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Wal-Mart (WMT), the mega-retailer that helped put energy consumption on the agenda for corporate executives, said it will use light emitting diode lights from Cree (CREE) in new stores and retrofitted ones. In the first year, that will come to 650 stores alone.
The stores will replace ceramic metal halide lights, those honkers you see in the ceiling of big box retailers. The Cree bulbs will emit the same amount of light as a 70-watt bulb but use 82 percent less power.
I look forward to the day when LEDs have gone the route of hand-held calculators, PCs, etc - in other words, enough time has passed to where they're a fraction of the price they now are.
Unfortunately, right now they are cost prohibitive.
That's good news, but it's hard to take Walmart seriously as a "green" company in any shape or form when their choice of development -- typically huge sprawling stores surrounded by vast parking lots, designed almost exclusively for people arriving by car -- is the epitome of the massive problems facing Americans as we struggle to figure out how to reorient society to be less environmentally destructive.
I know every bit helps, but I'll be helping to do my part (for the environment and for the benefit of the local economy and community) by not shopping at Walmart, "green" or not.
Last edited by uptown_urbanist; 11-07-2009 at 11:34 PM..
Reason: typo!
That's good news, but it's hard to take Walmart seriously as a "green" company in any shape or form when their choice of development -- typically huge sprawling stores surrounded by vast parking lots, designed almost exclusively for people arriving by car -- is the epitome of the massive problems facing Americans as we struggle to figure out how to reorient society to be less environmentally destructive.
I know every bit helps, but I'll be helping to do my part (for the environment and for the benefit of the local economy and community) by not shopping at Walmart, "green" or not.
It's not that I particularly disagree with you - especially the part about not shopping at WalMart. I'm not a fan.
However, I don't think that WalMart is any less environmentally friendly than any other big retailer such as Target, Shopko, KMart, etc. They all play the same game. It's just that, right now, WalMart seems to be a little better at the game.
Last edited by uptown_urbanist; 11-07-2009 at 11:36 PM..
Reason: oops, didn't mean to check edit, and can't figure out how to delete this edit note...
Good point; it wouldn't do any good to avoid Walmart and then go over to the next big-box store down the road. I think it's great that Walmart has decided that a green image is good for business, and hope that they can figure out a way to make it work. I also hope that they take it seriously and change the way they approach their own development in the future.
Good point; it wouldn't do any good to avoid Walmart and then go over to the next big-box store down the road. I think it's great that Walmart has decided that a green image is good for business, and hope that they can figure out a way to make it work. I also hope that they take it seriously and change the way they approach their own development in the future.
I don't think they're going to. Do you?
Everything WalMart does is about making money - turning a profit. That is, after all, why they exist. Even installing LEDs in stores is about (hopefully) saving money, and (hopefully) appealing to more customers because they're now supposedly "green".
Whatever else they might claim, being environmentally friendly is WAY down the line of priorities for WallyWorld.
So that's why the lighting looks so different in our store. I noticed the little lights & that they had gotten rid of the large industrial looking lights. But didn't know it was an environment thing they were doing. Our Wal Mart is being remodeled & should finally be done next week.
The thing that sucks is that they don't have nearly the variety that they did before the remodel. Instead of haveing A,B,C,D,E,F,G choices they now have A,B, & Equate or Great Value. And Equate & Great Value most of the time are not as good as the name brand stuff. And the Shoe department, forget about it if your a woman. They have like 1/2 an aisle of Women's shoes & the rest is Mens & some kids.
No, I don't think they are going to change their ways, at least not with really good financial incentive. As far as development of their buildings and locations, there's no financial reason for them to change that right now; they do it cheap and easy. If shoppers rose up in protest maybe it would make a difference, but frankly I don't see that happening, either.
No, I don't think they are going to change their ways, at least not with really good financial incentive. As far as development of their buildings and locations, there's no financial reason for them to change that right now; they do it cheap and easy. If shoppers rose up in protest maybe it would make a difference, but frankly I don't see that happening, either.
I have a hunch that, within the next 5 years, we're going to see WalMart start diversifying. I wouldn't be at all surprised to see them start building and opening all kinds of little neighborhood corner stores. Maybe C-Stores (with gas) and maybe not. But with minimal transportation costs, they could move low-priced merchandise from the big box stores to the little corner stores and sell even more of it.
That's good news, but it's hard to take Walmart seriously as a "green" company in any shape or form when their choice of development -- typically huge sprawling stores surrounded by vast parking lots, designed almost exclusively for people arriving by car -- is the epitome of the massive problems facing Americans as we struggle to figure out how to reorient society to be less environmentally destructive.
I know every bit helps, but I'll be helping to do my part (for the environment and for the benefit of the local economy and community) by not shopping at Walmart, "green" or not.
And here in America that is your choice. But they do supply needed products for the people they "SERVE". If there wasn't those huge development that the city's are allowing then Wal-Mart and others would not be building huge shopping centers. Fact of life these day's.
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