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Fri, 26 May 2006

The Greening of Walmart

Can You Still Hate Wal-Mart?

By Mark Morford Published on Wednesday, May 24, 2006 by the San Francisco Chronicle, reprinted by Common Dreams

"It's a shockingly eco-friendly plan from the world's most toxic retailer. Did hell just freeze over?" (yes)

Several things amazed me about this article, besides the idea of Walmart going green - turns out it's true but also false, which shouldn't surprise anyone.

First, I think this may be only the second time I've read something this funny in Common Dreams. I mean l.o.l. funny, not just a smiley face. Mark Morford describes Walmart as "the most famously offensive, town-destroying, junk-purveying, labor-abusing, sweatshop-supporting, American-job-killing, soul-numbing, seizure-inducing, hope-curdling retailer in the known universe".

The second thing that's amazing is that he knows exactly how I feel about shopping at Walmart. ... "vaguely nauseating feeling, when you walk through their (or almost any) big-box store, that your soul is being slowly coated in rat saliva."

The third amazing thing is that Mark Morford gets that there's a downside to Walmart going green, mainly that this is still Walmart, sucking the blood out of anything that moves, while local organics and sustainablilty go down the tubes. And he still thinks that some good will come from Walmart going green. It's a green wash, Mark! Don't fall for it!

As M.F. says, "Wal-Mart has always been, quite appropriately, the devil" And still is, red or black or green. How much is your soul worth to you? I'll bet a lot more than whatever you think you'll save on that head of organic lettuce.

Read the full article: Can You Still Hate Wal-Mart? Of course you can!