As one of the largest retail chains in the county, Target is a household name that carries a lot of weight. With its great selection of goods at affordable prices, we often find ourselves going there needing, say, toilet paper, and coming out with half the store.

But what if Target could go beyond just filling our homes with material goods? What if it could help save the environment from the increasing amounts of air pollution and climate-change effects? And what if it could do this while saving money on it electricity bills? All of these things are actually quite possible and can be done without making significant changes to Target's existing structures.

As the use of solar power continues to rise throughout the nation, the economic and environmental benefits of renewable energy are being realized. One key piece of space that retail stores like Target have an abundance of is empty rooftops. With direct exposure to sunlight, these rooftops provide the perfect location for solar panels. Environment America's new analysis of the nation's 96,000 "big-box" retail stores, called "Solar on Superstores," shows just how much both businesses and the environment can benefit.

The report determined that by using existing roof space on all of the nation's big retail chain stores and shopping centers, the U.S. could nearly triple its solar capacity. In addition, the use of solar energy instead of other forms of energy would reduce climate-warming carbon pollution by 57 million metric tons annually. That also would mean cutting 919,000 metric tons of carbon pollution in Minnesota alone.

On the business side of things, electricity produced by rooftop panels on these big-box stores could offset enough electricity to save businesses $8.2 billion annually on their electricity bills. Minnesota business locations alone could save $91 million annually. While there would be a cost to installing solar panels, it would soon be offset by the savings in electricity spending.

So if the report analyzed all of the nation's available retail roof space, why are we calling on Target specifically to do more? First, in terms of potential roof space, the retailer is second only to Wal-Mart with 240 million square feet of roof space, the equivalent of 4,000 football fields. Additionally, Target has not come close to fulfilling the solar potential it possesses. According to our report, Wal-Mart has installed the most total rooftop solar, followed closely by Costco, Kohl's and Ikea. Compared with other retail chains throughout the country, Target's use of solar energy is not where it could — and should — be.

Target Corp. has a long legacy of working for the betterment of the community. Last year, Target made a commitment to the health of our community and our environment by pledging to put solar panels on 500 of its stores nationwide. However, like the ads say, we "expect more" from Target. That's why Environment America is asking Target to commit to putting solar on all of it nearly 2,000 stores across the country.

Megan Spear is a campaign organizer for Environment Minnesota. Colin Supple is a student at the University of Minnesota.