Three Fresh & Easy stores opened today in the Fresno area.

For more information on the stores and opening times, see today's story.

Some things that didn't fit into today's story were the environmental aspects of the store. While things like skylights and solar panels certainly aren't new, there's a few things I noticed during a tour of the downtown Fresh & Easy that struck me as different.

• Produce is displayed in the plastic crates it arrives in. When the crates are empty, they are reused after cleansing with a UV sanitation process. No water or chemicals are used, said spokesman Brendan Wonnacott.
It's a more environmentally friendly alternative to cardboard packaging that is thrown out or recycled, he said.
• At night, white shades are drawn down over open coolers that hold yogurt and other refrigerated items. That prevents the cold air from being lost in the store when the food doesn't need to be displayed.
• The store has single -- instead of double -- fluorescent lights hanging from the ceiling. They're surrounded by metal that reflects the light and points it downward.

In all, Fresh & Easy executives say they use 30% less energy than a typical supermarket (and keep in mind that with an average 10,000-square-foot sales floor, they're also smaller than the typical grocery store).