Posts tagged ‘Food’
August 3 is National Watermelon Day
There are few other tastes just right for the sweltering summer heat than the fresh bite of a watermelon slice. Made up of 92 percent water, watermelons are not only ideal for a hot day, but their multitude of health benefits make them an important part of a healthy diet. Through our partnership with Tuskegee University, local, small farmers are expected to supply our stores in the Southern region with 250,000 watermelons this year. With programs like this one, we’re helping our customers have access to a wider variety of fresher, locally grown produce and collaborating with farmers to sell more of their products and benefit their businesses.
Celebrate National Watermelon Day by following these easy steps to choosing the perfect watermelon.
August 3, 2012 Walmart Green Room 1 comment
Yielding results for local farmers
Here’s some food for thought: We have pledged to sell $1 billion in food sourced from one million small- and medium-sized farmers worldwide. Not only will this allow us to bring locally sourced and fresher produce to our stores in the communities close to where it is grown, but it will also help us improve farmers’ incomes by 10 to 15 percent. As of today, locally grown fruits and vegetables represent more than 10 percent of all produce sold in our U.S. stores.
Tell us your thoughts on what else can be done to help these farmers around the world.
July 17, 2012 Walmart Green Room 2 comments
July is National Blueberry Month
Summer is the perfect time to find great produce, particularly blueberries. Not only are they a popular local crop – they’re grown in 38 states – but they’re also widely regarded for their health benefits. As the world’s largest grocer, Walmart has an opportunity to help ensure that blueberries – and other nutritious foods – are around for future generations.
July 12, 2012 Walmart Green Room Leave a comment
Green Wheat
I was out there, hands in the dirt, in a Kansas wheat field.
I wanted to see first-hand how we could work with farmers to cut back on chemicals and fertilizers that can harm the environment. I also wanted to connect with our suppliers and their farmers to learn how we could partner to cut back on carbon emissions through practices that help farmers use just the right amount of fertilizer and maximize yields. Continue reading
June 26, 2012 Robert Kaplan Leave a comment
Feeding the nine billion
How will we protect our land and water resources, and simultaneously, feed the world? By 2050, we expect the world’s population to increase by nearly two billion people, to nine billion.
How do we ensure that our planet is able to feed the nine billion, especially when hunger is already so prevalent? Continue reading
June 21, 2012 Andrea Thomas 1 comment
Would you drop everything to make a difference?
Daryl Foriest will never forget the last thing his brother said to him. He told him to make a difference, and now Daryl does that every day by feeding the growing number of hungry in New York City. Places such as the Food Bank For New York City, where he is a director, can be more sustainable by making better use of resources such as electricity. Daryl and the food bank worked to make their building more energy efficient, doing good for the environment while also doing good for those in need. See how the food bank was able to lower their costs, and as a result, feed more people and change more lives.
June 14, 2012 Walmart Green Room Leave a comment
Protecting the environment across the pond
A Bloomberg story about U.K. retailers using food waste as an alternative fuel got us thinking. Our retailer, Asda, is mentioned specifically for sending expired meat and bread to bioenergy sites that convert the waste into electricity. But diverting food waste is just one of the company’s activities that help reduce costs as well as environmental impact. Continue reading
June 11, 2012 Walmart Green Room Leave a comment
Father and son grow the future
Meet Al Hooks and his son, Demetrius. Their Alabama farm has been in the family for more than 100 years, and Al will be able to pass it on to his son one day. Al and Demetrius grow and supply kale, mustard and strawberries to Walmart stores in their area. Last year, Walmart increased the amount of locally grown produce it sells in the U.S. by 97 percent, and partnerships helped make that happen. Watch how Tuskegee University played a crucial role.
May 17, 2012 Walmart Green Room Leave a comment
Set big sustainability goals, then work at them daily
Walmart’s company-wide goal is to create zero waste. Corrugated cardboard is bundled into bales and sent to paper mills to be recycled into new paper products.Last year, Walmart U.S. kept nearly 81 percent of waste out of the landfill.
As someone who leads the drive toward sustainability every single day at work, I’ve been thinking a lot about our commitment as we wrap up Earth Month 2012. Continue reading
April 30, 2012 Andrea Thomas 1 comment
Pull up a seat at the world’s largest picnic
Staff members from The Nature Conservancy enjoy a Picnic for the Planet at Lyon Park in Arlington, Va. Photo courtesy of Erika Nortemann, The Nature Conservancy.
If we’re honest, we might admit we take our planet for granted. But think about how amazing the earth really is. Continue reading
April 1, 2012 Russell Shaffer 1 comment
