Supermarkets participating in the EPA's GreenChill program reduced their aggregate emissions 8.5 percent last year.
The program, launched in November of 2007, encourages supermarkets to reduce the use of ozone-depleting refrigerants in their store coolers.
So far, more than 6,500 stores have signed up for the program, according to a press release.
EPA estimates that if all U.S. supermarkets reduced emissions to the average attained by GreenChill stores, it would result in reducing 22 million metric tons of carbon dioxide and 240 ozone-depleting potential tons each year across the nation. The EPA says that is equal to the emissions from more than 4 million cars annually.
As a greater incentive, making the change would help the supermarket sector save $108 million in refrigerant expenses annually.
Participants in the program include Publix, Food Lion, Whole Foods, Albertson's, Hannaford Bros., Giant Eagle and Supervalu, among others.
For a full list of GreenChill partners, click here.
