Wal-Mart has taken heed from the new green sustainability kick and decided to push forth with their new sustainability initiative. Wal-Mart’s decision to go the sustainability route is not a new concept. Many companies such as Exxon Mobile have decided to move their companies towards the sustainability effort.
In their recent efforts to prove their strides towards sustainability, Wal-Mart has built three facilities that run completely on solar power in California. The program began in May 2007 and is expected to:
- Generate up to 32 million kilowatt hours
- Avoid producing more than 10,000 metric tons of carbon dioxide emission per year
- Provide 20 to 30 % of each facility’s total electric energy needs
Wal-Mart states that the implementation of these stores is furthering their goal of being supplied 100% by renewable energy sources. What is interesting about this new initiative of Wal-Mart is that those in the social media community, such as Facebook, have been commenting and expressing their opinions on Wal-Mart’s sustainability.
Many of the comments Wal-Mart has received through social media outlets are more concerned with Wal-Mart lowering their prices than with the actual topic of sustainability. Though critics believe that is just the nature of the Wal-Mart shopper who tends not to worry about such things as climate change and sustainability. However, it is apparent that by Wal-Mart reaching out to their customers through social media that they are not only trying to become more sustainable but a more transparent and open company to their customers.