Wal*Mart Seeks Eco Advice From President Al Gore

[AtomicKitten]

Wal-Mart Warms to Al Gore (my boyfriend)
6 July 2006



Former Vice President and environmental activist Al Gore is planning to address Wal-Mart Stores Inc. executives next week at the retailer’s quarterly conference on sustainability, part of the company’s recent efforts to become an environmental leader, a Wal-Mart spokesman confirmed.

Gore will speak on global warming, the subject of his recently released documentary “An Inconvenient Truth.” The conference is an outgrowth of Wal-Mart’s mission, outlined by Chief Executive Lee Scott last November, to minimize its negative impact on the environment. At the time, Wal-Mart committed to, among other things, reduce energy use in its stores, improve the fuel efficiency of its truck fleet and substantially cut down on solid waste produced by its stores.

Wal-Mart has seized on the issue of sustainability in an effort to bolster positive public relations at a time when its various business practices have been heavily criticized, from its worker pay and health benefits to its effect on smaller retailers. Still, the company has attempted to make changes. For example, it outfitted its trucks with an alternative power unit that uses 90% less fuel than its engines do while idling. The company created 14 internal networks to explore and implement more environmentally sound business practices. The 14 groups, made up of both Wal-Mart executives and outside experts, focus on different business areas, including operations and logistics, food and agriculture, textiles, global greenhouse gas and jewelry and mining.

Called the sustainable value network, the groups meet individually throughout the year. They also hold their own conferences. Last month, for instance, Wal-Mart held a two-day conference on sustainability and textiles. It brought together Wal-Mart executives, environmental consultants and members of nonprofit groups to discuss issues surrounding organic textiles, including certification and standards. Next week’s meeting, held at the company’s home office in Bentonville, Ark., is one of four where all the company’s internal groups working on sustainability issues get together to discuss progress, stumbling blocks and other issues. –Ann Zimmerman

from http://blogs.wsj.com/washwire/2006/07/06/wal-mart-warms-to-gore/

[RandomKoolzip]

1. Good luck with that, Wal-people.

I still won't shop there.

[welshTerrier2]

2. he should tell them to ...

stop doing business with countries that are major air polluters ... China and the US would be good for starters ... not much chance in that, i guess ...

[Selatius]

4. The Chinese gov't doesn't give a crap about pollution controls

Wal-Mart knows it, too. One of the reasons why goods made in China are so cheap is because manufacturing firms that moved their operations overseas to China do not have to spend as much money complying with very weak or non-existent environmental regulations. This means they have less costs cutting into profit margins.

[Webster Green]

3. I've got some eco-advise for those greedy assholes....

Bulldoze all the Wal-Mart stores and re-cycle the debris.

[FrenchieCat]

5. Sounds like Wal-Mart PR bullshit at it's finest.....

"part of the company’s recent efforts to become an environmental leader..."

What about becoming a "Fair Labor" leader, hey Wal-Mart?

About some Health Care for those hundreds of thousands of workers...so that when they become sick from all of the pollutants in the air......some created via China's and over developing and over-developed countries' lack of environmental regulations (like that Republican Administration that you give campaign dollars to)?

Yo know...those countries that Wal-Mart buy all of it's shit from and turns around and sells it by employees making slave wages....?

What-E-ver! :eyes:

[Sherman A1]

6. Two points

First they are busy trying to buy themselves any thing that resemebles a good image, so this fits in to that program. The other is that they are looking for ways to cut costs as usual. If being eco-friendly will help with that goal then fine, if not okay too. They have made several moves in that direction. They have announced a plan to increase their mileage in their truck fleets by 1mpg (which over the whole fleet would be huge), they have built test stores and are looking to do more. Of course they still force jobs out of the U.S. and treat their help like crap, but lipstick on a pig......

[sinkingfeeling]

7. So, Al's going to be in Bentonville next week? Wish he'd do a public

appearance as well.

[Uncle Joe]

8. I believe this to be a positive development.

Every drip toward sustainability counts toward filling the bucket.

To those that would pooh pooh this, I would say it is a step in the right direction for two reasons.

1. Depending on the steps Walmart actually takes, this could make a difference.

2. The issue of sustainability being promoted and recognized as inherently important by corporations such as Walmart is in itself a positive indicator of the growing awareness of Earth's limited resources and this is far better than denial.

A salute to President Gore:patriot: for I believe his movie "An Inconvenient Truth" as well as his investment fund using sustainability as a major criteria has went a long way to this awakening. Even while being denied his rightfull place in the White House, Al is making a positive difference.


:kick: