Going green is more than recycling bags and bottles. While we do believe those little things can go a long way in terms of conservation, we wanted to take things further, see where we could “clean up” our routine, and stay conscious of our environmental footprint. Here are just a few things we do every day that we hope make for a better tomorrow.

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1. Switching to LED:

We tested the use of LED lights in newer stores and found that it reduced electricity usage by thirty-five percent. We are now rolling out LED lighting to existing stores and incorporating it into new store designs. We have also replaced all of our walk-in freezer lighting with LEDs, resulting in a fifty to eighty percent reduction in energy usage over traditional incandescent lights.

2. Reducing packaging materials:

We worked with our cotton mop supplier to remove the plastic sleeves they’re shipped in, which cuts down on 2,500 pounds of plastic per year.

3. Using more efficient engines:

Until 2014, our tractors required oil changes every 35,000 miles. Now, with upgraded engines, we can put roughly 50,000 miles on each vehicle before it requires another oil change. This cuts down significantly on the amount of waste oil we recycle.

4. Recycling prescription vials:

Each year, our customers return more than 7.4 million Publix Pharmacy vials. Our vial manufacturer directly recycles them into the production of new ones, which has enabled us to repurpose over 30 million vials since 2011.

5. Reducing food waste:

Each year, we send thousands of tons of food waste from our manufacturing plants to farmers to feed their livestock. Our bakeries also donate their outdated bread, which is processed into animal feed. In total, this saves resources from being wasted or sent to landfills.

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We are always finding new ways to conserve and minimize our footprint for a better tomorrow.