Also serving the communities of De Luz, Rainbow, Camp Pendleton, Pala and Pauma

Major Market continues to add 'green' practices

Fresh salads and produce are not the only green items featured at Major Market; the electronic equipment keeping the groceries fresh and the store bright are “green,” too.

Sam Logan, Major Market’s owner and vice president, says they have been renovating the Fallbrook location’s electronic and mechanical equipment to become green, or environmentally friendly, since before it was popular to do so.

“I wanted to put these renovations in to cut costs around the store, and I have saved a tremendous amount,” said Logan, “but I did not realize how important going green was going to be.”

In order to reduce lighting costs, Logan began replacing the standard two fluorescent light bulbs throughout Major Market with reflective mirrors surrounding one energy efficient fluorescent bulb eight years ago. When light reflects from the mirror surrounding the bulb, it is dispersed evenly throughout the grocery store in the same manner as it would be with multiple light bulbs.

Seeing what a difference a small change in lighting made to his electricity bill, Logan decided to replace and refurbish all of his coolers and refrigeration units with newer models featuring a cooling fan system that does not need as much power to run but still keeps food frozen, cool or fresh.

Major Market’s beer boxes, dairy coolers, frozen foods freezers and meat display coolers were all replaced with energy efficient models and any refrigeration unit or cooler that was not completely replaced was rewired in order to be able to support the cooling fan system.

With a background as a butcher, what Logan is particularly proud of is the renovation done two years ago on the store’s meat locker. Before the renovation, Major Market butchers would run back and forth to the meat locker in order to prepare customers’ orders. As they did so, the doors would stay wide open, causing the cooling fans to work overtime in order to keep the meat in the locker at the desired temperature.

Now, the doors to the meat locker close automatically, saving electricity and energy that would otherwise have been wasted. The cooling fans in the meat locker have also been changed to run electronically and only run when there is a rise in the locker’s temperature. When there is no need for the fans to run, such as during the middle of the night when no one is opening and closing the doors to the meat locker, the fans turn themselves off.

Logan calls the electronic fans a “great benefit” that saves the grocery store money on energy while being good for the environment, since they are only run 60 percent of the time.

Major Market is also conscientious of the way it handles recyclable paper products.

Logan stated that Major Market has been recycling cardboard boxes that goods arrive in “for years” and the store has even been recycling the receipt tape that has already been used.

“Customers who buy a lot of groceries leave with long receipts, and if they flip them over, they see that we might have used the other side already,” he laughed.

Customers can also get into the habit of implementing the green lifestyle into their daily habits, as Major Market has products and specials available to help consumers make the transition to a more environmentally conscious lifestyle.

The store is currently selling green, reusable grocery bags for a nominal price. When a customer buys two, Major Market will give the customer a bulk pack of Greenlite mini bulbs, environmentally friendly light bulbs, for free.

To date, Logan said the market has given away 200 to 300 light bulbs. Customers can also drop off drained batteries and used paper bags at Major Market for recycling.

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