Environmental Initiatives

Our 770 Cascadilla store demonstrates our commitment to environmental sustainability. The building is an adaptive reuse of an existing building, which saved tons of concrete and greenhouse gas emissions. The nearby warehouse was demolished and reused as parking lot substrate, saving mined stone and trucking.

The store consolidated our kitchen, retail, and administrative operations under one roof, ultimately saving heating and cooling energy. We have insulated the building and chose specific window quality and insulation to reduce heating and cooling energy as well as energy-efficient lighting and Energy Star-rated refrigeration and freezing equipment.

Our Cascadilla store was designed with landscape features including trees and plantings and permeable surfaces in our parking lot to handle storm waters and diminish impact on water quality from parked cars.

GreenStar is committed to recycling, reducing plastic packaging, and seeking sustainable packaging alternatives throughout our stores. We promote the use of reusable containers as possible for our bulk items. We transitioned from black to white #5 plastic prepared food containers to align with Tompkins County’s recycling program.

GreenStar is committed to reducing food waste and following the food recovery hierarchy. We budget and arrive at about 3% food waste from our operations, which is well below the industry average. Consumable “waste” is offered daily first to staff, then to Friendship Donations Network and other local food pantries for distribution to people in our community. Remaining food waste is shared with local organizations for animal consumption or locally composted.

GreenStar owns a 130-kW remotely net-metered solar farm in Danby, NY, installed by Renovus Solar. As the largest solar array owned by a food co-op in the U.S., the solar farm has distinguished GreenStar as a national leader in renewable energy and demonstrated our Co-op’s commitment to promoting the feasibility of renewable energy on a commercial level.

GreenStar uses an electric cargo van for store-to-store transportation and product delivery. Additionally, our Cascadilla store offers two electric vehicle charging stations to serve up to four vehicles.

By prioritizing local, organic, and fair-trade foods and products, GreenStar minimizes transport emissions, preserves green spaces for local farmers, and supports regional biodiversity. Organic products are grown without synthetic chemicals, which helps support cleaner water, healthier soil, and protects pollinators. Emphasizing our Fair-Trade partners like Equal Exchange and others, supports fair wages for workers and global environmental protections.