Two County Grocers Certified by Maine DEP as Environmental Leaders

Fort Fairfield Journal, February 8, 2012

AUGUSTA – Two northern Maine groceries are being recognized by the Maine Department of Environmental Protection for their voluntary efforts to reduce the impact their stores have on the environment.

Paradis Shop’n Save in Houlton and Graves’ Shop’n Save in Presque Isle were recently certified by the department as Environmental Leaders, joining Edwards’ Family Shop’n Saves in Unity and Dover-Foxcroft as the only state certified green grocers north of Waterville.

The Environmental Leader program is a self-guided process offered by the department as part of its pollution prevention efforts that encourages lodging facilities, restaurants, and grocers to implement selected improvement initiatives from those offered in the department-developed workbook to achieve points towards certification. Grocers can earn points for practices such as adopting and posting an environmental policy, selling a percentage of local and/or organic foods, installing energy-efficient refrigeration equipment, having a posted anti-idle policy in delivery bays and educating patrons about the store’s green initiatives.

“We are so proud of our Environmental Leader program because it engages businesses in DEP’s core priority of protecting our natural resources while ensuring a vibrant and sustainable economy,” said DEP Commissioner Pattie Aho. “Grocers who participate are seeing significant energy cost savings that are leading to increased profitably, allowing them to invest in infrastructure improvements and expansion of their workforce. And by selling locally-sourced food, they are also helping to grow the businesses of those local producers too. This program is yet another example of what is good for the environment being what is good for the economy.”

Paradis Shop’n Save on 33 Ludlow Rd. in Houlton has green practices including donating food to a local food pantry and non-saleable meats to an animal refuge; using energy-efficient lighting throughout the store –including in refrigeration units– and water conserving fixtures in the rest rooms; recycling of paper, cardboard, plastic and metal waste; and installing signage in delivery areas urging suppliers to avoid unnecessary idling.

Graves’ Shop’n Save at 797 Main St. in Presque Isle sells local and organic food and hosts a local vendor day each fall to showcase area growers; has new energy-efficient LED lighting and compressors in the refrigeration units; uses environmentally preferable cleaning chemicals; and has eliminated Styrofoam packaging for to-go orders.

For more information about the Environmental Leader certification program and a complete list of participants, go to www.maine.gov/dep/assistance or contact DEP’s Office of Assistance at (800)789-9802. For more information about the Maine Department of Environmental Protection, visit www.maine.gov/dep/