Newsflash: Ariah Praises Walmart (it’s about light-bulbs)
No, that is not my idea that Walmart is bad being shattered on the right, but it does make a decent illustration. When you invest your energy in being a critic of someone or something, it is important to acknowledge it’s strengths and positive steps as well.
I’m a big fan of being environmentally conscious, and one area we could all make a huge step in is our light bulb purchasing (I’ll post about the Biblical backing later). The “swirl” bulbs on your left are a no brainer when it comes to taking a step in the good steward direction. Now if only we could convince the rest of the USA of this… in steps Walmart.
Here’s some of the details from a Fast Company article about Walmart’s initiative:
In the next 12 months, starting with a major push this month, Wal-Mart wants to sell every one of its regular customers–100 million in all–one swirl bulb. In the process, Wal-Mart wants to change energy consumption in the United States, and energy consciousness, too. It also aims to change its own reputation, to use swirls to make clear how seriously Wal-Mart takes its new positioning as an environmental activist.
It’s a bold goal, a remarkable declaration of Wal-Mart’s intention to modernize and green up a whole line of business using market oomph. Teaming up with General Electric, which owns about 60% of the residential lightbulb market in the United States, Wal-Mart wants to single-handedly double U.S. sales for CFLs in a year, and it wants demand to surge forward after that.
I think this is well worthy of praise for Walmart’s efforts. I think they have a long way to come before they have any position as environmental activist in my book, but it’s a good step.
I’m not sure yet, but I might consider stepping into a Walmart to purchase one of these bulbs. No decisions made, but I’m pondering it.
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Prety sweet article. Someone sent me the link yesterday. I’m in the same boat as you, for the first time thinking maybe the Wal-Mart influence can be used for good.
You don’t have to but them at Wal-Mart.
Great article. I’m glad that you are posting the good about them. I too don’t shop at Walmart, but we need to acknowledge good things some bad companies are doing because the goal is not to get everyone to stop shopping at Walmart, but to get Walmart to shape up, and this is a good step. Maybe it would be good to get the bulb at Walmart, to show that you support this innitiative. PS. Check your right and your left again.
-Zach
I think this is a perfect example of the power we truly do have in this country to make changes for the better, especially environmentally. The fact that Wal-Mart can single handedly change our energy consumption is huge and a great example for our leaders. Cutting back on things like pollution, oil consumption, and urban sprawl may seem like impossible dreams that can never be helped, but big business has a lot of power to make change in this country. Its time for the government (and its citizens) to start pushing those with the power to change to do so. What if Ford decided it wanted to single handedly change auto pollution in America putting everyone in a Hybrid in the next 10 years. There’s potential out there, we just have to act. Good article by the way.
good stuff! maybe its people like us, who won’t shop at wal-mart who are having a small impact on them? i like to dream.
i am glad you posted it. i too felt it was only doing justice to acknowledge the good they do since i spend so much time bashing them.
i really think it is all for publicity, but who cares? if they are doing something to help the environment, then great! i hope to see this sort of thing contiune. who knows, maybe one day they will stop building their giant stores in small towns. again, i like to dream. good stuff!
[...] I wonder if the bill will pass, since we at times seem to be such a stubborn society. It’s hard to teach an old dog new tricks, but we as a society need to start thinking in a way that considers our environment and our grandchildren. I’ve talked about CFL bulbs before and how they just made sense (so much so that even Walmart is on board). [...]
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