Staples recognized as one of leading purchasers of green energy in U.S. for 2011; company's purchases equal to amount of electricity needed to power 30,000 U.S. homes for a year

Cindy Allen

BOSTON , November 17, 2011 (Staples) – Staples, Inc., based in Framingham, Mass., and State Street Corporation based in Boston, Mass., have recently been recognized by EPA as one of the nation’s leading purchasers of Green Power for 2011.

EPA, through the Green Power Partnership, works with more than 1,300 partner organizations that voluntarily use more than 21 billion kilowatt-hours of green power annually to reduce the environmental impacts of conventional electricity use. This is equivalent to avoiding the carbon dioxide emissions from the electricity use of over 1.8 million average American homes for a year. Green power is electricity generated from renewable resources such as solar, wind, geothermal, biogas, and low-impact hydro and produces no net increase of greenhouse gas emissions.

Staples currently purchases renewable energy certificates (RECs), and direct renewable power through various utility programs and hosts more than 30 on-site roof-top solar installations producing approximately 1.8 million kilowatt-hours of clean electricity every year. These purchases are equivalent to the amount of electricity needed to power 30,000 average American homes every year. This is a repeat honor for Staples as they received a Green Power Leadership Award in 2006, was a Partner of the Year in 2004 and 2007, and is consistently included in the Green Power Partnership top partner lists, including the Top 20 Retail and National Top 50.

State Street, as a part of its Corporate Sustainability Program commitment, is reducing its greenhouse gas emissions and meeting approximately 58% of its electricity demand from renewable resources. As part of the program, State Street has set goals to lower GHG emissions and committed to purchasing certified renewable power. State Street's green power purchase has helped establish the corporation be a leader among U.S. financial services companies, and demonstrates its commitment to sustainability to all of its stakeholders around the world.

“Staples and State Street Corporation as well as EPA’s other Green Power Purchasers are driving the development of new renewable energy sources and demonstrating that green power makes good environmental and business sense,” said EPA New England Regional Administrator Curt Spalding. “We applaud their efforts and hope that other organizations follow their lead.”

More information on EPA’s Green Power Partnership can be found at: http://epa.gov/greenpower

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