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Wal-Mart: Capt. Planet's Worst Nightmare
Submitted by aquapuncture on Sat, 04/08/2006 - 19:57.
Everyone knows that Wal-Mart is bad for America…right? Well, I’m here to tell you a few reasons why the wicked super-corporation is not only bad for the U.S economy, but it’s also bad for the environment. I’m sure that you have all seen their corky, feel-good commercials that make themselves out to be family-orientated and wholesome. The smiley faces bounce from aisle to aisle, knocking prices down to entice you to buy, buy, and buy. What you don’t see, however, is what Wal-Mart has to do to stay so huge. Their gigantic stores and low prices blind us and we often times overlook how Wal-Mart plays hard ball and completely destroys its competition and puts the environment on the back burner.
Wal-Mart is for notorious paying little attention to where or how it builds its stores. This includes building on or near ecologically sensitive areas with little regard to neighboring communities. If not controlled properly at a construction site, industrial storm-water runoff, which often carries pesticides, chemicals, and other toxic wastes can drain into waterways killing aquatic organisms and destroying habitats. The long-term effects can be devastating to the environment and to humans when the waste seeps into drinking water. Wal-Mart is notorious for cutting corners when clearing land and erecting its massive buildings. In fact, the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has been after Wal-Mart since 1992 for violating terms of the storm-water permits under the Clean Water Act. Wal-Mart holds the honor of the first federal enforcement action ever against a company for multi-state violations of the storm-water provisions.
With a Wal-Mart store being built every two-business days, environmentalists are concerned that they won’t be able to keep up with the giant. In dozens of construction sites all over the world, Wal-Mart has improperly cleared land so heavy rains carried tons of silt to nearby streams and rivers, threatening the drinking water of thousands and destroying the health of the waterways. The placement of the massive stores is also detrimental to our communities. In areas that are cheap enough, they take up lush farmland and natural habitats.
For decades Wal-Mart has put it’s own best interests in front of its employee’s, the public, and the environment. What do you think?
Wal-Mart is for notorious paying little attention to where or how it builds its stores. This includes building on or near ecologically sensitive areas with little regard to neighboring communities. If not controlled properly at a construction site, industrial storm-water runoff, which often carries pesticides, chemicals, and other toxic wastes can drain into waterways killing aquatic organisms and destroying habitats. The long-term effects can be devastating to the environment and to humans when the waste seeps into drinking water. Wal-Mart is notorious for cutting corners when clearing land and erecting its massive buildings. In fact, the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has been after Wal-Mart since 1992 for violating terms of the storm-water permits under the Clean Water Act. Wal-Mart holds the honor of the first federal enforcement action ever against a company for multi-state violations of the storm-water provisions.
With a Wal-Mart store being built every two-business days, environmentalists are concerned that they won’t be able to keep up with the giant. In dozens of construction sites all over the world, Wal-Mart has improperly cleared land so heavy rains carried tons of silt to nearby streams and rivers, threatening the drinking water of thousands and destroying the health of the waterways. The placement of the massive stores is also detrimental to our communities. In areas that are cheap enough, they take up lush farmland and natural habitats.
For decades Wal-Mart has put it’s own best interests in front of its employee’s, the public, and the environment. What do you think?