Walgreens Joins Communities Worldwide for Earth Hour 2011

DEERFIELD, Ill.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--In an effort to help fight climate change and drive environmental awareness and responsibility, Walgreens (NYSE: WAG)(NASDAQ: WAG) will turn off select interior lights and lighted exterior signage at 1,415 stores across the country for one hour starting locally at 8:30 p.m. on Saturday, March 26. At least one Walgreens store in every state including Puerto Rico will be participating. This marks the fourth year the drugstore chain has supported Earth Hour’s mission to make a symbolic statement about working together to bring about positive environmental change. For more information on Earth Hour 2011 go to http://www.earthhour.org/.

“We can all do our part to help the planet”

In New York, the Walgreens billboard in Times Square will also go dark. The super-sign is the nation’s largest, most advanced digital sign soaring 341 feet above the street on three sides of the building.

“We can all do our part to help the planet,” said Walgreens community affairs director John Gremer. “We’re proud to continue our participation in this global effort because it sends a strong message that every individual can make an impact on the world’s energy consumption. And when the lights come back on, we want everyone to think about how they can keep our planet top of mind in their everyday lives.”

For more information about Walgreens corporate social responsibility programs and initiatives, visit walgreens.com/responsibility.

Walgreens (www.walgreens.com) is the nation's largest drugstore chain with fiscal 2010 sales of $67 billion. The company operates 7,690 drugstores in all 50 states, the District of Columbia and Puerto Rico. Each day, Walgreens provides nearly 6 million customers the most convenient, multichannel access to consumer goods and services and trusted, cost-effective pharmacy, health and wellness services and advice in communities across America. Walgreens scope of pharmacy services includes retail, specialty, infusion, medical facility and mail service, along with respiratory services. These services improve health outcomes and lower costs for payers including employers, managed care organizations, health systems, pharmacy benefit managers and the public sector. Take Care Health Systems is a Walgreens subsidiary that is the largest and most comprehensive manager of worksite health centers and in-store convenient care clinics, with more than 700 locations throughout the country.