Wal-Mart Fails to Add Production, Disposal to Green Equation

China worker exposed to lots of hazardous chemical

I am speechless at how stupid this post is. Seriously, people, get a clue. That this issue with the lightbulbs is somehow Walmart’s fault is just plain ludicrous, and you all know it. Every treehugger from coast to coast, as well as countless politicians (Al Gore) and environmental agencies, have been singing the praises of these new wondrous miracle lightbulbs for years - so as soon as Walmart jumps on the bandwagon, it becomes THEIR fault???? What about the thousands and thousands of people and those environmental wackos who pushed so hard for them for so long?? Why don’t you blame them?? Why do they get a free pass?? This is so typical - to single out Walmat as the only offender. If you’re going to fault them for anything, fault them for trying to join a losing cause, but to actually try to blame them for this failed technology is stupid beyond words.

It’s just another instance of Wal-Mart going off half cocked. The Beast in a china shop.

Let’s see....

1.  CF Lightbulbs are invented to save energy how many years ago?
2.  “Green” world (and Al Gore) promote them as one of the saviors to global warming issues.
3.  Walmart, after the rest of the world has been promoting them for years, takes them on as an iniative to their green equation.
4.  World decides… wait a minute, “them there bulbs have mercury in them which will harm the environment”
5.  World of Anti-Walmarters stoke the claims that Walmart is “going off half cocked” promoting them.

Yea right… I see it now… it has always been a Walmart problem especially since they led the world into CF bulbs.  Alex and Ken, sometimes your ignorance is just too hard to believe.

mary,

Wonder how long it will be, before Wal-Mart is blamed for the rising cost of meat, milk and eggs, etc., because corn is being diverted from feedstuffs, to making Bio-fuel?  Going ‘green’ is one thing, cutting off your nose to spite your face is quite another!!

Recently, these same people like Alex G., Ken and Screwedby were crying that Wal-mart wasn’t moving fast enough, in ‘going green’, not they are crying, “they went off half-cocked” or too fast!!

ok, mary. let’s practice our comprehension skills:

promoting cfls is a good thing.  if you look (let’s practice reading, too), no one suggests this promotion isn’t good.

the mercury inside the bulbs is bad.  it makes them difficult to dispose of properly.  in the process of promoting the benefit of cfls, few have noted this downside. 

walmart, as the world’s largest retailer, could inform their customers about how to dispose of the bulbs properly.  given walmart’s sustainability initiative, walmart could even collect the bulbs and properly dispose of them.  this makes sense given walmart’s push for sustainability.

why would one ask why others aren’t held accountable on this site?  it’s a site dedicated to pushing walmart in the right direction - afterall, they have more power than anyone consumer could ever have (not to dismiss all individuals from doing the right thing)

Correction: should have read, “now they are crying”, instead of “not they are crying”!!

axn,

“walmart could even collect the bulbs and properly dispose of them.”

Hello, Wal-Mart is a Retail Chain, now you want them to become a Reclaimation Center and Recycling Center!!  What’s next, Trash Collection?  Sounds like a better job for the recycling centers already in existence!!  Or, maybe some ‘tree hugger’ could start up a business, to counteract the problems caused by ‘going green’!!

it’s not too far fetched.  have you noticed that some bottles have deposits on them for certain states?  in those states, walmart, and other retailers, are required to reclaim those bottles and recycle them.

it’d be brilliant if walmart started doing this - they’d even lure in the green hippy folks who wouldn’t normally go there. 

you’re view of the world is so small…

RDS:
If you would stop looking at your navel and look at the rest of the world you might find that there are lots of things that retailers have to do.

There are requirements to take back deposit bottles, NYC has just put in a regulation to require stores to take back plastic bags. In Europe stores have to take back batteries (Radio Shack does this a bit in the US). In addition manufacturers have to take back electronic equipment for recycling in the EU as well.

What businesses have to do is not set in stone, it changes with the time and the requirements of society. So, yes, Walmart and other big box stores should take back CFL bulbs (I think Ikea already does). Since the Mercury is valuable the overall cost of recycling might not even be that high.

I might add that the amount of Mercury in CFL bulbs is much less than what has been in regular fluorescents. These have been disposed improperly for decades.

If society is serious about cutting Mercury pollution then all fluorescents should be included. By the way the amount of Mercury released by coal-fired power plants exceeds that of bulbs by a wide margin. Just thought you might want to know…

Finally, NYC board of health just did a test of Mercury in Tuna used in Sushi. It exceeded the health standards and these were all upscale shops.

Lee Scott’s speech was all about Walmart leading the way, so let Walmart lead the way on recycling.

rdf: If WalMart can figure out a way to make a buck out of the reclamation of mercury bulbs,you can bet your bottom dollar,there will be recycling centers at all W/M’s and Sam’s-AND-W/M will make a P.R.ofit off it!

Just when the discussion was starting to get intelligent, for a change…

...ddrb had to show-up with her dumbass puns!

bbrdIsn’t it coincidental that you choose to start posting only after I do? Maybe the day’s posts were interesting because you didn’t show up with your dumbass math ,today.

“If WalMart can figure out a way to make a buck out of the reclamation of mercury bulbs,you can bet your bottom dollar,there will be recycling centers “

And there in lies the beauty of capitalism.  Make it profitable and any capitalist would jump all over it.  Hopefully that will happen, but in the mean time assaulting Walmart for not doing it rings truly hollow when so many companies and “green” activists have come before them.  Let’s start with Al Gore!

Mary: “Assaulting WalMart for not doing it truly rings hollow when so many companies and “green” activists have come before them. Let’s start with Al Gore!” No,let’s start with WalMart ,all the way back to 2003. That’s when Walton lobbyist and former Bentonville State Representative,David Hausam,joined solid waste disposal firm,Waste Management,Inc. as a governmental relations agent.Would this not have provided the ultimate entree to devise “green” disposal alternatives?To be far ahead of the curve,so to speak? (Google waste management lobbyists.)

robertdfeinman,

The points I was trying to make were the following:

1.) Every regulation put on a company, usually comes at a cost, as do lawsuits, fines, etc. and all of these things take money, that could be going to the employees as wage and benefit increases, and put into the pockets of others!!

2.) People are always complaining about Wal-Mart taking business away from others, so forcing them to be the reclaimer and recycler, is ‘forcing’ them into taking business away from the local recycler!!

3.) Just look at the post above, by ddrb, who right away decries an action by Wal-Mart, should they start do as stated, as a ploy to “Make a buck”, instead of praising them for doing a ‘good’ thing, should they do it!!

4.) It has been my experience, that most people tend NOT to return things for recycling, unless it is profitable for them to do so, therefore, an added cost at purchase and a refund at surrender, as with plastic bottles and aluminum cans, would have to be put into place, to make it worthwhile!!

Seems, no matter which path Wal-Mart takes, the anti crowd will put an ‘evil’ spin on it!!

GIVE US A BREAK, RDS!

Now we have RDS spouting off how concerned he is about cost being added to the price of merchandise.  Afterall, he’s just looking out for the consumer’s best interests isn’t he?

RDS is also indignant that Wal-Mart is being “forced” to be a recycler.

How come RDS doesn’t have the same self-righteous concerns about Wal-Mart forcing its major suppliers to adopt RFID technology.  How come he’s not worried about Wal-Mart forcing consumers to pay for the cost of mandatory RFID tagging being added to the cost of the merchandise sold at Wal-Mart?

who cares screwed by big deal?

bbrd and RDS for starters… that’s who cares mv!

Screwedby,

“How come RDS doesn’t have the same self-righteous concerns about Wal-Mart forcing its major suppliers to adopt RFID technology.  How come he’s not worried about Wal-Mart forcing consumers to pay for the cost of mandatory RFID tagging being added to the cost of the merchandise sold at Wal-Mart?”

Wal-Mart can’t FORCE either suppliers nor customers to pay for anything, both groups could take their business elsewhere if they don’t like it!!  But, if the government puts in a regulation to do something, it’s ‘across the board’ and CHOICE is lost to everyone!!

RDS: And if the government chooses not to enforce the regulations that are already on the books because of corporate lobbying, everyone’s choices are lost or at least impacted. For example, just this week,the EPA denying California the right to exercise authority over emissions and greenhouse gases in their state-a waiver which they requested long ago,but because CleanAir Act is federal,the state had to go through EPA. In spite of affadavits from longtime EPA staffers who unanimously agreed,in toto, to approve the waiver to protect public health, the EPA chief denied it-and NEVER gave the hearing committee , led by Barbara Boxer, a definitive reason why. Check it out on C-Span. Yes,CHOICE was definitely lost by everyone in California this week...it won’t be the last time,either.

RDS:
You assume that maximizing the profit of a private firm is the only valid goal, what about the cost to society from those things that the firm passes on indirectly?

My town has a “mandatory” recycling program which means that our taxes are higher because of the added cost of additional pickups and sorting. If they have to pluck 10 CFL bulbs out of the trash each week that’s not very efficient. If Walmart (or any other store) gathers up a few hundred at a time everyone benefits.

The European model is to incorporate the cost of disposal into the product at the time of purchase. I see nothing wrong with this model. It means that those who dump stuff in the lake will still be paying for others who have to fish it out later.

Westchester county, NY is getting so desperate at the low recycling participation rate that they are going to start fining people for throwing recyclables into the regular trash.

I suggest taking a drive along the route from NYC to rural PA sometime. You’ll see a steady stream of trucks hauling trash from NYC to remote landfills. This can’t be the optimum way to handle things.

rdf: May I? “Fearful attitudes lead to a self-centered view of life.”

robertdfeinman,

“If they have to pluck 10 CFL bulbs out of the trash each week that’s not very efficient. If Walmart (or any other store) gathers up a few hundred at a time everyone benefits.”

If the city only gets 10 bulbs a week, what makes you believe that Wal-Mart would get a few hundred?  Which is harder to remember, putting the bulb in the trash or taking it back to the store?

“The European model is to incorporate the cost of disposal into the product at the time of purchase.”

In some cases, this is already being done, with tires and lead batteries!!  Like I said, it is more likely that people will recycle things, if they get rewarded for it, getting a deposit returned, is a reward!!

I believe that I read of a city in the U.S., that built a recycling plant, where ALL trash picked up is separated and most things are recycled and almost nothing goes to the landfill!!  The amount of money generated from the recycling, (tin cans, glass bottles, plastic bottles, aluminum cans, and cardboard!! And even the waste foodstuffs are made into fertilizer), pays for the operation of the plant!!

“And even the waste foodstuffs are made into fertilizer”

Speaking of “fertilizer,” you’re been spreading it deep here for at least two years!

“and CHOICE is lost to everyone!!” ~RDS

Waaah, waaah, waaah.  It’s always about CHOICE with you isn’t RDS.

Let’s suppose (just for the sake of agument) that the government was planning to launch a nation-wide security system at every airport in the country whereby passengers would be pre-authorized to fly subject to a background check and having the proper documentation.  Let’s suppose that it became MANDATORY for every passenger to look into an optical eye scanner before boarding a plane.  This way the “scan” could be compared against a national database, to potentially identify any passenger risks.

And since we’re talking hypothetically, let’s further assume that the US government said that by implementing such a system, it is 99.999% sure it could prevent any terroist from getting on a plane.  If these conditions existed, would you or would you not be in favor of it, even if it meant giving up some of your “FREEDOM OF CHOICE?”

I can hear you whining already.  You and the rest of the libertarians as well as the ACLU would be all over this plan in a nanosecond.

I personally wouldn’t have a problem with it.  I don’t have anything to hide.  If it meant that I didn’t have to stand in long lines, and could get through the airport faster, I’d be all for it.

Screwed : They’re considering a clearance for this purpose on the new TWIC cards...to expedite certain forms of security clearance while traveling ,like at airport terminals and certain ports of entry.

Screwedby,

First, I would have no problem with it at all, it has nothing to do with choice, because you have the CHOICE not to fly!!  Second, this is already in the works, along with face recognition cameras!!  You get prechecked, they give you an ID card, you slip the card in a machine and then put your eye to a scanner and can move on, or you can ‘choose’ to go through the lines in the normal way, if you don’t mind waiting!!  It is not hypothetical, it is reality, right now it is mainly for frequent flyers, saw it on CNBC!!

“I personally wouldn’t have a problem with it.”

But, aren’t you the one who has a problem with ‘new’ technology, invading your personal life and putting you in a database?  What if it were an RFID chip in your wrist, instead of an eye scan?

Ah Yes… The RDS Spin!

We all knew this was coming.

“you have the CHOICE not to fly!!”

Tell that to all the Wal-Mart executives as they jet around the country checking on their stores, or go scouting for new sites to build on.  Or tell that to the person who wants to get to Florida or Arizona quickly to see a dying loved one.

“What if it were an RFID chip in your wrist, instead of an eye scan?”

First of all, I’m not necessarily opposed to new technology.  I threw out the EXTREME example (and I’m not the first) of implanting RFID chips in people, because this is where it could lead to.  It’s not so farfetched either.  Vets have been using this technology on pets for at least 15 years.

Secondly, I wouldn’t let anyone, be it the government or a private entity, implant anything in me.  Talk about an invasion of privacy? Optical scanners are a highly reliable way of identifying people. RFID technology serves no useful purpose IMHO.  Oh sure… you’re going to get companies like UPS and Federal Express saying they would be able to track packages around the globe using this technology...but who cares?  If I send for something… say from California, what do I care if the package went through Albuquerque or Amarillo?  All I want to know is when can I expect it?

That’s right… I wouldn’t have a problem submitting personal information into a governmental database for the purposes of increasing flight and passenger safety.  Our government already has a lot of data on individuals through driver’s licenses, social security numbers, and IRS tax records.  What’s a little more?  What I AM opposed to is any corporation like Wal-Mart collecting information using RFID technology… for what purpose?  Market Research?

Lastly, if Wal-Mart or any other company is too stupid to be able to keep track of all of its shipping containers and pallets of cheap Chinese crap, using the existing technology we have like bar codes, computers, and supply chain management software, maybe they shouldn’t be importing this shit in the first place!

Screwedby

This technology is some scary stuff! I have read of some people implanting their children with this RFID tech. This type of technology is getting smaller and smaller all the time. “Who knows the evil that lurks in the hearts of men?”

RFID technology my at some point (maybe now) become small enough that it can be injected through a vaccine needle without your knowledge. Who knows what dark and sinister uses this type of technology can be used for? Is this the number of the beast? I don’t know, but I do know that I don’t want my life and all my personal information to be accessible through a hidden scanner that could be placed there by anyone and for any reason.

“RFID technology my at some point “

Should read; RFID technology may at some point.......

Just FYI Big D...

I witnessed this firsthand, Big D when I took our dog to the the vet about 14 years ago.

“small enough that it can be injected”

To give you an idea of how small the RFID chip or module was at that time, imagine an RFID chip that is the approximate size of a single grain of rice.  The vet did in fact inject it into the back of our dog’s neck.  Our dog didn’t even flinch.  Then he took out a handheld scanner and passed it over the back of the dog’s neck.  The scanner provided an instantaneous readout of our dog’s name, our name, address, phone number, and the dog’s shot history.

Goodbye dog tags!