Green Corporate Concepts — How Large Retailers Are Leading Society Towards A Greener Earth

Some of the world’s largest retailers have really taken the basic concept of recycling bins and built on it. They haven’t waited for green building concepts and eco-friendly corporate thinking to become mainstream. Instead, they have taken a leadership role with both their buildings and business concepts that are changing the way the rest of the world thinks. Some of these companies have crossed over into the world of green science and built test stores that take the basic concept of recycling containers on a larger scale than ever before.

Green Corporate Strategies

Every level of these businesses has taken the importance of the environment and the rest of the world into consideration. Walmart is one of the best examples of this. They have made achieving a neutral footprint one of their main goals. What started with recycling bins and recycling containers has quickly grown into a completely new corporate culture. All of their values, goals, and decisions now take the environment and the world’s population into account.

Walmart is still working on their environmental goals including the need to find alternative energy sources and affordable solar energy. However, their efforts don’t just focus on their business. In the past, the retailer challenged its customers to see if they could sell 100 million energy efficient light bulbs. They have also been working closely with their vendors — 60,000 of them in fact.

Additionally, they are helping their suppliers limit their packaging and finding green alternatives that will help keep their recycling bins empty as well as addressing their energy use. They have also held several contests that are intended to gather new green ideas and encourage others to use their recycling containers and test their recycling prowess.

Green Building Concepts

The test or demonstration stores these retailers have built are essentially a large, real-life collection of the best eco-friendly ideas the world has had to date. This single investment will benefit the world in three different ways. The main benefit is the fact that these companies can test numerous concepts in the real world to find out what works and what doesn’t.

Even more powerful perhaps, is the effect these buildings have on their consumers. Visitors to these revolutionary businesses learn about all of the simple ways they can help the environment as well as stay informed about the newest technologies and techniques available. This investment also encourages others to take steps towards a greener life. Even if they only purchase recycling bins, it is a start.

These buildings have their standard recycling containers, but it’s their innovative ideas that really make these places fascinating. Many of these test stores are using geo-thermal heating to cut down on their heating expenses while alternative power sources cut down on the impact of air conditioning and electrical bills. When you consider the amount of resources businesses consume in these two areas alone, you can see the true benefits these two technologies.

One concept that some of these stores use focuses on eliminating wasted utilities. The installed HVAC system collects the heat given off by the large refrigeration units. They convert this heat back into energy that is converted back into the store. Daylight harvesting systems maximize the amount of natural daylight lighting the building. These stores also have glass doors on medium temperature display cases, use energy efficient case fans, and long lasting light bulbs. Their efforts have resulted in 60 percent less waste going back out into the environment and are using approximately 30 percent less energy.

If you have been wondering what you can do in addition to using Waste Wise recycling bins, consider what the businesses and organizations in your area are doing. Even if their ideas and techniques will not work well in your home, their inspiration and creative thinking will help you find ways to make the world a whole lot greener.