Accredo Packaging, Inc. announces that it has increased its ranking to No. 5 on the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency’s (EPA's) Top 20 Printing & Packaging list of the largest Green Power purchasers. This increased ranking further demonstrates Accredo Packaging's commitment to protecting the environment, and builds upon its existing partnership with EPA's Green Power Partnership.

Accredo Packaging is purchasing nearly 13 million kilowatt-hours (kWh) of Green Power annually from TXU Energy. This demonstrates a proactive choice to switch away from traditional sources of electricity generation and support cleaner renewable energy alternatives.

Recently, EPA updated each of its National Top Partner lists, highlighting some of 's largest Green Power purchasers. Each list highlights EPA Green Power Partners that have completed the largest annual voluntary purchases through April 5, 2012.

“It’s an honor to be recognized by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency,” says Rex Varn, Accredo’s executive vice president. “We have found that renewable energy is one of the easiest and most effective ways to minimize the impact of carbon emissions, and the increased cost of wind over fossil fuel-sourced power was minimal, considering the benefit achieved.”

This purchase also qualifies Accredo Packaging for EPA’s Green Power Leadership Club, a distinction given to organizations that have significantly exceeded EPA’s minimum purchase requirements. Green Power Leadership Club members must purchase ten times the partnership’s minimum requirement organization-wide.

Green Power is electricity that is generated from environmentally preferable renewable resources, such as wind, solar, geothermal, biogas, biomass and low-impact hydro. Purchases of Green Power are recognized as helping to accelerate the development of new renewable energy capacity nationwide, and help reduce greenhouse gas emissions from the power sector.

“The EPA congratulates Accredo Packaging for demonstrating environmental leadership through its use of clean, renewable energy,” says Blaine Collison, director of EPA's Green Power Partnership. “By doing so, Accredo Packaging is reducing harmful air pollution and demonstrating that using Green Power is smart for the environment and for business.”

According to the U.S. EPA, Accredo Packaging's Green Power purchase of nearly 13 million kWh is equivalent to avoiding the carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions of nearly 2,000 passenger vehicles per year, or the CO2emissions from the electricity use of more than 1,000 average American homes annually.

Adds Varn, “We’ve sought to integrate sustainability into every aspect of Accredo’s business model. As one of our core values, sustainability is a critical consideration in the products we create, our worker safety initiatives and our environmental policies.”

About Accredo Packaging
www.accredopackaging.com

EPA’s Green Power Partnership
www.epa.gov/greenpower