M&S eco-store - top Marks
by Jo-ann Hodgson in At home on 11.04.08
This is not just an eco-plan; this is a five-year, £200-million, 100-point M&S eco-plan.
The retail giant this week unveiled details of a carbon-neutral store planned for Cheshire Oaks, which aims to use just half the energy of similarly-sized M&S stores.
The new venture will, if all goes to plan, add yet another feather to Marks & Spencer’s eco-cap. The re-invented British institution already has two ‘green’ stores in Scotland, powered by windmills and using rainwater to service customer toilets. It’s in the process of switching labels on much of its clothing to read ‘Think Climate’, encouraging people to wash at 30 degrees.
M&S will also soon roll-out a 5p charge on food carrier bags in UK stores, with the profits generated going to environmental charity Groundwork. The new scheme follows a trial period in 50 stores in Northern Ireland and south-west England, which saw customers’ use of the plastic nasties drop by 70%, saving 280 million bags a year.
The last few years have seen a number of British companies, such as HSBC, Barclays, Bradford & Bingley, British Sky Broadcasting and Silverjet, given the official Carbon Neutral stamp, but as yet, no major retailers have taken the plunge and set a date for their coming of new-age. With a commitment to be carbon-neutral by 2017, it seems M&S are leading the way – full Marks for effort.
IMAGE courtesy Marks & Spencer
I live on the housing estate next to the location and I am currently studying design at University. I fully appreciate the value of green design and the efforts made by Marks and Spencers in this aspect. However, the estate I live on is a quiet, friendly, family community and the positioning of the entrance and exits to the store will transform a quiet road through the estate to a very busy, traffic jam packed mess running straight in front of peoples homes
25.07.2008 at 3:11 pm