Hunger Mountain Co-op has always been committed to protecting the environment. From the beginning we have considered the environmental impact of our decisions and we’re continuously seeking improvements to lessen our local and global environmental impact throughout our business operations.

Our focus areas include conserving energy, water, and other natural resources; reducing waste generation; recycling and purchasing reusable and recycled-content products; and reducing our use of toxic materials. We actively track sustainability metrics through Co+efficient, a national sustainability program developed by National Co+op Grocers. For our efforts, we were designated a Green Grocery Environmental Leader by the state of Vermont in 2016.

Our co-op has made innovative improvements in energy efficiency by targeting refrigeration and HVAC systems in recent years. We have reduced our refrigeration demand in the winter by installing a system for walk-in coolers that circulates in cold, outdoor air. Additionally, we have installed a heat reclamation tank that captures excess heat from our refrigeration system to preheat water used on-site.

We have looked closely at where the majority of our propane is used and are planning future upgrades to transition our hot water heater, small HVAC systems and kitchen equipment off propane to further reduce our reliance on fossil fuels. We look forward to our continued collaboration with Efficiency VT for these projects and others in an ongoing effort to reduce our environmental impact as new opportunities arise.

There is a solar powered EV charging station in our parking lot, offsetting nearly two percent of our energy use and providing free charging to our shoppers. Additionally, in 2021 we purchased two solar arrays that largely offset our annual electrical consumption.

Food that is fit for consumption but has been deemed unsalable is used by our kitchen, given to employees, or donated to an area food shelf. Vermont Compost transports the remaining organic material from our kitchen and produce departments for composting at their facility.

The Co-op recycles all materials approved by our recycling partners and supports the reuse of many materials. In addition, we recycle plastic wrap from our pallets and products through ARCC in Barre, VT.

We also have multiple programs to help our shoppers be more environmentally friendly. These programs include e-receipts, reusable takeout containers, a 30-cent discount for using a travel mug, battery cork and beer carrier recycling, and making a five-cent donation to the Montpelier Food Pantry for every reusable shopping bag used in place of a paper bag.