Did you know that some of your favorite retail stores actually generate some of the energy they use onsite? Today, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency released a list of the top twenty on-site energy generators in the country. You might be surprised to find some retailers you frequent on the list.

Just to name a few, Macy’s, Khols, Wal-Mart, Safeway, and even Sierra Nevada Brewing Company,  are just a few of the companies that together help generate millions of kilowatts of green power onsite. This is a great start, but of course there is always more that can be done to increase the amount of green power we use in this country. Learn more about the others who made the top twenty list of onsite green energy producers.

Businesses, however aren’t the only ones getting in on the efforts to generate the energy needed to operate daily onsite. Around the country, cities and municipalities are helping too. From San Diego and San Francisco to Ann Arbor, Michigan and Iowa University, public offices are getting in on the green energy action by generating their own wind, solar and biogas power.

Green power is generated from renewable resources such as solar, wind, geothermal, biomass, biogas, and low-impact hydropower. On-site green power is deployed directly at energy users’ facilities rather than at central power plants. Green power electricity generates less pollution than conventional power and produces no net increase in greenhouse gas emissions.

If you have a small business, or a business of any size that wants to purchase green power, take a glance at the Green Power Partnership program operated by US EPA. While you may not make the top twenty list next year, you will be helping to reduce your company’s carbon footprint – a sales point your customers will appreciate.

Every time you purchase anything, you are voting with your wallet. At the same time, each of the retailers you purchase from, votes with their revenues. Its important for any person working to live a greener life to pay attention to not just their own purchasing habits, but that of the retailers and manufacturers from which you purchase. The good news is that it is getting easier to learn more about the purchasing habits of corporations as they learn that consumers want to know more, and how that information affects consumer behavior.

Today, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency released the latest list of green power purchasers in the nation. With a number of new additions to the list and an ever increasing number of kilowatts being produced from green power, the list is pretty impressive.

Nearing the top of the list is Kohls department store, ranking number three on the list of the National Top 50 list and number one on the list of the Top 20 Retailers list. Kohl’s is purchasing more than 600 million kilowatt-hours (kWh) of green power annually, which is enough green power to meet 50 percent of the organization’s purchased electricity use.  Kohl’s Department Stores’ commitment to green power helps reduce greenhouse gas emissions while also supporting the development of new renewable generation capacity nationwide. 

Other notable new additions to the Top 50 list is Sony DADC, WalMart, Motorola, Inc., The Dannon Company, and Intel Corporation.

Along with its announcement of corporate green energy purchasers, the EPA also announced the top green energy powered communities in America.  Among the new additions to the list is Stoughton, Wisconsin (#19), Cordova, Alaska (#23), and Hood River, Oregon (#12). Leading municipalities across the nation are partnering with EPA to become Green Power Communities (GPCs). GPCs are cities, towns, and villages in which the local government, businesses, and residents collectively buy green power in amounts that meet or exceed EPA’s Green Power Community purchase requirements. If you are wondering how your community ranks, check out EPA’s list of Green Power Communities is available at http://www.epa.gov/greenpower/communities/index.htm.

Green power is generated from renewable resources such as solar, wind, geothermal, biogas, biomass and low-impact hydro. Green power sources produce electricity which produces no human-caused greenhouse gas emissions and are more environmentally sensitive than conventional energy production. Companies which participate in purchasing green power also help accelerate the development of new renewable energy capacity nationwide. 

These corporations are not just spending more money to do their part to save the environment and increase the demand for clean energy, they are hoping that their good deeds pay off. Last weekend at the National Earth Day Festival on the National Mall, FedEx passed out bookmarks with wildflower seeds attached and information about their green power ranking. They aren’t the only ones trying to make hay out of their act of greenness. Many of the listed companies will advertise their ranking as one of the nation’s largest green power purchasers in an effort to get you to spend  your next purchase with them, and not a competitor.

So the question is, does learning that a company purchases green power in some of the greatest quantities in the nation drive you to want to support them over their rival? Comment below and let us know how a list like this affects your purchasing habits.

Here’s a tip for the US government: how about you start getting innovative when it comes to energy, like Japan is?

Developed by Japan’s Sound Power , the FB-0001 platform generates electric power when the hundreds of thousands of station visitors step on its surface. In places where there isn’t enough room for windmills, these can do the trick.

As of now, nobody is sure how much power the devices are going to generate (the experiment lasts until Christmas). But could you imagine if stadium floors were replaced with these things? Or subway platforms in NYC? The possibilities are about endless!

If you’re interested, you can even purchase one right now for 50,000 yen ($550). You can also look at pictures of what they look like here .

A study done by The College of William & Mary shows that freshmen at colleges across the nation are twice as likely to choose a school based on sustainability concerns compared to the freshmen of three years ago. William & Mary students have proposed an annual “green fee” to support sustainable efforts on campus. The “green” initiative was student generated and administration supported. What might this include? Facility improvements, student research grants and a “green endowment” at the college were some of the ideas. An estimated $200,000 would be generated for environmental efforts on campus annually.(The Virginia GazetteApril 26, 2008)

The Western Washington University, following a student led iniative, became the first public university to impliment a student fee for the purchase of “green power.” According to the EPA Green Power Partnership list, Western Washington University purchases 100% of its electrical power from a source which uses wind as its source. The EPA estimates that the total amount of “green power” purchased by Green Power Partners( colleges and universities) is 817 million kwh, or the amount of power used by 84,000 average American homes.

(EPA Top Ten List, April 8, 2008)