Tops commits to climate change efforts

Williamsville, N.Y.-based Tops Friendly Markets, a grocery retailer, will be hosting a Clean Up the World Weekend Sept. 20-22  at all 159 of its stores located in New York, northern Pennsylvania and Vermont.

The company announced that over the course of the three-day event, 10,000 reusable bags made of 100% recyclable materials will randomly be given away, encouraging shoppers to use recycled bags over plastic. This is especially pertinent in New York State where a plastic bag ban is currently in legislation and set to go into effect in March 2020.

Additionally, Tops associates will be participating in environmental cleanups across the communities they serve. From river and beach cleanups to beautifying trails and parks, the company stated that it is encouraging its associates to make a difference. 

“At Tops Friendly Markets, social responsibility and sustainability have always been at the core of our mission, upholding standards that ensure we reduce environmental waste and energy consumption while providing our customers with sustainably sourced, high-quality products,” said Kathy Sautter, public and media relations manager for Tops Friendly Markets. “We continue to make great strides in reducing our environmental impact in every facet of our business. For example we are able to reduce the amount of inedible food going back into landfills by recycling over 346 tons of inedible food and over 156 tons of unusable organic products this year alone.”

The CUTW is a community-based environmental program that unites community groups, schools, businesses and local governments to carry out activities that address local environmental issues.