Wal-Mart usually gets a lot of bad press in the ‘green circles’. I am not sure where I stand in my opinion of Wal-Mart, Target, and other big chain stores as I try to support local businesses, however, I feel the need to provide another side of the story.

Living in a rural community, unless you really do some digging around, it’s hard to find certain basic household supplies. I can order things on the internet or through my food co-op, however, there are times where you need something ASAP and that Wal-Mart in town can come in pretty handy.

I would never have considered Wal-Mart as a supporter of natural living, however, there have been some interesting news stories lately which are promising. I have also noticed some changes in how Wal-Mart is doing business.

The first change I saw was about a year ago. On the entrance doors of our local store were signs that informed customers why lights had been dimmed (to conserve power). The signs also shared how much power Wal-Mart estimates they are saving.

Over the holidays I saw more signs. These were posted on their soda/pop machines just outside of the store. These stated that the lights used to brighten the front of the machine (purely decorative purposes) were no longer going to be on during daylight.

While walking around the baby section I found a rack of clothes full of Gerber Organic baby clothes and sleepers.

I found these steps to be small, but at least a start toward a change. Since I noticed these changes a few months ago, I have been curious to find out what else (if anything) was going to happen, and then I read an article last week by Janet McFarland, Toronto Globe and Mail:

“Organic food proponents will remember Thursday as the day the ground shifted. Giant food retailer Wal-Mart Stores Inc. announced that its store brand milk in the United States will now come exclusively from cows not treated with artificial growth hormones.” (March 22, 2008)

Yes, the ground beneath my feet did shift!

And as if that wasn’t enough, the sales flyer came out in the weekend paper yesterday. Not only was the sales flyer printed on 100% recycled paper, but they were promoting a whole line of recycled products (toilet paper, napkins, paper towels) along with some clothing lines for adults that are made with organic cotton.

So, is my impression of Wal-Mart all wrong? Is it possible to have big business and be environmentally conscious?

Yes, I am still concerned about other issues that many retailers such as Wal-Mart, Target, and many more haven’t addressed: such as Fair Made and overshadowing and overrunning local businesses. I have to admit, though, I do have hope based on what I’m seeing. If a giant like Wal-Mart can make these positive steps, I would think any business could too. I personally still prefer not to buy from Wal-Mart, however, it’s nice to know that natural living is becoming more mainstream.