DALLAS, Feb. 12 - Kinko's, Inc. today announced a series of agreements that increases its projected annual use of green power by 37 percent to approximately 11.2 million kilowatt hours (kWh). The move is part of the company's on-going efforts to integrate sustainable business practices into its operations. Sixty-six Kinko's locations in California, Oregon, Pennsylvania and Washington have joined the company's on-going efforts to support the development and use of renewable energy. Kinko's new purchases will help avert more than three million pounds of carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions. That's equivalent to taking more than 250 cars off the road this year or planting more than 270,000 trees during the same period. "Caring for the environment is part of Kinko's culture and our core values. Our recently adopted Kinko's Global Commitment is driving us to identify and integrate more sustainable business practices," stated Larry Rogero, director of environmental affairs for Kinko's. "Using renewable power is a necessary step for our business to take on its journey to becoming a more sustainable business. This action delivers the lasting environmental, economic and social benefits derived from using clean, renewable and locally produced energy." "Kinko's has consistently shown its dedication to building the business case for and the creation of new, cost-competitive green power," said Jonathan Lash, President of World Resources Institute (WRI). WRI is an environmental think tank that convenes the Green Power Market Development Group (www.thegreenpowergroup.org ), a collaboration of WRI, Kinko's, and nine other leading corporations dedicated to building corporate markets for green power. "Kinko's new agreements are yet another example of the company's continued leadership in the pursuit of sustainable business practices, and we at WRI encourage other companies to explore the potential for their businesses." Kinko's new agreements include new purchases in and around Los Angeles, Philadelphia, Portland and Seattle. In Southern California, 19 Kinko's locations have joined the Los Angeles Department of Water and Power's Green Power Program. Participating branches will purchase between 10 and 20 percent of their electricity needs in the form of renewable energy through the Green Power Program, a part of LADWP's Green LA Program. In the Philadelphia area, Kinko's has expanded its existing renewable energy relationship with Green Mountain Energy Company. Kinko's has upgraded 10 stores to 100 percent renewable energy and added four participating locations in Philadelphia and Greensburg, Penn. Kinko's also recently added to its green power purchases with Portland General Electric in Oregon by becoming one of the first commercial customers for PGE's Clean Wind(SM) product, a new wind power product designed to meet the needs of medium and large businesses. Five Portland-area locations signed up to purchase 20 percent of their power needs through this new program. They join seven locations that qualified for PGE's Green Mountain Energy(SM) electricity program last year. Twenty-nine Kinko's locations in the Seattle/Puget Sound area have begun purchasing renewable energy to fulfill between five to 25 percent of their power needs. The new agreements were made possible by Seattle City Light's Green Power program, Snohomish County PUD's Planet Power, and Puget Sound Energy's Green Power Plan, which is supplied by the Bonneville Environmental Foundation. Buying renewable power through agreements like these is not new to Kinko's. Kinko's made its first two renewable energy purchases in Pennsylvania and California in 1999 and now buys green power at more than 150 branches in 13 states. Continued efforts in this area resulted in Kinko's being recognized by the Environmental Protection Agency and United States Department of Energy as the 2002 Green Power Partner of the year. Kinko's is also a founding member of the Green Power Market Development Group. Kinko's concern for the environment is a natural fit for a company that was founded in 1970 -- the same year as the first Earth Day celebration was held. The company has grown its environmental initiatives over the years. In 1997, Kinko's adopted an Environmental Vision Statement that identifies the environmental performance targets the company aims for as it serves customers. In 2003, the company adopted the Kinko's Global Commitment. With this commitment, Kinko's recognizes the need to embrace sustainable business practices that not only generate economic, social and environmental value today but also for future generations. Other sustainable initiatives underway at the company include energy conservations, use of recycled products, incorporating green building concepts into its retail locations, product stewardship guidelines for suppliers, and waste minimizing and recycling programs.