Wal-Mart opens environment-friendly store

Wal-Mart opens environment-friendly store

A new Wal-Mart in McKinney, Texas, is being touted as an experiment in environmentally sustainable design. The store will use wind and solar energy and features a rainwater harvesting pond, storm water collection system, xeriscaping, wildflower meadow and drip irrigation system.

The store will produce its own organic compost to sell in the garden center.

Grand opening is scheduled for July 20.

Cool!

That's probably the most positive thing I've heard about Wal Mart in a long time.

Thanks.

Yeah, I was really surprised to read it. Walmart has caused the demise of so many small proprietors in the rural area where I live that I have come to despise Walmart.

I've gotten fed up with WM, also. Service is horrible now that they have grown. The past 3 times we have gone, the DH and I have had to wait in line anywhere from 15 to 20 minutes and there would only be 2 or 3 people ahead of us. We have 2 super WM and a Sams where I live ... and the DH and I were talking just last night about how we were going to start shopping at more local merchants before they get run out of town, also.

Here is an inteteresting study about Walmart:

http://laborcenter.berkeley.edu/lowwage/walmart.pdf

edited to say I'd better watch what I say and follow the AUP.

Thanks for the file, NJ.

This message was edited Jul 19, 2005 2:00 PM

darius, have I broken a rule by my above post? Sure didn't mean to. Will edit it if we aren't suppose to discuss stores.

Good article, rotten store.

Darius, whats AUP?

I went to Wal Mart for the second time yesterday-- I only go there for things I can't find anywhere else. Besides all the issues surrounding the store, it's such a pain to go there because it's so big and congested, and you have to park a half mile away.

I am a student at The Evergreen State College here in Olympia, a school that was started in the sixties or seventies (?) and at the time was quite progressive-- and still is, I guess, but not as much so as its values are becoming more popular. Recently the school needed to expand, so some of the (architecture? engineering?) students helped to design an environmentally friendly, very efficient building. Also, they were mindful to use nontoxic materials, such as paint. This is only part of the environmental consciousness on campus, as it's also pesticide-free and composts, and much more. I'm glad to see that even a company such as Wal Mart is making such efforts! I hope the store is successful and the idea spreads.

RachaelBee, AUP is the Accepted Use Policy for thus website. If you scroll down to the bottom of the page, you can click on the link and read it.

101, I don't think you have transgressed by your post. I just wanted us to stay away from any heated dialog.

danak, I think it's great that your school did that!

Odd thing about some big box stores.A year or so,maybe more? I went across the Freeway to The Tulalip Tribe's huge retail and Casino development because it is only a couple miles from the house. Home Depot had a great garden department with good plants, variety and price. Then I went to get some cement retaining wall blocks for the patio (in the rain) and had to load them myself while the two young employees stayed under the shelter and watched. Then two other instances wherein the employees failed to show me where the products I wanted were. The three attempts at Walmart were even worse with misleading and ignorance. Lowe's is several miles away but their garden section is equal to if not better than the other two, and they have always been great about SHOWING you where things are located. They have good mark-down prices at times too.

Yeah, Robert... Big Box stores are sometimes a blessing (price wise) and a PAIN otherwise, like Customer Service.

The key thing to remember is that we have a free market society in the USA. There will be "big box" stores and small businesses (and ecomomic prosperity) as long as this situation exists; and they will come, grow and go. No one has to work for Wal-Mart or anyone else if they choose not to. Just conjure up your entreprenurial spirit and start a business...maybe someday you'll become a *Target* !

For those of you interested in this Walmart thing there was a very informative article in the New York Times last week.If you log on to the NYT online edition and register (free) you can still read this article.It has been the most emailed article all this week.It's called "how costco became the anti Walmart" or something like that.

Downscale,

I found the article at http://query.nytimes.com, but it isn't free. A single copy is $3.95. Am I looking in the right place?

Thanks,
Jody



This message was edited Jul 24, 2005 12:45 PM

http://www.azcentral.com/business/articles/0721costco-ON.html

Is this the article you meant? I found it free here, and it says the source is the New York Times. It was quite interesting.

Wow...what an article! Thanks. (Makes me wanna go get a job at Costco!)

Good article, thanks for posting the links. Sugarweed just posted a thread elsewhere saying Costco meds saved her several hundred dollars.

We've been Costco members over 10 years, as well as stockholders. All my expensive meds come from there and it saves me a bunch. Having to buy larger quantities of some things is a bit disconcerting at times, but the savings is sure good. That article was very informative and covered a lot of comparisons I wasn't aware of. A new Walmart superstore is just a mile or so away and I've been there 3 times,but have yet not been able to find what I went there for much less buy anything. Between Costco and Trader Joe's all the bases are covered,except maybe for the lumber yard. Who needs Walmart? not me.

Costco opened near us a couple yrs ago, have belonged ever since. I've always kidded saying I'll be the WM people greeter after I retire... but I'm changing that. I'll be the Costco HR lady! With a BS in HR, and going back for my MBA, that would be a great job for me if/when! ~ Suzi ♥

balvenie
I wish we had a Trader Joe's here.It is an awsome store.
I find that signing up for the New york times online is very helpful.They send you a copy of the headlines everymorning with a link into the the daily paper.I scan the headlines every morning and read what is of interest.This is a free service.You have to put up with alot of ads but after a while you don't see them any more.

As for WalMart;I am affraid that I will be thrown off DG for expressing my opinion.

I do get the Sunday NYT as a treat to myself and after the article came out I gave it to our local Costco manager.I asked him what their policy was for employing seniors He said that there was no descrimination (sure) and that every one applies on line.I went to their site and am actually thinking about applying for a part time job.The philosophy of their CEO matches mine.People who work for a living should get a living wage.