Lansing Community College Earth Day event with a comment about one of its sponsors--Walmart

Lansing Community College: LCC celebrates Earth Day

Students for Political Involvement & Public Service at Lansing Community College presents:
Earth Day 2011

Join SPIPS in a great panel discussion on how we can make an impact (or less of one) on our planet. Other topics of discussion will include:

Food Safety
Renewable/Alternative Energies
Sustainability
Water/Air Pollution
Urban Farming
Monday April 18, 2011

11 a.m. - 1 p.m.

Gymnasium, Gannon Building, Third Floor

Cost: Free

All students, staff, faculty and community members are encouraged to attend!

Our panel will include individuals from Michigan State University, the Michigan House of Representatives,Lansing Community College, the Michigan Department of Environmental Quality (DEQ), other state agencies and companies in the private sector, including Walmart - a proven leader in sustainability. There will be a question and answer session for students and community members following the panel presentation. Stop by for great discussion and free popcorn, cookies,punch following the program!

The story calls Walmart "a proven leader in sustainability." That claim deserves some unpacking, especially since one of the parts of sustainability involves a sustainable society. On its own website, Walmart describes its sustainability efforts and supports its reputation with an impressive list of awards, but note how it defines sustainability:

Our broad environmental goals at Walmart are simple and straightforward:

•To be supplied 100 percent by renewable energy;
•To create zero waste;
•To sell products that sustain people and the environment.

These goals are all about ecology and economy; there is little or nothing about society. The makers of the movie Walmart: the high cost of low price had a lot to say about the chain's effect on society and local economies. Walmart changed many, but not all, of its behavior after that film came out. Note that the corporation earned most of awards for good corporate citizenship after 2005.

Sunshine works as a disinfectant.