IKEA is Going Green!

IKEA, the assemble-yourself furniture company, continues their environmentally-friendly commitment with solar panels on several of their buildings in the U.S. Solar rooftop installations begin on their New Jersey and Massachusetts stores this month, with completion expected by spring 2011. There are already nine other stores with solar panels and eight California locations are expected to go solar next. IKEA already has solar energy systems operational in Brooklyn, Pittsburgh, and Tempe, AZ as well as solar water heating systems in Charlotte, Draper, Utah, Orlando, and Tampa, FL. The Centennial, CO store under construction will have a geothermal system.

IKEA has also promised to buy more of its wood from sustainably managed forests and to use fewer raw materials in its products. As a part of their going green commitment, IKEA does not offer paper or plastic bags - only reusable bags.