Our Sustainable Practices
Both Willy East and West have received an Energy Star Label! See our article about it here and here Willy East was also named as one of the 2011 MPower Business Champion.
Interior
| Sustainable Practice | Willy East | Willy West |
|---|---|---|
| Recycleable packaging used in for our Deli food | Yes | Yes |
| Circulatory ceiling fans to help reduce heating and cooling costs | Yes (3) | Yes (5) |
| Aluminum night covers for produce cases. They reduce warm air flow into cases at night, improve efficiency and reduce energy consumption. | Yes | Not Yet |
| Promotion of bag credits (5¢ off for each paper bag reused; 10¢ for each cloth bag or backpack) | Yes | Yes |
| Environmentally sound soaps and cleaning agents are used whenever possible, and cleaning and office supplies are bought in bulk to limit the amount of packaging and pollution from transportation | Yes | Yes |
| Our maintenance team has a knack for finding ways to fix or renovate broken or discarded furniture and display fixtures into useful creations to meet our needs and keep more trash out of landfills | Yes | Yes |
| Emphasis on organic and natural foods, the production of which uses minimal non-renewable resources | Yes | Yes |
| Energy-efficient lighting | Yes | Not Yet |
| Occupancy sensors | Yes | Not Yet |
| High-efficiency refrigeration systems | Yes | Not Yet |
| Day-lighting (where we could make it work) | Yes | Not Yet |
| Heat reclaim systems | Yes | Not Yet |
| Energy-star certified equipment | Yes | Not Yet |
| Low-flow water fixtures | Yes | Not Yet |
| Recycling of paper, packing peanuts, light bulbs, toner cartridges and plastic | Yes | Yes |
| We also strive to buy as much local food as we can, greatly reducing the energy used for transportation and intermediary storage | Yes | Yes |
| All locations were existing buildings that we had remodeled for our needs rather than new structures | Yes | Yes |
| The Willy West customer service desk and children's area mural were bought from the Madison Children's Museum before their move and repurposed. | NA | Yes |
| Aisle signs at Willy West are partially made from old wooden doors. | NA | Yes |
| Stores and Production Kitchen take delivery of eggs, olive and canola oils from a farmer driving a biodiesel truck | Yes | Yes |
Exterior
| Sustainable Practice | Willy East | Willy West |
|---|---|---|
| Solar Pumping station designed by Resource Solar - the new station’s collectors on our roof pre-heats water that is piped to our store's hot water heater, reducing our use of fossil fuels | Yes | Not Yet |
| Rooftop solar panels | Yes | Not Yet |
| Rain garden | Yes | NA |
| Decorative cob (sustainable earthen building material) wall | Yes | NA |
| To compost trimmings or foliage from direct weeding, a “brown” yard composter was built on the Jenifer St. side of the building | Yes | Not Yet |
| Participant in the Green Wind Power program through MG&E | Yes | Yes |
| Two electric car charging stations in our parking lots | Yes | Yes |
| No synthetic pesticides or herbicides are used in maintaining the lawns on Co-op property; a vinegar and clove-based herbicide is used around the building’s exterior as needed during the growing season | Yes | NA |
Updated - April 26, 2013
