Can Wal-Mart Go Green?

I’ve had a hard time liking Wal-Mart for the last several years. I have heard bad stories of how they treat their employees, and being the number one employer in the U.S., their chain has put a lot of local family owned businesses into the ground. Recently, I have developed a new respect for the company. Earlier this month, Wal-Mart held a Sustainability Summit to discuss their plans to go green. However, the topic caused a lot of controversy from outsiders who have questioned if a company as big as Wal-Mart could ever be green. Probably not completely, but should it stop them from trying? I don’t think so.

Attending the Summit were representatives of Wal-Mart suppliers who discussed with associates the idea of renewable energy, organics, and efficient manufacturing. They questioned how they can green their packaging and encourage their suppliers to do the same. Though they are aiming for zero waste and 100% renewability, accomplishing this will only solve for 8% of their carbon footprint. They have a long way to go, a lot of questions to answer, and a lot of planning to do, but they seem to be committed and that’s a good thing.

Critics of the chain believe that in order to reduce carbon emissions, we are supposed to be re-using what we already have, buying and manufacturing less. I agree, though I don’t believe Wal-Mart will be promoting that concept. However, if they are going to be selling products, they might as well go about it in an eco-friendly way, or as best as they can.

Being one of the largest companies in the world, I have faith that if Wal-Mart can go green, if only to reduce their carbon footprint by 50%, imagine what other companies can do. Hopefully, this initiative will inspire other businesses to do the same.