In Case You Missed It...
Wal-Mart has taken the lead in corporate environmental responsibility.
Yup. Wal-Mart.
I know how cool it is to either say you hate Wal-Mart or never shop there or whatever, but the fact is the company has been taking steps to combat wastefulness in key parts of the retail supply chain for several years. Now they're working to determine, and publicize, the environmental impact of every product that appears on their shelves through a universal rating system. As the New York Times put it, "consider it the green equivalent to nutritional labels." To arrive at a number, the company created a 15-item supplier questionnaire.
This is exactly the kind of leadership the retail industry needs to demonstrate to make it clear that the companies that move the most goods on the planet recognize the importance of tackling the enormous problems created by our modern lifestyles.
So, in the future, please think twice before looking down your nose at Wal-Mart and its customers. They are way ahead of their peers in moving the environmental awareness needle.
