How green is that Game Boy? Wal-Mart (WMT) wants to know. Beginning next year the retail giant will require its consumer electronics suppliers to fill out a "sustainability scorecard" listing various environmental attributes of their products, including energy efficiency, use of toxic materials and packaging size. The company will use the scorecard to help it choose which 
products appear on its shelves and will also make the information available to Wal-Mart shoppers. "The scorecard encourages improvements that are good for business as well as for the environment, reflecting Wal-Mart’s view that being a profitable and efficient business goes hand-in-hand with being a good steward to the environment," said Wal-Mart executive Ross Farnsworth in a statement. "Many electronics contain hazardous materials and are disposed of improperly. The scorecard issues a better score to those suppliers who build products with fewer hazardous materials and offer electronics recycling opportunities to customers."
That means consumer electronics companies from Sony (SNE) to Hewlett-Packard (HPQ) and Kodak (EK) will have to disclose how some of their eco-marketing campaigns translate into reality. Assuming consumer electronics companies cooperate – and few can afford not to play ball with Wal-Mart – you’ll be able to see if a Microsoft (MSFT) 
Zune is better for the environment than a Creative Zen MP3 player. Alas, just how green the iPod is will remain a mystery as Apple (AAPL) does not sell to shoppers seeking everyday low prices. Dangling a carrot to consumer electronic companies, Wal-Mart on Monday also announced a design contest to create a green gadget that will rate high on the sustainability scorecard. The winner will be sold in Wal-Mart’s U.S. stores.
How’s this for corporate hypocricy? While Wal-Mart makes plans to force it’s consumer electronics suppliers to prove how “green” their products are, it imports most of its goods from areas of the world notable for both pollution and exploitation of workers. Their corporate interest in green is largely confined to pocketing the money that should be going it’s under-paid workforce.
It’s ironic. in one sense Walmart builds many, many wharehouses and superstores (eye-sores) that it later abandons to moves a mile down the road, and in another sense wants to play the environmental concert game. I view this as nothing more than a publicity stunt on Walmart’s part to bolster public opinion about this organization and it’s “made in China” policy. And if we talk about excessive packaging of products, walmart certainly knows how to play the game. Our trash buckets are filled with Walmart packaging and flyers every week.
It’s nothing more than a marketing ploy. If Wal-Mart really cared about “Being Green”, then they would practice that when building new locations. They could use green materials for their buildings as well as energy-efficient materials inside these superstores. Bank of America is doing the same thing right now and I’m just not buying it. Practice, don’t preach.
I don’t buy it, either. It’s disingenuous and actually turns me off when the PR firm for a company is putting out such obvious nonsense. The shareholders and corporate board couldn’t care less, they’re merely catering to petty feelings of responsibility among their gullible customers.
Why don’t you people educate yourselves before spouting off with your ‘opinions’? It saddens me to see obviously good-hearted environmentalists such as yourselves being as dumb as the Fox-news watchers.
Tony wrote:
>They could use green materials for their
>buildings as well as energy-efficient
> materials inside these superstores
That happens to be exactly what Walmart is doing. Why don’t you do a little research? Try going to the Walmart website.
I actually supported Walmart’s move because it is in line with the US government policy, that of letting the market solve the problem.
http://www.treehugger.com/files/2007/03/walmart_follows.php
I agree with Mark and John. I will never understand why those who claim themselves as green activists post comments that run counter to what they theoretically want companies and consumers to act upon. Any step in the right direction is good for your cause, correct?
JR
China is ready to pass the U.S. as the biggest producer of CO2 gasses. A lot of Wal-mart products are made in China.
It sounds more like a corporate scam, not just to try to mend their tarnished name. They say that they’ll only let one out of many that would compete for shelf space. This is an obvious plot to see which store will sell to them for the cheapest price. They’re dangling a carrot in front of many supplier’s faces, that carrot being exclusive space on the shelves. So they go for the lowest bidder, having a lower bill than they do now to restock. I wouldn’t be surprised if they raised the shelf prices to increase their profit and give the excuse that its to cover the higher cost of making things environmentally friendly. End result; Mother nature=0, consumers=0, suppliers=0, Walmart=more profit.