‘Leading the charge in sustainability’
By Andrea Thomas on March 2, 2012 13 comments
Solar panels on a Walmart in Kitchener-Waterloo, Ontario
When it comes to sustainability, we believe in going big and setting ambitious goals that we are committed to attaining, even if we don’t immediately know how we’ll get there.
Wind turbine at the Milton, Ontario Walmart
That’s just what happened in 2005 when we vowed to be supplied by 100 percent renewable energy. We still have a long way to go, but without that big goal, we wouldn’t be pushing so hard to pilot and scale sun, wind, water, biomass and geothermal.
To date, Walmart has more than 180 renewable energy projects in operation or under development, providing us more than one billion kilowatt hours of renewable electricity annually. That is enough to power 78,000 American homes every year.
Someday, people will not have to choose between affordable electricity and renewable electricity, and experimentation and investment will determine the right technologies.
It feels good to know that the hard work and risk are recognized. This week, Fortune named Walmart one of the world’s most admired companies, saying in part:
The world’s biggest retailer is also, by many counts, the world’s greenest retailer – leading the charge in sustainability. Wal-Mart’s sheer size means every move the company makes – using environmentally friendly HP Pavilion packaging for example – has huge ripple effects.
Here’s how our sustainability journey began.
Solar panels on the Walmart in Marina, California
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1.
C. Dabis | March 9, 2012 at 7:35 pm
I don’t do much conserving other than recycling. I tried those CFL light bulbs and cursed the day I ever bought them. They produce lousy light and when they stop working they emit smoke! I won’t buy more of them. I do save money by not purchasing an e-Car. I calculated the price of that e-Car and decided I could buy petrol until the day I die and still be money ahead. But, when I was a kid (I’m 65) we recycled nearly everything. Back then, we returned milk bottles, soda bottles and beer bottles to the store. The store sent them back to the plant to be washed and sterilized and refilled, so it could use the same bottles over and over. So they really were recycled. We walked up stairs, because we didn’t have an escalator in every store and office building. We walked to the grocery store or rode our bicycle and didn’t climb into a 300-horsepower machine every time we had to go two blocks. Back then, we washed the baby’s diapers because we didn’t have the throw-away kind. We dried clothes on a line, not in an energy gobbling machine burning up 220 volts — wind and solar power really did dry the clothes. Kids got hand-me-down clothes from their brothers or sisters, not always brand-new clothing. But that old lady is right; we didn’t have the green thing back in our day. Back then, we had one TV, or radio, in the house — not a TV in every room. And the TV had a small screen the size of a handkerchief (remember them?), not a screen the size of the state of Montana. In the kitchen, we blended and stirred by hand because we didn’t have electric machines to do everything for us. When we packaged a fragile item to send in the mail, we used a wadded up old newspaper to cushion it, not Styrofoam or plastic bubble wrap. Back then, we didn’t fire up an engine and burn gasoline just to cut the lawn. We used a push mower that ran on human power. We exercised by working so we didn’t need to go to a health club to run on treadmills that operate on electricity. We drank from a fountain when we were thirsty instead of using a cup or a plastic bottle every time we had a drink of water. We refilled writing pens with ink instead of buying a new pen, and we replaced the razor blades in a razor instead of throwing away the whole razor just because the blade got dull. Back then, people took the streetcar or a bus and kids rode their bikes to school or walked instead of turning their moms into a 24-hour taxi service. We had one electrical outlet in a room, not an entire bank of sockets to power a dozen appliances. And we didn’t need a computerized gadget to receive a signal beamed from satellites 2,000 miles out in space in order to find the nearest pizza joint. But, that was back then… before this Green Thing
2.
Abby | March 26, 2012 at 8:22 pm
So True, want less= work less, save more, live better. Well done!
3.
Brenda | March 9, 2012 at 10:33 pm
I have always been impressed by the way Walmart does business. Now I’m even more impressed. Congratulations on your nomination of “one of the worlds most admired companies” in Fortune! I love shopping in your stores. When I’m on vacation I am always so happy when I get to my destination and there’s a Walmart there!
4.
Walmart Green Room | March 12, 2012 at 5:55 pm
Thank you for your support, Brenda! We’re excited to showcase our sustainability efforts and proud of the nomination. Keep checking the blog for new updates!
5.
balaramboppana | March 10, 2012 at 1:46 am
its very usefull to earth
6.
GARY BRAMMALL | March 10, 2012 at 3:08 am
Make ALL Wallmart stores worldwide More greener by Installing Greener Power BE THE FIRST AND PTHERS may follow DOING YOUR BIT BY SAVING VALUABLE ENERGY
7.
Walter Andrews | March 10, 2012 at 5:56 am
This’s the kind of leadership that I expect frpm Walmart! If Walmart can retail shoes, Walmart can retail the idea of Sustainable energy!
8.
Walmart Green Room | March 12, 2012 at 5:56 pm
Thanks for your comment, Walter! We’re working hard to reach our sustainability goals, especially when it comes to sustainable energy. Keep checking the blog for updates and sharing your thoughts!
9.
stephen bruce | March 10, 2012 at 12:47 pm
i like the solar and win to suppliment the local stores. there is something that might be even better and its called the hidro. it uses the difference between boyance and gravity to generate power.
10.
Anonymous | March 11, 2012 at 9:03 am
I’m doing a paper for school on reusable energy and what it holds for our future. This is great!
11.
Walmart Green Room | March 12, 2012 at 5:57 pm
Thanks for your comment! Please feel free to read our other posts and also check out our 2011 Global Responsibility Report for more information. Good luck with your paper!
12.
Dianne | March 12, 2012 at 12:14 am
As a frequent Walmart shopper, this initiative means a lot to me and my family. We want to support businesses that care about the environment and about the future generations’ needs. It doesn’t happen overnight, but making a start and a commitment to continue to make changes will add up quickly. Thank you for making this commitment to the future of our earth.
13.
Walmart Green Room | March 12, 2012 at 5:57 pm
Thank you for your support, Dianne! We take our commitment to sustainability very seriously and we’re working hard to help people live better. Be sure to check back often for updates and keep sharing your thoughts!