Those of us interested in ethical investment think primarily of ethical funds, but we may soon be able to ‘invest’ ethically on a small scale as well, when doing our weekly shopping at the supermarket.
Tesco has opened the world’s first ethical supermarket with a zero carbon footprint in Ramsey, Cambridgeshire, and the operation of the store has no carbon impact on the environment over the year.
The store generates its own power onsite from renewable fuels, including vegetable oil, and the traditional steel and plastic frontage is replaced by a sustainably-sourced timber frame.
Other zero carbon features include:
- Roof lights and sun-pipes that allow maximum use of natural sunlight on the sales floors
- Energy-efficient heating and air conditioning systems
- No harmful refrigerants in food and building cooling/heating systems
- The UK’s first LED-lit car park
- Solar-powered street lighting and crossing beacons
- Low-energy bakery ovens
While the Ramsey store is a unique pilot project, Tesco will build on its design and has the expressed intention of becoming a zero carbon business by 2050. Tesco will incorporate aspects of the Ramsey prototype into future new builds, so that by 2020 each new store will produce 50% less carbon than a store built in 2006.
Are you interested in investing your cash in ethical funds, which aim to support only companies that make a positive contribution to the environment? Find out more about ethical investments and our investment portfolios here.
