Originally published August 20 2005
New environmentally-friendly Walmart hoping to save face in light of their past developments of land
by Mike Adams, the Health Ranger, NaturalNews Editor
Wal-Mart Stores Inc.'s experimental, environmentally-friendly store includes a 120-foot wind turbine and photovoltaic solar panels to provide the store with energy. Representatives say they are testing alternative energy sources to save money, but activists say that Walmart's environmentally-friendly initiative are too little too late in light of the enormous urban sprawl that the company has participated in.
The 120-foot wind turbine in the Wal-Mart parking lot is the first clue that this won't be your typical superstore shopping experience.
Then there are the photovoltaic solar panels, which look like a band of blue tiles running the length of the store front, and the vaulted glass-ceiling entryways made up of thin, clear solar panels encased in glass.
Welcome to Wal-Mart Stores Inc.'s experimental environmentally friendly store in this northern suburb of Dallas, where the world's biggest -- and notoriously cost-conscious -- retailer is trying to determine whether being green can also be profitable.
"We're going to see if the energy savings are there," said Don Moseley, head of experimental projects for Wal-Mart.
Walk in and you'll find the familiar assortment of fresh produce alongside low-priced clothing, diapers and tires.
But then there's the grid of white fabric ductwork -- or "Duct Sox" -- suspended 11 feet above the floor, and the black tubing around the frozen food sections that recycles the hot air generated by the refrigerators.
Moseley said the low-hanging ductwork will cut energy costs because it heats or cools only the lower 11 feet of the store, unlike ceiling-mounted ventilation systems that need to push air at least twice as far.
In a side room near the auto repair dock is a large storage tank that holds the used cooking oil from fried chicken made in the deli section.
In reality, they form a "bio-swale" -- a channel where rocks, shrubs and grasses help trap pollutants and cleanse runoff from the parking lot.
The cleaner water is then pumped via windmill power back through an irrigation system to water the trees and shrubbery around the store.
The store is lit with long-lasting LED -- light emitting diode -- bulbs instead of the typical fluorescent strips.
All content posted on this site is commentary or opinion and is protected under Free Speech. Truth Publishing LLC takes sole responsibility for all content. Truth Publishing sells no hard products and earns no money from the recommendation of products. NaturalNews.com is presented for educational and commentary purposes only and should not be construed as professional advice from any licensed practitioner. Truth Publishing assumes no responsibility for the use or misuse of this material. For the full terms of usage of this material, visit www.NaturalNews.com/terms.shtml