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What to do about Wal-Mart

So, it looks like Wal-Mart's green turn has some meat on its bones (to mix metaphors). As we noted in DG, CEO H. Lee Scott Jr. announced some fairly specific programs the other day around energy-efficient stores, greenhouse-gas reductions, truck fleet fuel efficiency, packaging reductions, and pressure on overseas suppliers to follow suit.

It remains to be seen whether the company will release specific targets and timetables, regularly report its progress, and generally go about this in a transparent way. But it certainly looks, at least at this early stage, like this is a serious company-wide effort.

On the other hand, Scott also announced a new employee healthcare plan, only to have a fateful memo leak days later -- a memo that revealed the frighteningly cold calculations behind the company's healthcare policies. Clay Risen has an excellent piece on the memo and related matters at TNR, saying "the thrust of the plan, then, is to slash benefits but make superficial changes to mask the impact of those cuts."

Pretty nasty stuff.

Now, my question is: How should environmentalists and environmental groups react to all this?

Oprah and climate change

Apparently, as we speak, Oprah is on with Leonardo DiCaprio and Dr. Michael Oppenheimer discussing climate change.

Reports from our researcher in the field indicate that Leo is spouting facts and figures and Oprah is embarrassing herself with repeated clips of cute polar bears and cries of "I can feel it!"

We can order a transcript for $6, but really I want to see it. Any chance one of you Gristmill readers has a tape or digital file you can send us? This I gotta see.

Why we need a World Environment Organization

With climate change manifesting itself in the melting of Arctic glaciers and the drowning of small Pacific islands, in widespread species extinction, forest loss, desertification, and impending water shortages, the scope of environmental problems has changed. Long-term alteration of the earth’s climate is moving us into terra incognita that’s difficult or impossible to reverse. Recently, […]

Dateline NBC explores that question

Here at Grist, we like to keep you on your toes. On the one hand, we tell you that the Christian Right is swaying politicians and threatening the environment. On the other, we show that some of the evangelical leadership is urging its members to adopt eco-friendly living habits and exhorting the government to lighten America's environmental footprint.

For those of you who don't have anything better to do on a Friday night, you have an opportunity for a different perspective. Dateline NBC will be airing "In God They Trust," in which Tom Brokaw "explores why so many Americans are turning to this expression of faith, and asks whether or not some Evangelicals are going too far."

I doubt they will be discussing the environment, but one can pray hope.

Ford says trips to the WC are slowing production of SUVs

This is kind of a personal question, but throw away your privacy for the good of the company: Exactly how many minutes did you spend in the loo during work yesterday?

CNN reports that the management at Ford Motor Co.'s Michigan Truck plant has released a memo declaring that too many of the factory's workers are spending more than the 48 minutes allotted per shift in the lavatory. Direct quote from the memo:

In today's competitive environment, it is important that Michigan Truck plant immediately address this concern to avoid the risks associated with safety, quality, delivery, cost and morale.

Delightful mental picture: Suit-clad Ford up-and-ups standing on alert at the door of the powder room, thumb poised on the stopwatch.

What? You wonder what this has to do with the environment? Oh yes. According to the article, workers' prolific excretion is slowing production of the Ford Expedition and Lincoln Navigator SUVs. Well, I think I speak for all enviros when I say, "Do not stop urinating, friends! Fight for your right to crap freely and often!"

Since greens get blamed for everything these days, I'll keep an eye on the news for reports of environmentalists concocting intricate plans to widely distribute laxatives to Ford workers.

And yes, it is impressive that I wrote this entire post without using the word "bathroom." Thank you.

Argan Eat That?

Rare oil made from goat-pooped pits may save North African tree For centuries, since even before the Phoenicians arrived (there goes the neighborhood!), goats have climbed Morocco’s evergreen argan trees to munch their leaves and fruits. Then they poop or spit out the undigested fruit pits. Then shepherds root through the poop, pick out the […]

We Must, We Must, We Must Increase Our Bust!

Brazilian cops crack down on Amazon logging gang In a burst of dawn raids, Brazilian police busted an Amazon logging gang yesterday. Some 400 agents fanned out across five Amazon states and arrested at least 34 people accused of forging and selling permits that facilitated the transport of millions of dollars worth of illegally logged […]

Optical Delusion

Republicans ask oil firms to “do their part” to ease pain at the pump Oil companies and their GOP backers in Washington face a somewhat awkward situation: The oil industry is awash in record profits, but Republicans continue to shovel them millions in subsidies. Meanwhile, Americans stagger under the weight of soaring gas prices. This […]

Taint Bernard

La. eco-group slams official silence on toxins in New Orleans suburbs The soil in two New Orleans suburbs may be highly contaminated with heavy metals and petroleum products, charge residents. They say local and federal officials aren’t warning returning residents about toxic hazards or cleaning up the mess. The Louisiana Bucket Brigade paid a certified […]

Just Another Woeful Wednesday

Congressional committees approve a pile o’ drilling and mining Congress worked hard on Wednesday to ensure America a clean, secure energy future. Ah, we kid! Actually, the House Resources Committee approved a measure that would weaken the federal ban on new offshore gas and oil drilling. And both House and Senate resource committees approved provisions […]