News from the New Rules Project

Four ways enviros can keep Walmart in the hot seat

admin — Fri, 03 Feb 2012 08:57:19 -0600

The world’s biggest retailer has gotten an undeserved free pass from many environmentalists. It’s time to take a tougher line and set a higher standard.

In the conclusion to her series on Walmart’s greenwashing, Stacy Mitchell outlines four ways we can hold Walmart accountable. Read the full story and comment at Grist.

Independent Businesses Report Strong Holiday Sales

smitchell — Thu, 26 Jan 2012 07:32:18 -0600

An annual survey has found that independent businesses had strong sales growth over the holidays and appear to be benefitting from growing public interest in supporting locally owned retail stores, banks, restaurants, and other enterprises.

The survey, which was conducted by the Institute for Local Self-Reliance in partnership with several business associations, gathered data from 1,768 independent businesses across 49 states over an 8-day period in January.

Eaters, Beware: Walmart is Taking Over Our Food System

smitchell — Tue, 03 Jan 2012 11:13:15 -0600

This is the eighth article in a special series written by ILSR's Stacy Mitchell and published by Grist. You can read the whole series here.

Walmart has become the most powerful force in the U.S. food system, selling 25 percent of our groceries and growing fast. Watch for this expansion to lead to fewer neighborhood grocery stores, more industrialization, more poverty, and maybe even more moldy produce.

Walmart spends big to help anti-environment candidates

smitchell — Fri, 23 Dec 2011 09:55:44 -0600

Walmart talks a lot about sustainability, but doesn't put its campaign money anywhere near where its mouth is. Its contributions tilt heavily toward politicians who oppose climate action and environmental protection.

During the 2007-2008 election cycle, 80 percent of Senate campaign contributions that came from Walmart's PAC and large donors employed by the company went to senators who helped block the Lieberman-Warner cap-and-trade bill.

Can you say ‘sprawl’? Walmart’s biggest climate impact goes ignored

admin — Mon, 05 Dec 2011 16:38:09 -0600

This is the fourth part in a special series Stacy Mitchell is authoring on Grist about Walmart's Green-washing.

Walmart talks big about cutting greenhouse gas emissions, but it's land-use strategy is anything but climate-friendly: It builds massive new stores on virgin land in sprawling areas, then abandons them in favor of still newer, still bigger stores. Read the full story and comment at Grist.

Can you say ‘sprawl’? Walmart’s biggest climate impact goes ignored

smitchell — Tue, 29 Nov 2011 09:14:05 -0600

This is the sixth article in a special series written by ILSR's Stacy Mitchell and published by Grist. You can read the whole series here.

Walmart talks big about cutting greenhouse gas emissions, but it's land-use strategy is anything but climate-friendly: It builds massive new stores on virgin land in sprawling areas, then abandons them in favor of still newer, still bigger stores.

Walmart’s promised green product rankings fall off the radar

smitchell — Mon, 21 Nov 2011 09:09:36 -0600

This is the fifth article in a special series written by ILSR's Stacy Mitchell and published by Grist. You can read the whole series here.

In 2009, Walmart unveiled grand plans to create a Sustainability Index that would, within five years, result in green labels for all the products it sells. Two and a half years later, the project has fallen far short and seems unlikely to ever deliver a green rating system. Nor is there much evidence that greener products are edging out more damaging ones on Walmart's shelves.

Is your stuff falling apart? Thank Walmart

admin — Fri, 18 Nov 2011 15:42:24 -0600

This is the third part in a special series Stacy Mitchell is authoring on Grist about Walmart's Green-washing.

Walmart, with its relentless demands that manufacturers cut costs, has been a major force in making our products shoddier -- and that has us heading back to the store more often to buy still more stuff. Read the full story and comment at Grist.

At its Current Pace, Walmart will need 300 Years to Reach its Goal of 100% Renewable Power

smitchell — Thu, 17 Nov 2011 15:40:30 -0600

This is the fourth article in a special series written by ILSR's Stacy Mitchell and published by Grist. You can read the whole series here.

Six years ago, Walmart announced that it was setting a goal of being "supplied by 100 percent renewable energy," a goal that has been repeated in thousands of newspaper articles and countless blog posts. What if, rather than repeating Walmart's stated goal of 100 percent renewable power, these news stories had instead reported that the company currently derives less than 2 percent of its electricity from its solar projects and wind-power purchases? That's not a figure Walmart has published, and journalists have done little to bring it to light. At its current pace of converting to renewables, it would take Walmart about 300 years to get to 100 percent clean power.

Is your stuff falling apart? Thank Walmart

smitchell — Fri, 11 Nov 2011 15:40:22 -0600

This is the third article in a special series written by ILSR's Stacy Mitchell and published by Grist. You can read the whole series here.

Chairs don’t hold together like they used to. Neither do toys, toasters, vacuum cleaners, or Levi's. Walmart, with its relentless demands that manufacturers cut costs, has been a major force in making our products shoddier -- and that has us heading back to the store more often to buy still more stuff.