Last year, Best Buy managed to reach its goal to reduce its carbon footprint by 45 percent four years ahead of schedule, helped by the change up of its fleet of Geekmobiles to hybrid cars.
Now the electronics chain announced today that it is upping its initial target and now aims to reduce its carbon emissions 60 percent by 2020, a stepped up commitment which would be the equivalent of removing another 32,000 cars from the road for a year.
To further cut its emissions, Best Buy will accelerate programs to, for example, source more of its electricity from renewable sources.
In recent years, Best Buy, like many other companies, has been doing things such as installing LED lights and upgrading its heating and cooling systems in stores, warehouses and other properties with more energy-efficient systems. It has also an e-waste recycling program that has been in place for several years that helps consumers more responsibly dispose of consumer electronics and appliances.
In 2016, it swapped out Volkswagen Beetles for 1,200 Toyota Prius c hybrids to transport its Geek Squad members who make home visits to customers to install and repair items. The company says that shift saved more than 140,000 gallons of gas in one year.
It also recently added another 300 Prius c vehicles to its fleet for its growing fleet of in-home advisors, one of Best Buy's newer services where consultants make free home visits to help customers figure out how to better utilize technology in their homes.
Many of these changes also have the dual purpose of helping Best Buy cut costs over the long term. The company told investors earlier this year it will cut an additional $60 million over the next few years following $1.4 billion in reductions over the past several years.
