Wal-Mart's CFL Paradox
Home Depot recycles compact fluorescents. Why not Wal-Mart?
CONSUMER RETORTS
Wal-Mart's CFL Paradox
Home Depot recycles compact fluorescents. Why not Wal-Mart?
WAL-MART has taken the lead (and the credit) in promoting compact fluorescent lightbulbs. More than 260 million have flown off its shelves since November 2006. But what about taking back used bulbs, which contain enough mercury to qualify as hazardous waste? Home Depot lets customers hand over spent CFLs at the returns desk, while IKEA has on-site disposal bins. For its part, Wal-Mart has invited customers to bring in their old bulbs just once—on a single day in 2007. Its website doesn't mention that the bulbs require special disposal or that they contain a neurotoxin that escapes if they break, say, in your kitchen trash. Spokesman Greg Rossiter says there are no collection plans in the works, "but if someone did have a bulb to recycle, we could direct them to a local location." The company notes that it's made suppliers cut the mercury in their bulbs by as much as a third. It also says its goal is to "create zero waste"—so why not start here?
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Isn't it obvious? Wal-Mart
Isn't it obvious? Wal-Mart wants to kill its customers.
It's in the Money, Honey.
Wal-Mart always looks to maximize its profits. When there is money to be made in compact fluorescents, or recycling, or organic food, Wal-Mart will go there. Squeezing every penny out of every opportunity is the modus operandi. With enough pressure, the cost of not recycling the bulbs will begin to overtake the cost of bulb recycling and Wal-Mart will change its policy.
Business corporations by nature run on bottom line logic, and mega-corporations like Wal-Mart even more so. Raise the cost of not adopting the policy and change will come.
do they really say their
do they really say their goal is "to create zero waste"? i find that laughable
Screw Wal-Mart... Never knew
Screw Wal-Mart...
Never knew about the "neurotoxin" - - scary as I have broken many of them.
So? Do something!
Write Mall Wart an email expressing your displeasure with their CFL recycling project (or lack of one, as is the case). I did.
Its website doesn't mention
Its website doesn't mention that the bulbs require special disposal or that they contain a neurotoxin that escapes if they break, say, in your kitchen trash. Spokesman Greg Rossiter says there are no collection plans in the works, "but if someone did have a bulb to recycle, we could direct them to a local location."
You've got a lot going on:
You've got a lot going on: you've been helping to organize a day of nationwide demonstrations for action on global warming on April 14, and you have a new book coming out.
recycling CFL
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tagged as:
- solution
Step1.
1. buy a new CFL
2. remove the old one
3. remove the new CFL from the retail box
4. put the old one into the new box
5. find the receipt for the new CFL
6. bring the new receipt with the new box and old CFL to Wal-Mart's return counter
7. that is where I work, and I will be very happy to refund your purchase if you'll tell me the the new CFL did not work
8. RECYCLER CFL & YOUR HARD EARN $$$ & SEND OLD SHIT BACK TO CHINA
9. :)
Do something about it!
The BEST way to inspire change at Walmart is to let them know that until they adopt a CFL recycling program or drop off station at each of their stores, you will NOT be shopping there! Hit 'em where it hurts - in the money bags.
Go to Walmart.com
Scroll to bottom of page and click on "contact customer service"
Scroll to bottom of next page and click on "other comments & questions"
Voice your disgust in the comment box.
(Walmart requires your name, email address and phone number in order to submit a comment. I didn't want to give Walmart my phone number so I filled in that box with all zeros and my comments were still submitted.)
Wal-Mart's CFL Paradox
Wal-Mart's CFL Paradox (www.motherjones.com) TMC. WAL-MART has taken the lead (and the credit) in promoting compact fluorescent lightbulbs.
One of the largest
One of the largest revolutions, however, with the potential to improve fuel costs, electricity bills, greenhouse gas emissions, dependence on foreign oil, workplace productivity, and consumer confidence will happen where you least expect it - in the humble light fixtures of your home and workplace.
Its website doesn't mention
Its website doesn't mention that the bulbs require special disposal or that they contain a neurotoxin that escapes if they break, say, in your kitchen trash. Spokesman Greg Rossiter says there are no collection plans in the works.
The software tracks
The software tracks electricity use for now, but there’s no reason it can’t be adapted to meter natural gas or water in the future. The software can be installed on a Google home page (alongside stock prices or sports scores) or on a mobile device.
Imagine if you walked into a
Imagine if you walked into a grocery store, chose the food you want (no price tags), took it home and then, at the end of the month, got the bill in the mail. “That’s essentially what we are doing with electricity and natural gas right now,” says Dan Reicher, who heads energy and climate policy at Google, which is aiming to change that.
