GreenChill Certification: The EPA's Way of Greening Grocery Stores

Eco-conscious consumers know that carefully reading the labels of the foods they buy can help determine their environmental impact. With the GreenChill certification, shoppers can now ensure they're making a greener choice before they even enter the store.

The EPA-sponsored program, which partners with markets such as Albertsons, Fresh & Easy, Whole Foods, and Sprouts, doesn't focus on a store's products. Rather, it emphasizes sustainable refrigeration practices. The steps that retailers must take to gain certification include not using any ozone-depleting refrigerants, reducing refrigerant emissions overall, and frequently testing for leaks in their equipment.

Supermarket chain Fresh & Easy, which has stores in California, Nevada, and Arizona, just opened four more locations that are GreenChill certified. Fresh & Easy CEO Tim Mason says the partnership is a win-win for the environment and for customers: "On average, our stores use 30% less energy than a typical supermarket, which not only helps the environment but also keeps our prices low so our customers can continue to save money," he said.

To find out if there's a GreenChill-certified retailer near you, check out the EPA's list of GreenChill partners.

--Rosie Spinks