Environmental Sustainability

Target Corp. will celebrate Earth Day by distributing 1.5 million reusable bags in all of its stores on April 22. In addition, Target will offer guests simple, sustainable solutions and more than $50 in savings on sustainable products throughout April in its stores and via a limited-time website. The retailer also will partner with Recyclebank, an organization that promotes sustainable decisions by allowing individuals to earn rewards for actions like recycling and reducing water use.

Wal-Mart will expand its solar commitment in Colorado, with six SolarCity projects planned for the state. The projects will include the company’s 100th solar power installation in the United States and will help it to achieve its long-term goal of using 100 percent renewable energy for all of its facilities. The installations, totaling two megawatts on three stores in Westminster and one each in Lakewood, Highlands Ranch and Lafayette, also will help Colorado meet its renewable energy goals. Wal-Mart's SolarCity projects in Colorado are expected to generate approximately 3 million kilowatt hours of clean, renewable energy per year.

Ikea, in partnership with American Forests, has planted 2 million trees across the United States through its Plant A Tree program. Ikea launched the national in-store Plant A Tree program in 1998 and since that time has raised $2 million through customer contributions and its own donations to plant the trees. During the month of April, Ikea Family "loyalty" card member usage will also support Ikea in its donations to plant more trees through American Forests.

Ikea has officially plugged in the solar energy system installed at its store in Portland, Ore. The 62,500-square-foot photovoltaics array consists of a 497.3 kilowatt system, built with 2,072 solar panels.

Models in bikinis armed with water guns? It's just another day at the American Apparel factory in downtown Los Angeles. Business Insider points to the company's online factory tour, which includes a video showcasing American Apparel at its greenest.

Clothing from H&M, Adidas, Ralph Lauren and Nike, among others, discharges a significant amount of hazardous chemicals into water systems when washed, according to a Greenpeace report. Among the samples that Greenpeace tested, those companies' clothes emitted the highest percentage of nonylphenol ethoxylates (NPEs) on the first wash, according to Dirty Laundry: Reloaded: How big brands are making consumers unwitting accomplices in the toxic water cycle.

Kohl’s was honored with the Environmental Protection Agency’s 2012 Energy Star Award for Sustained Excellence at a ceremony in Washington, D.C. The award recognizes Kohl’s long-term commitment to protecting the environment through energy-efficiency initiatives. Kohl’s was recognized by the EPA in 2010 and 2011 as an Energy Star Partner of the Year, and in 2011 also became the first retailer to be named an EPA Green Power Partner of the Year for three consecutive years.

Wal-Mart's Greenwash, a new report from the Institute for Local Self-Reliance, suggests "Wal-Mart's sustainability campaign has done more to improve the company's image than to help the environment."

Best Buy has joined the Energy Department's National Clean Fleet's Partnership, a broad public-private partnership that assists the nation's largest fleet operators in reducing the amount of gasoline and diesel they use nationwide. 

Leading High Street retailer Marks & Spencer has announced that it will be supporting the Marine Conservation Society in cleaning up British beaches this spring. The first-ever Marks & Spencer Big British Cleanup will take place between May 11 and May 13 at 50 locations around the country.