Content about Recyclable materials

New York -- The Los Angeles City Council voted 13-1 to ban plastic bags at supermarket checkouts, becoming the largest city in the nation to approve such a law.

The council voted to phase out plastic bags during the next 16 months at an estimated 7,500 stores, meaning shoppers will need to bring reusable bags or purchase paper bags for 10 cents each.

New York City -- A new report from Pike Research forecasts that LEDs will capture 52% of the commercial lighting market by 2021. Pike, a cleantech market intelligence firm, anticipates that LED lighting costs for various SSL products will be reduced by 80% to 90% in many cases during the next decade.

East Cleveland, Ohio -- Walgreens received GE Lighting’s Retailer of the Year award in recognition of the drugstore chain’s transition from F28 to F25 linear fluorescent lamps, a strategic move that enabled the company to achieve a 9% energy savings while also extending its re-lamp cycle — how frequently it changes bulbs — by 10%. The award was presented at GE’s third annual LED & Energy Efficient Lighting Trends for Retail conference, held at the lighting unit’s headquarters in East Cleveland, Ohio.

Boca Raton, Fla. -- Office Depot’s global headquarters in Boca Raton, Fla., has earned the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency’s Energy Star certification. The certification signifies that the building performs in the top 25% of similar facilities nationwide for energy efficiency and meets strict energy efficiency performance levels set by the EPA.

Jo-Ann Fabric and Craft Stores has reduced energy by switching to solid-state lighting in the parking lot at its Ohio headquarters and adjacent store. The energy-efficient LEDs have also had a positive impact on the overall appearance of the areas.


“We’re seeing an 80% lighting-system energy savings compared with our previous high-intensity discharge units,” said Debbie Mansfield, director, energy and facilities for Jo-Ann Fabric and Craft Stores, Hudson, Ohio, which operates more than 751 stores nationwide.


By Ron Harwood, ronh@illuminatingconcepts.com

We have all seen the sales people come through the office claiming to have the answer to our lighting energy and efficacy concerns. Virtually every “pitch” will deal with LEDs, and only a rare few will be touting the older fluorescent and the new, almost miniature metal halide lamps.

Nashville, Tenn. -- The Retail Orphan Initiative (RetailROI) announced that it has created a computer recycling program in partnership with the GEAR Foundation. The program, which recycles retailers’ computers that are less than four years old and have expired warranties, will immediately create jobs for physically and mentally challenged young adults as the computers are erased, refurbished, and resold.

By Steve Williams,steve@harbingersign.com

Powell’s Books touts itself as being the largest independent used and new bookstore in the world, with an extensive collection of out-of-print and rare titles. The Portland, Ore.-based retailer also is among the growing number of regional chains that are replacing outdated and tedious supply chain processes with updated, seamless ones. 


San Bernardino, Calif.  -- Stater Bros. has been recognized as a 2010 WRAP (Waste Reduction Awards Program) Winner by the California Department of Resources Recycling and Recovery (CalRecycle). Among the supermarket operator’s accomplishments: a “green waste” composting program that turns organic waste from its 167 locations into compost that is sold to area farmers