Where Wal-Mart Goes, Others Will Follow

USA Today reports that Home Depot is increasing the number and range of environmentally-friendly products sold in its stores. The article cites Wal-Mart’s recent environemental initiatives for Home Depot’s changes, implying that where Wal-Mart goes, others will follow. Imagine the environmental impact, then, if Wal-Mart were to truly transform not only its product offerings but also its stores, transportation methods, production processes AND took other big box stores with it.

More retailers go for green — the eco kind [USA Today]

Home Depot announced plans Tuesday to offer more environmentally friendly products and make it easier for consumers to find them.

Included are more than 2,500 items ranging from all-natural insect repellents to front-load washing machines. Products that meet the criteria will be tagged Eco Options to make them easier to find.

“We don’t have people banging on our doors, saying, ‘Give us your green products,’ “ says Ron Jarvis, Home Depot (HD) vice president of environmental innovation. “But it’s the right time to educate consumers that their shopping habits can have an impact and that they can make a difference without going out of their way.”

The move by the country’s second-largest retailer comes after the largest, Wal-Mart, kicked off an environmental initiative last fall that favors suppliers who restrict carbon emissions and embrace sustainability.

Wal-Mart sees jump in CFL sales [Financial Times]

Wal-Mart, the largest US retailer, says it the percentage of its customers buying energy saving fluorescent light bulbs has more than doubled over the past year, from 5 to 13 per cent, reflecting the impact of its drive to promote the sale of the bulbs across its 3,000 US stores.

The bulbs are one of five “green products” whose adoption levels Wal-Mart says it will start publicly tracking on a quarterly basis as nationwide indicators for the adoption of more environmentally friendly products.

The 500 gets religion [Fortune]

Ford happens to be playing up its work in hybrid technology and fuel efficiency, but in general the story is similar at many of the other biggest companies. Wal-Mart (Charts) is saying, “Change a light. Change the world,” to promote the environmental advantages of fluorescent bulbs. The corporate slogan of Exxon Mobil (Charts) is “Taking on the world’s toughest energy challenges.” GE (Charts) says it’s helping “solve some of the world’s toughest problems.” Notice a theme?

What’s happening is more than public relations, though it’s definitely that. After the business scandals of 2001-03, big companies have been desperate to portray themselves as good citizens. But companies aren’t just changing messages; in many cases they’re also changing behavior. What’s striking is that many large companies are finding it pays to take actions that benefit the customer not at all, but that benefit the environment or the larger society.

Posted by Alex Goldschmidt on Wednesday, April 18, 2007

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