Wal-Mart to Open Energy-efficient Stores

To: Dr. Derek Larson
Fr: Lief Davisson
Re: Wal-Mart to open energy-efficient stores
________________________________________
Retail giant Wal-Mart has recently undertaken efforts to make its stores more energy efficient and, as a result, more environmentally friendly. In 2005 as part of a two year old environmental efficiency drive, they built two experimental “green stores” in the U.S. which utilize such measures as energy-efficient LED lighting, rooftop solar cells, waste-oil heating systems and water runoff recycling systems. Their intention was to try many different energy saving measures, and then implement the ones that worked in their other 2,400 U.S. “Supercenters.” Now Wal-Mart has begun to build new stores based on this new efficiency model, with the first one in Romeoville, IL and three more coming in the immediate future. These new stores will run at levels 25% more efficient than their baseline measurement from 2005. Their goal is to eventually run their stores using only renewable energy and creating zero waste. Wal-Mart has also begun to pressure its suppliers to use less packaging. They aim to cut the amount of packaging used in their stores by 5% by 2013.

Wal-Mart’s actions are of particular importance because of the current crisis in energy production and consumer waste. Landfills are overflowing, and power plants are churning out more and more power to keep up with demand. Wal-Mart claims to be the largest private user of electricity in the world. With fossil fuels becoming more and more scarce, and with their negative effect on the environment, one very large corporation’s commitment to renewable sources of energy could sway corporate attitudes and practices. Wal-Mart met with competitors such as Target and Costco to try and get them to also revamp their stores. With such a large corporation advocating change, it might come faster than we think.

Wal-Mart’s moves are a good start, but we must take their actions with a grain of salt. It is important to note that Wal-Mart’s main motivation is fiscal, not environmental. As Leslie Dach, Wal-Mart's chief of government and public relations, said at a meeting in New York: "at Wal-Mart, there is no conflict between the business model of everyday low prices and everyday low costs, and being a more sustainable company." So while their actions benefit the environment, and they appreciate the positive press, in the final analysis it makes good business sense to become more efficient, which may be all that is needed to make America go green.
[Paragraph 3: Controversy associated with issue and options for action]

Further Information:
Reuters.com

Grist.org

Navy Use of Sonar in Whale Habitats

To: Gordon Brown
From: Littia Swift
Re: Navy using Sonar in Whale Areas
________________________________________

President Bush recently “exempted the Navy from an environmental law” so it can continue using sonar for training purposes, though the sonar can negatively affect whales and other “marine mammals.” The exemption will not allow the Navy to continue its practices, but will bring them an advantage when the matter is decided in court on Friday. President Bush signed the exemption saying that “complying with the environmental law would undermine the Navy’s ability to conduct realistic training exercises that are necessary to ensure the combat effectiveness of carrier and expeditionary strike groups.”
The decision made in court on Friday will have a negative impact on either the Navy or the marine wildlife on the California coast. This issue is of great importance because it requires a decision between promoting national security and preserving marine wildlife. The base in California is where half of the Navy’s fleet receives its final training. The Navy needs the area for preparing forces and giving men and women thorough training before sending them to potentially dangerous places. The marine wildlife in the area can be negatively affected by the use of sonar. The Navy’s sonar can cover the natural sonar used by mammals such as whales and dolphins, therefore making it harder for them to locate food. Scientists have also found that sonar can cause hearing loss and tissue damage, along with altered diving habits, which can be deadly for certain species of whales.
Much of the controversy on this subject revolves around the President’s actions of exempting the Navy from the environmental law. “The president’s decision drew immediate criticism from environmentalists who had fought to stop the Navy’s sonar training.” Joel Reynolds, director of the Marine Mammal Protection Project at the Natural Resources Defense Council said that “by exempting the Navy from basic safeguards under both federal and state law, the president is flouting the will of Congress, the decision of the California Coastal Commission and a ruling by the federal court.” An alternative to choosing between the importance of the Navy’s training and the protection of the marine wildlife is available. Since different levels of sonar only affect some species and do not harm others, it would be possible to study which species are affected and by sonar and which types of sonar negatively affect them. By studying this problem, scientists could eventually discover which species are harmed and delve into deeper topics such as the locations of the majority of those species, and if at all possible, point the Navy toward a location that could, in the future, allow them to provide necessary training while leaving the marine wildlife relatively more unharmed.

Further Information:
MSNBC.com “Bush allows Navy to use sonar in whale areas.”

MSNBC.com “Bush allows Navy to use sonar in whale areas. Video Link.”

Welcome to Green Perspectives!

Welcome! This blog will offer news and views on environmental issues from students in environmental studies courses at CSB/SJU. During winter/spring 2008 posts will be drawn largely from the ENVR 150: Intro to Environmental Studies courses taught by Drs. Larson and Brown. Posts will be signed by individual authors and comments are open to all readers.