Our Sustainable Practices

Willy Street Co-op—East is the first Wisconsin co-op store to receive an Energy Star Label! See our article about it here. Willy East was also named as one of the 2011 Mpower ChaMpion businesses.

Interior

• Our Sustainable Deli
• Promotion of bag credits (5¢ off for each paper bag reused; 10¢ for each cloth bag or backpack)
• 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
• 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
• Emphasis on organic and natural foods, the production of which uses minimal non-renewable resources
• Energy-efficient lighting (Willy East only at this time)
• Occupancy sensors (Willy East only at this time)
• High-efficiency refrigeration systems (Willy East only at this time)
• Day-lighting (where we could make it work) (Willy East only at this time)
• Heat reclaim systems (Willy East only at this time)
• Energy-star certified equipment (Willy East only at this time)
• Low-flow water fixtures (Willy East only at this time)
• Recycling of paper, packing peanuts, light bulbs, toner cartridges and plastic
• We also strive to buy as much local food as we can, greatly reducing the energy used for transportation and intermediary storage
• Willy East, Willy West and our Production Kitchen were existing buildings that we had remodeled for our needs rather than new structures
• The Willy West customer service desk and children's area mural were bought from the Madison Children's Museum before their move and repurposed.
• Aisle signs at Willy West are partially made from old wooden doors.
• Stores and Production Kitchen take delivery of eggs, olive and canola oils from a farmer driving a biodiesel truck

Exterior

• 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 (Willy East only at this time)
• Rooftop solar panels (Willy East only at this time)
• Rain garden (Willy East only at this time)
• Decorative cob (sustainable earthen building material) wall (Willy East only at this time)
• To compost trimmings or foliage from direct weeding, a “brown” yard composter was built on the Jenifer St. side of the building (Willy East only at this time)
• Participant in the Green Wind Power program through MG&E
• Two electric car charging stations in the Willy East & Willy West parking lots
• 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 (Willy East only at this time)