EcoZeal

Wal-Mart has been developing and implementing energy efficient technology into their existing and new stores.

Think “Green shopping,” and chances are the first name to come to mind is anything but “Wal-Mart.” In fact, many “Deep Green” consumers studiously avoid patronizing the discount department store chain ranked by Fortune magazine as #1 amongst the world’s largest corporations by revenue in 2008. They believe Wal-Mart disrupts local economies, supports sweatshop labor, and, because of its emphasis on lowest price, promotes the sale of low-quality plastic junk (otherwise known as “landfill fodder.”)

The Times They Are a-Changin’

Whatever truth these perceptions may be based on, the reality is that times change. It may be time to take a fresh look at Wal-Mart and re-evaluate the role it plays in regards to the environment.

It’s important to note that Wal-Mart didn’t get to be #1 by making poor business decisions. Sam Walton and crew are some of the savviest businesspeople on the planet. And what just happens to be one of the hottest trends in business ever recorded, that’s taking the world by storm at this very moment? Why Green, of course. So it comes as no surprise that Wal-Mart is working hard to change their image into one that will satisfy the swelling ranks of consumers clamoring for more environmentally responsible products and vendors.

Wal-Mart’s Green Plan

One look at Wal-Mart’s online sustainability statement makes one thing clear: this company – on paper at least – isn’t messing around. Wal-Mart has defined a clear, focused, aggressive Green agenda. Some of their goals include:

• to be supplied 100 percent by renewable energy
• to create zero waste
• to sell products that sustain our natural resources and the environment

Is Wal-Mart’s Green Policy Hype or For Real?

These are pretty massive goals, and won’t be attained overnight, but Wal-Mart does seem to be taking real action towards achieving them. For instance, the company was the world’s largest purchaser of organic cotton in 2006 and of transitional cotton in 2007; it discourages plastic bag consumption by offering customers a very-low-cost reusable bag option; and it switched to selling only concentrated laundry detergent as part of its pledge to reduce packaging.

At a time when almost every company is screaming “Green,” it can be hard to tell what’s for real and what’s just a lot of hot air. But Wal-Mart does seem to be truly committed to lessening its impact on the planet. Their annual investment towards fulfilling sustainability goals was 500 million in 2006 and 2007. And it’s not just self-proclaimed congratulations: last month the company was awarded the award for Corporate Energy Efficiency at the second annual Aspen Institute Energy and Environment Awards.

Pushing Mainstream Shopping Greenward

So do the higher-ups at Wal-Mart really care about the environment, or is the whole thing only about profits?

Does it really matter?

Perhaps Grist Magazine put it best way back in 2005: “If you can make a change in Wal-Mart, even if it’s a small change, it’s really a big change, especially if it affects the supply chain.”

The bottom line is, Wal-Mart is in a position to push mainstream shopping in a more sustainable direction. And they’re taking advantage of it – which could benefit us all.