On Tuesday, January 10th, 2006 Whole Foods Market Inc., announced, “it will rely on wind energy for all of its electricity needs, making it the largest corporate user of renewable energy in the United States.” (1) The EPA reports that Whole Food’s 458,000 megawatt-hours of wind energy credits per year purchased puts it well above the 312,416 megawatt-hours purchased by the U.S. Air Force and the previous corporate leader Johnson & Johnson who had purchased 241,398 megawatt-hours. (1)

In October of last year, Whole Foods was listed as the eighth-largest user of renewable energy among U.S. corporations and government agencies, when only 20% of its electricity had come from renewable sources. (1) Whole Foods has now rolled out wind energy for all 173 stores in the U.S. and Canada. According to USA Today, this move will make Whole Foods the only Fortune 500 company to purchase renewable energy credits. (2) "In the corporate world, this is huge," says Kurt Johnson, head of the EPA's Green Power Partnership. "When a market leader does something like this, others will emulate." (2)

Since wind energy cannot currently be tapped directly into a home or business, someone who wishes to use it, purchases “credits” which are used to offset the energy pulled from the grid. Each credit is equal to one megawatt-hour of electricity that will be replaced by renewable sources. (2) According to the EPA, this move will help keep 700 millions pounds of carbon dioxide pollution from entering the environment and is roughly equivalent to taking 60,000 cars off of the road. (2).

The decision follows Whole Food’s mission of environmental stewardship without losing sight of the bottom line, said regional president Michael Beancon. (1) "We're looking to show our customers and team members that we walk our talk," says Besancon.(2) (1) Whole Foods commits to wind energy. (2006). HappyNews.com, . Retrieved Jan 12, 2006, from http://www.happynews.com/news/1102006/Whole-Foods-commits.htm

(2) Horovitz, B. (2006). Whole Foods goes with the wind. USA Today, . Retrieved Jan 12, 2006, from http://www.usatoday.com/money/industries/food/2006-01-09-whole-foods-usat_x.htm