More on "Outing" Wal-Mart

Treehugger has a good post from Lloyd Alter on Charles Fishman's The Wal-Mart Effect which, although written before the current "greening of Wal-Mart" buzzbomb (that we're wary of), nevertheless provides a framework to help clarify the retailing giant's motives.

Alter focuses on salmon farming, which has given us flabby, taste-free fish at unbelievably and unsustainably low prices. Nothing green about Atlantic salmon, and not sure what Wal-Mart told Greenpeace or Al Gore on this issue, but it's a good example.

I suspect two things are going on with Wal-Mart's "conversion." First, they've looked down the road and seen how their model blows up. Cheap food, no matter how awful it tastes and bad for you it is, nevertheless requires massive scale that simply does not hold up under escalating oil prices. Feed, fertilization, production, distribution -- they all get nailed big time when fuel prices start rising. The only real solution is relocalization, but of course with relocalization the Wal-Mart model also disintegrates.

So second point: The "green" posture is merely a stop-gap to take the heat off and get it some PR bennies while Wal-Mart reassesses its strategy. It's losing money on several fronts, its stock is in the pits. Expect to see several indicators of the breakdown in coming months. One is already here -- fleeing Germany, where guild/labor consciousness remains strong, national identity and pride are intact, and they understand that cheaper doesn't really mean better.

Which reminds me -- remember when the slogan you saw on all those Wal-Mart trucks read, "Always Cheaper -- Always"? And now it's "Always Low Prices."

Think they had it right the first time?

-- Paul Andrews, GreenforGood

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Treehugger: Grilling "Green" to avoid Grilling the Planet

Treehugger: Tips from San Francisco Dept. of Environment (I would add use soy or veggie produce rather than meat for their smaller impact on the earth, and if you use meat, try to make it organic):

1. Choose locations accessible to public transport. Encourage all those who come to take transit, carpool, ride their bikes or walk to improve air quality and reduce traffic congestions.

2. Smoke contributes to smog. Avoid charcoal and wood grills in favour of propane to reduce air pollution. Avoid lighter fluid which releases Volatile Organic Compounds VOCs which are hazardous to health.

3. Use reusable dishes rather than plastics or styrofoam and washable napkins rather than paper.. If you must use disposables, use compostable plates, cups and utensils.

4. Shop greener to reduce waste especially of packaging. Avoid single serving products. Buy in bulk and larger containers. For drinks buy recyclable containers rather than juice boxes which are not recyclable in SF.

5. After the barbecue, recycle the recyclables and put the compostable items including paper in the green bin.

6. It is suggested that leftover food should be sent home with people in reusable containers or given to the food bank if larger quantities are leftover.

-- Paul Andrews, GreenforGood

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