From the beginning, Mall of America wanted do things differently. And back in 1992 when we opened, we made choices that were—at the time—a little crazy. For instance, the visionary architects and engineers who designed Mall of America knew that a central heating system could be avoided, if constructed properly. And that integrating hundreds of trees and tens of thousands of plants would clean the air naturally. And we just got greener from there. 1. 7 square miles of skylights help keep the mall climate at a constant 72° and sunny—simply through passive solar energy More than 60% of waste at Mall of America is diverted from landfills—and we’re doing better every year Unclaimed lost-and-found items get a second life as donations to local nonprofits We’re proud of the efforts under our roof to minimize waste and prolong the life of clothes and other everyday items. And at these stores, it’s not just a short-term effort: it’s a new way of doing business, with a big impact on the planet. A dedicated team of landscapers make every effort to avoid pesticides and chemicals in cultivating the trees and plants that flourish throughout our spaces. And every year during Earth Month, Minnesota schoolkids join them in releasing 100,000 live ladybugs to help control pests naturally.