Environmental Effects of Wal-Mart on
Our Local, National, and Global
Community
By: Doug Alexander,
Deb Armstrong, Laura
Smith, Jason Wellman,
and Sarah Wellman
Wal-Mart’s Record
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“Wal-Mart has a long history of breaking environmental laws that its
high-priced green-washing campaign can't hide. Its record of
environmental abuse was described by one top law enforcement
official as "widespread, systematic, repeated" and has incurred
millions in fines from state and federal agencies.”
Wal-Mart’s constant expansion and conversion of discount stores to
Supercenters leaves vacant buildings behind–in 2004 an estimated 13
million square feet. Wal-Mart admitted the company prefers to let the
buildings sit empty. “There are times when it’s in our interest to get the
property moving faster, but we’re certainly not going to give a
competitor an advantage,” Wal-Mart spokesman, Bob McAdam said.
“Wal-Mart also has temporarily halted its recycling program at the
Lawrence store. Wal-Mart green team coordinator said, ‘There’s just
not any money in recycling.’”
Wal-Mart Watch
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Going to review how Wal-Mart is effecting the
environment at global, national, and local
levels
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What should be done
Wal-Mart Internationally
Its effect on the
International
Environment
International Wal-Mart
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As of January 31, 2004, the Company had
1478 Wal-Mart stores, 1471 Supercenters,
538 SAM’s CLUBS and 64 Neighborhood
Markets in the US.
Internationally, the Company operated units
in Argentina (11), Brazil (25), Canada (235),
China (34), Germany (92), South Korea (15),
Mexico (623), Puertro Rico (53), and the UK
(267).
2004 Fiscal Report walmartstores.com
Wal-Mart’s Exports in China SkyRocket
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China:
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Wal-Mart reports that it purchased $18 billion of
goods from China in 2004.
Wal-Mart is responsible for about 1/10th of the
U.S. trade deficit with China.
If Wal-Mart were an individual economy, it would
rank as China’s eight-biggest trading partner,
ahead of Russia, Australia and Canada.
www.wakeupwalmart.com
Transportation of Exported Goods
Lead to Increase in Air Pollution
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Wal-Mart imports approximately 20% of their goods from foreign
countries.
Most are shipped on ocean liners.
Big ocean vessels are the dirtiest source of transportation, leaving
trails of smog across the world's most heavily plied shipping routes
The EPA has begun regulating emissions from American ships, though
its rules don't cover foreign-flagged vessels.
One large ocean vessel spews more pollutants than 2,000 diesel
trucks.
Oil tankers, container and cargo carriers, and cruise ships, all labeled
Category 3 by the EPA, run on bunker oil, which is the dirtiest and
least expensive form of fuel.
Carnegie Mellon University researchers found that ships account for
14 percent of all global nitrogen emissions and 6 percent of sulfur
emissions from all fossil fuels. Both pollutants are linked to global
warming.
EPA
Exports – contribute to air pollution
Wal-Mart’s Control of Consumerism
Affects the Global Environment
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The production, processing, and consumption, of
commodities requires the extraction and use of
natural resources (wood, ore, fossil fuels, and water)
It requires the creation of factories and factory
complexes whose operation creates toxic
byproducts, while the use of commodities
themselves (e.g. automobiles) creates pollutants and
waste.
More people shopping = more cars = more pollution
Wal-Marts contributes to Global
Warming
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On average each Wal-Mart store services
about 6000 customers a day which
contributes to congested parking lots.
(www.walmartstores.com)
Each customer’s car contributes to global
warming, and the green houses gas counts
in a Wal-Mart parking lot are equivalent to a
mild traffic jam.
Battle in Mexico
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A citizens group has filed legal appeals and staged
demonstrations in an attempt to stop Wal-Mart from building a
megastore near the ancient pyramids of Teotihuacan, about 30
miles northeast of Mexico City.
The massive store would be visible from the top of the Pyramid
of the Sun, the largest Pre-Columbian stone pyramid in the
Western Hemisphere.
Today, only the core religious complex is fully protected. WalMart is building on farmland in a "buffer" zone adjacent to the
protected area, less than a mile from the Pyramid of the Sun.
Wal-Mart's private archeologist insists that only a few isolated
artifacts have been found on the construction site.
The company says an unearthed altar will be displayed under
Plexiglas in the store's parking lot.
www.wakeupwalmart.com
Teotihuacan
Vancouver beats Wal-Mart!!!!
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In June, the Vancouver City Council voted 8-3 to deny approval
for a 130,000-square-foot Wal-Mart superstore along Marine
Drive in the southeastern part of the city.
More than 8,000 people signed petitions against the project and
dozens spoke out at public hearings.
Wal-Mart responded to the election by proposing a store with
ecologically-friendly features, including a windmill, a system for
using rainwater in the toilets, natural lighting, and underground
wells for heating and cooling.
But the council concluded that the store would induce more
driving, ultimately causing more environmental harm than could
be mitigated by its innovative design.
www.MSNBC.com
Other Countries Battling Wal-Mart on
Zoning Issues
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England, Ireland, Sweden, Australia, US
Various issues are arising:
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Noise Pollution & Air Pollution due to increase
number of cars
Degradation of sacred/historical grounds
www.wakeupwalmart.com
Wal-Mart responds to criticism
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Wal-Mart Chief Executive Lee Scott has said that Wal-Mart will
now aim to become a 'good steward for the environment' with a
target ultimately of using only renewable energy sources and
producing zero waste. (A News item from Business Respect,
Issue Number 87, dated 25 Oct 2005)
Scott’s focus is on Wal-Mart’s of the United States, but pays no
attention to international Wal-Marts
This is because the EPA, and other environmental agency have
little or no affect on global issues.
Concerning the environment, internationally Wal-Mart is being
overlooked.
Takin’ it up da’ pooper; lee scot givin’ it
to da’ environment
Clean Water Act
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Federal Water Pollution Control Act of 1972
1977 amended, known as Clean Water Act
Regulating discharges of pollutants into waters
EPA authority
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Set water quality standards
Unlawful to dump without permit
Treatment plants
www.epa.gov
Violation
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2001 Wal-mart & contractors settle with U.S
17 sites, storm runoff
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$1 million civil penalty
$4.5 million environmental management plan
2004 Wal-Mart settle with US, EPA, DOJ, etc…
24 sites, storm runoff
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$3.1 million in civil penalty
“reduce storm water runoff at its sites by instituting better
control measures, thereby setting an industry standard for
developers and contractors.”
EPA. 2001. & 2004
Violation
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2005 Wal-Mart settle with Connecticut
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22 stores with stormwater and water management
$1.15 million
CAGO. 2005
Belmont, SC ~ Catawba
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“If the current application for a conditional use permit is
approved as proposed, the construction and operation of
the Wal-Mart Super Center will materially endanger public
health and the environment by causing an increase in the
levels of heavy metals, fecal coliform bacteria, herbicides,
pesticides, nutrients, sediment, oil and grease
contaminating the waters of the Catawba River.”
Lisenby, D. “Deterimental Impacts to Water Quality if WalMart Conditional Use Premit is Granted”
Lisenby, D. “Deterimental Impacts to Water Quality if Wal-Mart Conditional Use
Premit is Granted”
Belmont, SC ~ Catawba
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Manufacturer’s Warning Label on Insecticide label: “This pesticide
is toxic to fish. Do not apply directly to water. Runoff from treated
areas may be hazardous to aquatic organisms in neighboring
areas. Do not contaminate water when disposing of equipment
washwaters. If spilled, either collect for use or dispose of properly.”
Manufacturer’s Warning Label on Fungicide: “This product
contains a chemical known to the state of California to cause birth
defects or other reproductive harm,” & “This pesticide is toxic to
catfish. Do not apply directly to water, to areas where surface
water is present….”
Lisenby, D. “Deterimental Impacts to Water Quality if Wal-Mart
Conditional Use Premit is Granted
What Then Shall We DO, Dan?
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Lerner (1998) offers possibilities
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price goods to reflect environmental impact
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Green planning
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Negative externalities
Wal-Mart Eco-Friendly Design
Green tax
Lerner 1998
What's the Cost?
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Being eco-friendly can be profitable
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Niche market
Marketing
Public relations
Howard 2005
What’s Wal-Mart up to?
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Smart products
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Land Conservation
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Protected 135,000 acres
Sustainable energy
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Inform customers
Reduce: greenhouse 20% next 8 years
Waste
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Goal: generate “no net waste”
Profit driven
Experimental Future
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Experimental Store
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McKinney, Texas
“uses revolutionary materials, technology, and
processes to reduce the amounts of energy and
natural resources required to operate the store.”
Climate control, internal building experiments,
internal lighting, bioswale & pervious pavement,
recycling, solar energy, water conservation, wind
turbine & heat island effect
Experimental Truck
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One of largest private truck fleets
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100 hybrid trucks, 100 more by 2007
Profitible
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Net savings of at least $494 million a year by 2002
Wal-Mart Says:
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Wal-Mart promotes “green products” (Ortega 215)
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Green products are “products that [are] supposed
somehow to be environmentally ‘improved’” (Ortega 216)
The main environmental change and improvement is
selling items that are 100% recycled
3 out of 5 local Wal-Mart store managers we
spoke with stated that their store carried
green products
We Found:
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The 3 local store managers that claim to
carry these green products could not name
specific items with this label
Also, store managers needed a definition of
what a green product is before they could
answer our questions
Their website does not contain any
information regarding these products
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Bounty paper towels are considered a green
product
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“…A roll of Bounty paper towels, 67 square feet of
chlorine-bleached, unrecycled paper packaged in
plastic” is considered a green product simply
because “the core tube is made of 100% recycled
paper” (Ortega 216)
Wal-Mart Says
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Safety precautions are taken at local WalMarts by:
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Following Hazardous-Material disposal and
shipping instructions
Using in-house internet as a resource for clean-up
instructions
Posting information about proper care of
chemicals in every department
We Found:
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The in-house internet is not connected to a
specific chemical care program
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Employees are responsible for searching for
information when an emergency could be occurring
Also, with such a high employee turnover rate the
training required is not necessarily happening during
initial training
According to a Wal-Mart employee in Van
Wert, the posted information about proper
care of chemicals is only known to the
maintenance department
Wal-Mart Says:
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They use recycled products in all five of the
local Wal-Mart stores
They ship out many products to be recycled:
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Tires
Cooking oil
- Motor Oil - Plastic Bags
- Car Batteries
Recycled pavement is used in many local
store parking lots
We Found:
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According to store managers, the only two
100% recycled products used in local stores
are plastic shopping bags and computer
paper
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This shows that out of the five products shipped
out only one of these items returns to be used in
our local stores
In our local area only 2 of the 5 stores have
recycled pavement in the parking lot
Wal-Mart Says:
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3 out of 5 local Wal-Marts use skylights to
conserve energy during the daylight hours
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The amount of energy used by the lighting system
in a Lima Wal-Mart is controlled by the amount of
sunlight coming through the skylights
These skylights “save on electricity [by using]
electronic daylight sensors on the roof to dim or
brighten fluorescent lights depending on how
bright it is outside” (Ortega, 217)
We Found:
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Old stores are not receiving this lighting
system and continue to waste energy
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The 17 year old store in Lima is a part of this
problem and there are no plans for future
improvements
The local stores are not saving solar energy
that could be used during nighttime hours
Wal-Mart Says:
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In 1993, after three years of planning, an
environmentally-friendly store was built in
Lawrence, Kansas
The CEO, David Glass, claimed that the
opening of this first green store was “the
beginning of a great new era” implying that
Wal-Mart is becoming more eco-sensitive
(Ortega 217)
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The 1st green store included features such as:
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Selectively harvested arching wooden beams which
supported the store’s roof
Skylights to save on electricity
Recycled asphalt in the parking lot
A solar-powered sign out front
A holding pond to collect waste water and run-off from
the parking lot to be used to irrigate the shrubbery (Ortega
217)
We Found:
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Out of approximately 130 new stores opened
per year only 1 is designed as a green store
(Store Wars and Ortega, 217)
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According to the store manager in
Wapakoneta, there are only 3 green stores
open nationally
New stores in our area are only receiving
one of these many features per store
Our Solutions:
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Improve employee education
Buy from suppliers that provide a wider
variety of green products
Make eco-friendly renovations to older store
buildings
Build a green store locally
If Wal-Mart is better to our local
environment, they will be
demonstrating an important part of
living a simpler life
What Can We Do?
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Schut—Simpler Living
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In today’s capitalist society
Re-evaluate our consumerist tendencies
The joy of living a simpler life, free of “things”
There is suffering endured by others due to our
obsession with purchasing unnecessary goods
Our duty as responsible citizens
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Take care of our environment
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Be well-informed
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Take responsibility for our actions
Our Responsibility as Christians
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Given this Earth
Not here to rape the land for our own benefit
Instead, to take care of the planet and all that
is on it
Though perhaps not directly responsible for
what is happening, it is still up to us
IT IS OUR
FUTURE!
AFLCIO. 2005. “Bill would address health care cost-shifting by corporations.”
Retrieved December 5, 2005 from http://www.aflcio.org/issues/healthcare/
ns06222005.cfm.
EPA. 2004. “Press Release: U.S. Announces Major Clean Water Act Settlement
with Retail Giant Wal-Mart.” Found December 5, 2005 at
http://yosemite.epa.gov/opa/admpress.nsf/
b1ab9f485b098972852562e7004dc686/5702a09ae47131c085256e920060d460
?OpenDocument.
EPA. 2001. “Press Release: US Reaches Water-Polution Settlement with WalMart.” Found December 5, 2005 at
http://yosemite.epa.gov/opa/admpress.nsf/b1ab9f485b098972852562e
7004dc686/dfc27e3cc459534d85256a64005f9dd2?OpenDocument#.
EPA. 2005. “Clean Water Act.” Found December 2, 2005 at
http://epa.gov/region5/water/cwa.htm.
Howard, T. 2005, August 12. “Being Eco-Friendly Can Pay Economically.” USA
Today. Retrieved November 9, 2005, from EBSCOhost database.
Lerner, S. 1998. “The New Environmentalists.” Futurist, 32(4), 35. Retrieved
November 9, 2005, from EBSCOhost database.
State of Connecticut Attorney General’s Office. 2005. “Press Release: Attorney
General, DEP Commissioner Announce $1.15 Million Environmental Settlement
With Wal-Mart.” Found December 5, 2005 at
http://www.ct.gov/ag/cwp/view.asp?A=1949&Q=300448.
Wal-Mart. 2005. http://walmartstores.com/GlobalWM StoresWeb/.