Lowe's 2014 Annual Report Download - page 16

We continue to take steps to improve our recycling programs and reduce the amount of waste we generate. Through these
efforts, we are able to reduce our disposal costs and minimize the impact on the environment of the operation of our stores and
other facilities. We also offer convenient recycling for our customers at many of our stores for items such as rechargeable
batteries, plastic bags and compact fluorescent light bulbs.
We annually track our carbon footprint and participate in the Carbon Disclosure Project, an independent nonprofit organization
hosting the largest database of primary corporate climate change information in the world. To further reduce our carbon
footprint, we incorporate energy-efficient technologies and architectural systems into new stores and retrofits of existing stores,
such as energy-efficient lighting, white membrane cool roofs, and HVAC units that meet or exceed ENERGY STAR
qualifications. We also participate in demand response programs by voluntarily reducing our lighting and HVAC loads during
peak demand periods to support electric grid reliability.
Additionally, we continue to focus on helping consumers reduce their energy and water use and their environmental footprint
while saving money when they purchase our products and services. We offer a wide selection of environmentally responsible
and energy-efficient products for the home, including ENERGY STAR®appliances, WaterSense®labeled toilets, paint with no
volatile organic compounds (VOC), and indoor and outdoor LED lighting. Through our in-home sales specialists, we offer
customers installation of insulation and energy efficient windows.
For more information on Lowe’s environmental efforts, please visit Lowes.com/SocialResponsibility.
Compliance with Environmental Matters
Our operations are subject to numerous federal, state and local laws and regulations that have been enacted or adopted
regulating the discharge of materials into the environment, or otherwise relating to the protection of the environment. These
laws and regulations may increase our costs of doing business in a variety of ways, including indirectly through increased
energy costs, as utilities, refineries, and other major emitters of greenhouse gases are subjected to additional regulation or
legislation that seeks to better control greenhouse gas emissions. We do not anticipate any material capital expenditures during
fiscal 2015 for environmental control facilities or other costs of compliance with such laws or regulations.
Reaching Out / Our Community
Lowe’s has a long and proud history of supporting local communities through public education and community improvement
projects, beginning with the creation of the Lowe’s Charitable and Educational Foundation in 1957. In 2014, Lowe’s and the
Lowe’s Charitable and Educational Foundation contributed $28 million to schools and community organizations in the United
States, Canada, and Mexico.
Our commitment to improving educational opportunities is best exemplified by our signature education grant program, Lowe’s
Toolbox for Education®. The program has benefited more than five million schoolchildren since 2006, funding improvements
at 1,103 schools across the United States in 2014.
For more than a decade, we’ve been working with national nonprofit partners to strengthen and stabilize neighborhoods in the
communities we serve. In 2014, Lowe’s contributed more than $6 million and teamed with Habitat for Humanity and
Rebuilding Together to bring housing solutions and hope to families across the country. We also continued to build on our
longstanding partnerships with SkillsUSA, the Boys & Girls Clubs of America, and Keep America Beautiful to improve
communities and build tomorrow’s leaders.
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