Sprouts Farmers Market, a Phoenix-based natural and organic foods retailer, yesterday joined the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency’s GreenChill Advanced Refrigeration Partnership and voluntarily committed to reducing refrigerant emissions in an effort to fight climate change and protect the earth’s ozone layer.

“Sprouts Farmers Market shares the EPA’s commitment in decreasing refrigerant emissions through innovative HVAC, refrigeration design and leak-tight practices in all existing and future stores,” said Jerry Stutler, Sprouts VP of construction and facility engineering. “With this new partnership, we are making an effort to be an environmentally conscious neighbor and grocer.”

This pledge is the latest in a series of commitments by the retailer to environmental responsibility. Others include the following:

--Energy savings practices such as T-8 lighting in conjunction with daytime lighting; during most of the daylight hours lighting is reduced by 66 percent throughout the chain
--Motion sensors have been installed in all offices and back-room areas that control lighting
--Each store is equipped with variable-speed drives on air handlers that include condensers and energy management systems on all the HVAC and refrigeration systems
--Throughout the last year, Sprouts worked with other GreenChill partners such as Hussmann and Hill-Phoenix to redesign its refrigeration systems and achieve a 50 percent reduction in refrigerant charges
--Sprouts has also implemented water-saving fixtures and devices in all stores

The grocer shares GreenChill’s mission to reduce the impact on the environment and climate change.

“The public wants to do business with companies that share their environmental values,” said Keilly Witman, GreenChill program manager. “By joining GreenChill, Sprouts Farmers Market is proving to consumers that they care about the Earth’s ozone layer and climate system.”