Pulitzer Prizewinner and bestselling author Humes examines how the solutions to the environmental crisis may come from the most unlikely source--th...
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Jan 27, 2012
Dan
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This book caught my eye in the New Releases, Non-fiction shelf at the library. I had read a few magazine articles that discussed Wal-Mart's environmental efforts, but I hadn't given it much thought. My preconceived notions of the company were negative, i.e., that they sold cheap stuff, put cost-pressure on companies that resulted in their moving production to the third world, cheated their employees, and put local competition out of business. But, I decided to invest the time in this read bec
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Jan 26, 2012
Brian
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"Environmental loss threatens our health and the health of natural systems we depend on" ~ Lee Scott, former Walmart CEO during a speech to Walmart employees.
Walmart has gone through myriad changes over the years. Some of the changes were due to lawsuits, others were due to bad press. Environmental sustainability was initially started as kind of an answer to all of the bad press.
To be fair it was because of the bottom line that Walmart started being more environme More...
Walmart has gone through myriad changes over the years. Some of the changes were due to lawsuits, others were due to bad press. Environmental sustainability was initially started as kind of an answer to all of the bad press.
To be fair it was because of the bottom line that Walmart started being more environme More...
Oct 05, 2011
Bigmg
rated it: 
Force of Nature: The Unlikely Story of Wal-Mart’s Green Revolution -- How It Could Transform Business and Save the World
A Must Read for Both Sides of the Aisle.
Save the world? From what? These are issues that need to be explored while reading this excellent book whose author has just scratched the surface.
By the time I was moving through Part III, it had become apparent that America was the only hope left in the world for any green revolution to ever take hold. Secondly, afte More...
A Must Read for Both Sides of the Aisle.
Save the world? From what? These are issues that need to be explored while reading this excellent book whose author has just scratched the surface.
By the time I was moving through Part III, it had become apparent that America was the only hope left in the world for any green revolution to ever take hold. Secondly, afte More...
Aug 11, 2011
Melissa
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If anyone didn't believe that Wal-Mart could be green, it would be me. A self-admitted boycotter of Wal-Mart since approximately 2006, I spotted this excellent book while wandering around the library a few weeks ago. I just finished the read today and I highly recommend it. I am reconsidering my boycott as we speak.
An excerpt: "Can Wal-Mart be sustainable? The simple and accurate answer is no... Has Wal-Mart led the business world toward a new age of sustainability - yes... The More...
An excerpt: "Can Wal-Mart be sustainable? The simple and accurate answer is no... Has Wal-Mart led the business world toward a new age of sustainability - yes... The More...
Dec 31, 2011
Brad
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There are a lot of reasons to hate Walmart, and while Humes skims over them he doesn't ignore them. The company puts smaller stores out of business, squeezes its suppliers so that it's tough to make a profit (but it's tough to say no to the biggest retailer in the world), doesn't pay its employees a living wage, faces more gender discrimination lawsuits than I can count... and the list goes on.
But over the past half decade Walmart has also made some astonishing strides toward greenin More...
But over the past half decade Walmart has also made some astonishing strides toward greenin More...
Jan 17, 2012
Katie
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This book made me look at Wal-Mart in a whole new way. Sure, it's not perfect. However, this book convinced me that their sustainability emphasis is NOT simply "greenwashing" and in fact has the power to remake the world for the better. Two prime examples explored are local & organic food and organic cotton in their supply chain. This is a great book for anyone interested in the topic and wondering if there is anything decent about Wal-Mart. It made me feel no remorse about getting my
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Nov 21, 2011
Stephen
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I have a love/hate relationship with Wal-Mart. Seeing as I’m not made of money, Wal-Mart’s low prices, especially on groceries, are a great help to my family’s budget. Additionally, it is a good example of how capitalism and the free market works. Sam Walton started his business small and by offering consumers goods that they needed or wanted at a low price soon built this business into one of the largest companies on the planet. However, its size has also been misused in a number of ways.
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May 01, 2011
Randy
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As an "open minded conservative" I get turned off easily by the more radical enviros... the communist ones, the uncritical thinking ones...
Humes edges in that direction, But. He clearly understands and accepts the need for organizational infrastructure, the profit motive, and mankind's need to use natural resources to survive and prosper.
This book examines the benefits of a grand compromise: the environmentalists holding their noses to work with the capitalists; More...
Humes edges in that direction, But. He clearly understands and accepts the need for organizational infrastructure, the profit motive, and mankind's need to use natural resources to survive and prosper.
This book examines the benefits of a grand compromise: the environmentalists holding their noses to work with the capitalists; More...
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Apr 07, 2011
Erica
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Surprisingly, I enjoyed this book. I went in with prejudice against Walmart and was pleasantly surprised at the efforts they are making to clean up their act. Some might yell "greenwashing", but pragmatically, I figure every little bit helps.
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Feb 15, 2012
Lloyd
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Much good information here on the most improbable, and one of the best-respected sustainability programs in corporate America.
Jun 25, 2011
Denise
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Intriguing and surprising. I'm not going to shop at Wal-Mart anytime soon because of reading this. But this book is a fair-minded look by a good journalist of how corporate sustainability can make the profit motive a positive influence for the environment.
Aug 23, 2011
Mbreaden
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This rather positive portrayal of Wal-Mart as a company is slightly misleading. The changes towards sustainability that Wal-Mart has made make Wal-Mart significantly less-bad than before and it is intriguing to consider how much better the planet would be if the rich used their economic power for good. It seemed like the author got so excited detailing the scope of Wal-Mart's unique sustainability programs that he forgot to address the main problem with the main thesis of Wal-Mart: More Everythi
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Jun 15, 2011
Shannon
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Recommended by the NYT review of books. The most evenhanded look on the greening of business I've read thus far. I am glad I'd read Organic Inc. before this, though.
Jul 28, 2011
Marie Louise
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This is a great book, no matter your perspective on Walmart. It offers compelling reasons for sustainability from a profit driven angle. Parts of the book were a bit redundant, which is why I didn't give it five stars. On the whole, I recommend this book.
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