable energy credits are issued
to track the exact amount of power created.
Whole
Foods Market has chosen Boulder, Colorado-based
Renewable Choice Energy as its exclusive supplier
of renewable energy credits after an extensive search
process. Renewable Choice Energy is a leading national
provider, building the market for clean and renewable
sources of energy. "Renewable Choice Energy
is thrilled to have been chosen to make this record-
setting renewable energy credit purchase possible,"
said Quayle Hodek, Renewable Choice Energy chief
executive officer. "Whole Foods Market's commitment
is an inspiration to everyone looking for a leader
to demonstrate that wind power is ready for the
mainstream."
To
help evaluate options and facilitate the purchasing
process, Whole Foods Market involved the Washington,
DC-based nonprofit environmental think tank World
Resources Institute (WRI). Since 2000, WRI has been
working with a number of Fortune 500 companies to
increase their use of renewable energy. "By
making this purchase, Whole Foods Market is taking
a huge step toward advancing corporate renewable
energy purchases," said Jonathan Lash, WRI
president. "Corporate leadership is essential
to the growth of wind power, and Whole Foods Market's
historic purchase has set a new benchmark for the
industry."
