Walmart Canada Corp.’s (Walmart Canada) home office has implemented a zero waste program. It also expanded its purchase of zero emission power through Bullfrog Power Inc. (Bullfrog Power). Walmart Canada’s home office zero waste program focuses on waste reduction and waste diversion from landfill. Under the three-year agreement with Bullfrog Power, Walmart Canada has bullfrogpowered its home office and stores in Ontario, Alberta and British Columbia.
Zero Waste Home Office
The company has implemented numerous innovative waste diversion recycling streams and an associate education program in order to reach a goal of 95 % waste diversion.
In addition to recycling streams for paper fibres, beverage bottles and plastic, the company’s home office has added streams for coffee cups, organics, polystyrene, electronics and compact fluorescent light bulbs. Over 40 more recycling centres have been added around the office in order to facilitate and encourage wider recycling by associates.
Walmart Canada has increased its purchase of zero emission power by 42 %. Walmart Canada’s home office is also focusing on waste reduction. The company has eliminated polystyrene take out containers and plastic cutlery from its cafeteria and has replaced them with compostable sugar cane containers and corn-based bioplastic cutlery. Non-disposable plates and cutlery are also available for associate use.
Reverse osmosis water filtration systems have been placed throughout the office to reduce plastic water bottle waste and new cleaning stations allow associates to more easily use and clean reusable containers.
A new education program teaches associates how to be more sustainable at work. Initial education seminars have focused on showing associates how to recycle and the benefits of using reusable water vessels and coffee mugs.
Zero Emission Power
For the first time, Walmart Canada bullfrogpowered its annual year beginning meeting, which took place in February 2009.
Since 2005, Walmart has been actively working towards three long-term sustainability goals globally and in Canada:
To produce zero waste;
To be powered 100 % by renewable energy; and,
To make more environmentally preferable products available to customers.
“We continue to take bold steps to achieve our sustainability goals and to reduce our environmental footprint,” said Jim Thompson, senior vice president of operations for Walmart Canada. “Whether it’s looking at the waste we produce, the energy we use, the products we stock or the way we package and ship them, Walmart Canada is committed to finding innovative solutions to environmental issues and to leadership in sustainability.”
“Our hope is to take best practices from our home office zero waste initiative and to adopt them chainwide in the future,” added Thompson. “Walmart Canada has already reached a 65 % waste diversion rate across our operations and has a goal to reach 80 % company-wide by 2014.”
“Extending our purchase of green power builds on our existing and bold efforts to better manage our energy use,” said Thompson. “Whether we’re installing high-efficiency equipment and innovations in our new stores or converting our more than one million light bulbs nationwide to energy efficient alternatives, Walmart Canada is focused on energy efficiency and renewable power for the long-term benefit of our business and of the planet.”