I have an idea that I've always wanted to see implemented at Wal*Mart (but I don't want to register for this other site)..  You know those giant-huge annoying cardboard shippers full of new release movies?  They're up for a week, maybe two, then thrown away (to be recycled, yes... but still wasteful).

Instead of getting the giant, wasteful, cardboard displayers in each week, what if each store had one reusable 4-way.  The topper could be changed to display whatever artwork the studio wants.  In fact, the side of the 4-way could be made to hold a changeable billboard with studio artwork as well.

Then, instead of the mega-displayers, distributors could simply ship in PDQ cardboard trays to slip on the shelves.  Or, even better, they could just ship the movies and the shelves could be slider-shelves similar to what the DVDs are already in - the studio could ship special fast-track or such to attach to the shelves with artwork.

Now, obviously, this is just a quick mock-up featuing the photo 4-way and a billboard from the Connection Center...

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v180/TheUncleBob/concept.jpg

And, while I'm at it, I hate to mention how many times a week we get "boxes" of movies, video games, computer software and there's always one or more huge boxes that has one or two pieces in it, along with a ton of stuffing.  What's the deal with that?  Between the cardboard box, the stuffing and the shipping of the box... that's not green. :(

Rand:

On yogurt – Being a good student of Michael Pollan, I remember his rule "Don't eat anything that your great-grandmother wouldn't recognize as food."  Oddly enough, the example of non-food he uses in his book In Defense of Food is also yogurt.  Therefore, I knew I'd be able to find these links before I even Googled for them.

So for a second opinion, go read the Angry Doctor, here, here, here and here.

Good thoughts on the pallet display and packaging ideas...  I like the idea.

I've said it before and I'll say it again...Wal-Mart needs to figure out how to accept CFLs for recycling and make a profit reselling the raw materials they contain. Companies already do it with larger fluorscent bulbs...I think Wal-Mart can figure it out for the little ones as well. I imagine this would fall under "utilizing household hazardous waste"

Of brother!  Typical corporate speak.  DanActive does not strengthen your immune system.  A good diet with plenty of fresh vegtables (green ones are best), fruit, beans, rice and water does.  As the China Study proves once and for all, dairy products are not good for humans.  We're the only species who drinks another species milk.  Yuck.

Make local agreements to have a recycling drop-off point at the store.  Many of the people who shop at Wal-Mart live in apartment complexes, and as such they have no access to curbside recycling.  I sort my waste and take it to the city dump every couple of months, but it's an inconvenience.  If I could take the recycling to Wal-mart when I shop there once a week I could save time, and it would look good for the store's image.

Don't forget to include a hand-washing station nearby.

It is difficult to separate ideology from marketing plots these days so I tend to rely on good old science.

Consider Wal Mart as a hub for human interaction on a communication/social model.

More persons go to a supermarket than to churches even in traditional countryside Mexico. That's where I live.

The opportunity and the responsability is to use this fact to make Wal Mart the main collector for most of our one-time-only waste.

Particularly packaging of all sorts.

These are a few ideas that I think could be tried as a pilot:

a) A corner in the parking lot to immediately dispose of the packages of stuff you just bought. I have seen many times a ridiculously smaal trash bin overflowing with big gulp size beverage containers and plastic blisters that were showcasing toys, computer gear, socks or food the same morning.

b) What better place to return your plastic bags full of plastic containers that you bought in the store and that you are probably restocking that day.

c) The same goes for batteries, glass, most metals and the huge cardboard boxes for appliances and fridges.

d) You don't even have to pay for the stuff. Most people only want to get rid of it and, yes, somehow feel that we are not polluting too much.

e) Or you can offer some kind of special discount based on the ammount of stuff that you recycle. (You know you could make some of your major suppliers tag along. Probably they are looking for ways to improve their eco-friendly profile right now)

f) How about creating some rating system so people know the real recyclability (Is there such a word?) of the items they have in the cart.

g) A rebate if you let all extras and packaging at the store will go a long way to let the manufacturers know how could they start cutting expenses.

h) I can't think of a better place to recharge the batteries of your electric car than a supermarket. You and I know it's still going to take some time but it is going to happen.

i) Since you are such a powerful trend maker in consumer habit, why not trying to flex that convocatory muscle with a eco-friendly campaign that includes consumer awareness prizes.

I know some of these ideas are redundant but I truly believe any of them will make a difference. But don't take my word for it. I am only a Mexican who lives 180 kilometers away from the closer Wal Mart and yet manages to shop there 2 or 3 times a month.

And I am probably not representative of all the other shoppers there.

But if a nature and people loving father of family is willing to carry what my neighbours consider just trash on the pick up for two hours of lousy roads just to sleep a little better, imagine what the people of affluent American suburbia could do given half a chance.

By the way, thank you for the chance to say sometjing about these issues.

Living Green to Feel Green

Wal-Mart needs an innovative way of providing a paradigm shift towards eco sustainability. As the world’s largest retailer in the largest consumer based economy. I think it would be wise to market eco sustainability with low prices.

1. Biodegradable packaging has to be labeled and required more from suppliers to the consumers. This will ensure that these packaging materials decompose within a reasonable amount of time. It also, allows the world’s largest retailer to take claim in being an active participant in reducing landfill waste.

2. Although there is a minute amount of mercury in CFLs I think it would be a good idea to offer recycling areas for these items as well. This will not only ensure safety for the typical consumers, but protection for the environment. There needs to be a fact sheet somewhere next to the bulbs to advise people of the potential downsides of these bulbs (i.e. Low or high temperatures, color intensity, short life with ceiling fans, what to do in case one breaks ) By debunking myths people will be more likely to envision their purchases in their house.   This will also allow consumers to purchase these products while getting the most life out of them.

3. Rechargeable batteries have now taken over video game controller remotes, toys, cell phones etc. I believe it is due time for Wal-Mart to invest in recycling lithium ion and/or nickel cadmium batteries.  Wal-Mart is well known to be a place of convenience with low prices. As a nation, we have progressed towards eco-green technologies and so should Wal-Mart. I believe consumers will subconsciously feel better that they can make an impact on the environment when they recycle unusable rechargeable batteries. Having this kind of receptacle can also teach kids the valuable lesson of environmental responsibility.

4.  Recycling cell phones could not only generate some profit for Wal-Mart due to the precious metals in phones, but these phones could also be donated to domestic violence shelters. The number of disposed phones per year is astronomical and most of them end up in landfills. If each Wal-Mart cell phone kiosk took in outdated phones and recycled them it would reduce millions of tons of waste per year. Each community Wal-Mart has to create a niche of its own with the community resources available.

5. Education is the key to all success. Consumers need to be educated on how to live green. I have noticed that there are Wal-Mart Customer TVS in each and every Wal-Mart.  It may be a good idea to start offering tips on how to live greenly within each household. Passing on the eco-efficient lessons Wal-Mart has instilled within its own culture will allow customers to believe that they are playing a part in the bigger picture. Wal-Mart could possibly partner up with HGTV like they do with Food Network on how to insulate windows/water heaters, changing air filters, simple ways of reducing water usage, washing clothes on cold or purchasing high efficiency detergent.

6. Wal-Mart has to instill this generation to be eco-friendly while carving a path for future generations.

On organic waste, such as spoiled fruits and vegatables, why not have a compost pile near the gardening section.  Busted bags of peatmoss or humus and other plant type materials could be added in to the pile.  Compost piles require little maintenance and can be used to educate the public.  The final product could be given away, used for store landscaping or even sold for a small profit.

Rand you may be familiar with Converted Organics(COIN), a publicly traded startup company. They plan to convert organic waste from food processers, farmers markets, supermarkets and restaurants into fertilizer. It's a great concept but I believe they will have trouble getting sufficient waste. Food processers already use or sell their waste. It will be very expensive to pickup and haul from individual restaurants and supermarkets. Dealing with trash haulers can be a nightmare if you know what I mean.

Wal*Mart could provide the organic waste and the hauling for a profit. Have large plastic tanks behind the Supercenters outfitted with a removable food grinder on top. Associates would throw spoiled food inside the grinder. WMT would use their distribution system to deliver the waste to a Converted Organics plant that they would build near your DCs.

The environmental and health benefits are obvious.

I am a believer and user of CFL bulbs and have outfitted my house and summer cottage with them, as much as possible.  1.  they use much less electricty, 2.they last much longer - getting older, it's harder and harder to climb a ladder to change those ceiling lights. Why don't you carry the 3 waybulbs..have to go to the Orange store for them. Be the first to carry dimmable 14 watt bulbs, they are impossible to find except on the web. I need 32 14 watt dimmable bulbs, at almost $7.00 each on the web (plus shipping) that's a bit much.  I did bite the bullet and get 12 3 way's at $10. each. Those were just for my home. A recycling spot for the bulbs at your store would be nice, but I think (and hope) the need is a few years off....  "they" say 5 - 7 years use...we'll see.

I am avid shopper at walmart and i noticed this past week that your sporting goods - particularly the outdoor camping section(which i use frequently) has a new look - your packafing is smaller with more recyclable usewd material and have added a couple items i found most interesting 1. was a PUr product that claims to take all virus and bacteria out of water and the box was made form recycled material - i bought a kit to try out this summer as we are a big camping family - anmother one was a bag for a toiletused to take human waste out of the camp site - )fyi i loved the name double doodie) these are the things I look for and use,congrats to walmart for being a leader in saving our enviroment

I uderstand that Wal-Mart is recycling everything ( with the exception of clothing). No many people know that. There is a recyling bin near the service desk but nobody notices it. I work at Wal-Mart and sell alot of fabric reuseable bags, most complained about what to do with all their plastic bags at home and I tell them to bring them in and drop them off in a box near costomer service and all of them never knew it was there. Placing more around the entrance may help. Or simply add a reminder to the display screens in front of the cash registers.

Wal-Mart in Hasings, MN

Green.

Green means to be recycled, or re-used in some manner... what if Wal-mart could expand its reach to other areas of the country as of yet that is untouched.

Rather than getting a black eye every time trying to open a store, what if there was a way that Wal-mart could acquire vast amounts of real estate for free?  To have towns actually donate buildings and homes to Wal-Mart to become stores?  We can call them "Smal-Marts".  These Smal-Marts would allow access to everything that a large town would offer.  Let's start form the beginning....

You may not know this, but there are actually small towns that are becoming ghost towns, even today with the population expolsion as it is.  You'll find these in farming communities scattered across the US.  Each town that has 1000 or less people have to go to another town to do shoping, doctor visits, taxes, banking etc.  You will also find in these towns, (typically) a gas station, cafe, general store, and a small grocery store, and a post office, ( and probably a bar).  One of the reasons that the town stays small is the economy drives the people out, and leaves buildings and homes vacant.  I have grown up in one of these towns, and the average income is around $12-20K.  If there was a store that had, (or had access to) everything they needed, how much of the town's money would flow through it?  I would wager a large percentage of it.  What products would they sell?  The things that Wal-Mart doesn't sell...  Additionally the other products that it could sell is products that are produced in the area.  If one small town was next to a large large lake, it could sell fish?  If it is a farming community, it could sell seed and grain, with grain, you could make flour, or bread.  In this day of high gas prices... why do we insist on making bread in California, and paying for shipping costs to Oregon?  Duplicating this in an area, the stores are now connected, with delivery trucks, which could be also part bus, which also could carry mail.  When was the last time you saw a US Postal Airplane?  Airlines have contracts with the Postal Service to ship out the mail.  This is another income source.  Although I could go on about other services that could be provided and how it could be done.  This is basically the idea.

Recycle Buildings, recycle goods, allow the residents of an area to contribute to the product line, conserve gas, create jobs, and use technology to fill the gaps.

Several grocery stores in my area are selling and encouraging the use of reusable grocery bags but Walmart being the largest store in the area is doing no such thing.  In fact, when I walk out of Walmart I walk out with about 3 times as many plastic bags as I would at other stores.  I recycle the bags back to Walmart but I think this is very wasteful.  This is a simple and easy way to get people to go green.  If Walmart actively promoted and sold reusable bags and offered credits at checkout people will use them.

 

Rand,

  Why not turn off the TV wall and all Wal-Mart TV Network TV's from midnight until 5:00am.  The last time I asked this question the answer I got was "the associates forget to turn them back on."  This seems like an easy change that could have an immediate impact (on the environment and WMT's electricity bills).  I would hate to know that the reason this doesn't happen is blamed on associates.  They could always turn them on for a customer that chooses to purchase a TV at 2 in the morning at their local Wal-Mart :)  Just looking at the low hanging fruit.

-Dustin

In looking at the energy consumption of my home, I am becoming more inclined towards renewable energy.

Everytime I look at a Wal-Mart, all I can think about is all that unused space on the roof that could be used to generate electricity/heat. Most states have a program to purchase excess grid tied electricity from producers, and I am sure that the collection of Photovoltaic, and thermal solar energy would much more than pay for itself (because of the sheer size of each store).  I would love to see Wal-Mart drive the price of PV, wind, and Thermal collection systems down (by purchasing them and implementing them), and make them VERY available to the common (low or middle class) person to implement in thier home.  Perhaps Wal-Mart could eventually carry solar PV, thermal, and wind systems in store!!

This is my vision for the future of a green Wal-Mart, and world.