Economics, Consumerism and the Environment - Essay Example

Economics, Consumerism and the Environment: Global warming through green house gas effect is the most alarming problem nowadays. The ‘GreenhouseGases’ consist of a major part of Carbon Dioxide produced by energy generation from fossil fuels. Stopping the driving, flying and using electricity could be the immediate but impossible solution. (Carbon Catalog) The Kyoto Protocol was the first international effort seeking the solution of alarming green house effect. The concept of carbon offset emerged as a consequence of Kyoto Protocol.

The carbon offset is a kind of credit on the restriction on the emission of greenhouse gases. It is typically measured in tons of CO2 equivalent. (Kyoto Protocol) Many companies can create the carbon offset by introducing the renewable energy such as installation of solar energy system, small hydroelectric projects, geothermal and biomass energies etc. Moreover there are carbon sequestration projects that destroy the carbon dioxide. (David Suzuki Foundation) Especially for large corporations promoting consumerism like Wal-Mart, Kyoto protocol can be an effective scanner to check their accomplishment of their responsibilities towards safe guarding the environment.

In this age of consumerism the conservation of energy through efficient usage and the minimization of energy wastage can be most influential measures to ensure sustainable development. The Wal-Mart Supermarkets, Stores, SAM CLUBS and Neighborhood Markets have set example of utilization of daylight through skylights to restrict energy consumption that saves 250 million kilowatt of energy every day. Besides that Wal-Mart system has adopted other measures such as the efficient process of heating and cooling, the white roof system of interior lighting and retrofit program to prove how the energy can be efficiently utilized to restrict energy-demand.

(Wal-Mart) However the management of Wal-Mart should keep it in mind that a long way has to be still made to provide a perfect eco friendly operational environment. Efficient energy use, on one hand saves energy and on the other protects the environment. CFL consumes less energy than conventional tube, while providing per unit more luminance; Wal-Mart might reorient the internal lighting system through CFL. Furthermore Air conditioner and refrigerators emits harmful Chlorofluorocarbon, so it might try to ration their use.

(New York State: Department of Environmental Conservation) Keeping, the air condition’s temperature at a moderate level results in less consumption of energy and less emission of CFC. Wal-Mart might choose this strategy if it wants to go green. Moreover, a large corporation like Wal-Mart pollutes the environment in other ways. One alarming problem is the wastage of plastic, which is non biodegradable and hampers the environmental balance. The supply chain also adds to the plastic wastage. Shifting to bio degradable packaging material like papers and jute will also help Wal-Mart to add to its green quotient.

A global corporation like Wal-Mart has high responsibility towards sustainable development by protecting the environment, besides it also has to make profit to remain viable in business world. A combination of energy saving and waste reducing actions will help Wal-Mart to attain these two objectives simultaneously.           References: 1. “KYOTO PROTOCOL TO THE UNITED NATIONS FRAMEWORK CONVENTION ON CLIMATE CHANGE”, Retrieved on May 21, 2009 from: http://unfccc.int/resource/docs/convkp/kpeng.html 2. Carbon Catalog: “Introduction to Carbon Offsets”.

2009, Retrieved on May 21, 2009 from: http://www.carboncatalog.org/guide/. 3. David Suzuki Foundation, “What is a carbon offset?” 2009. Retrieved on May 21, 2009 from: http://www.davidsuzuki.org/Climate_Change/What_You_Can_Do/carbon_offsets.asp 4. New York State Department of Environmental Conservation. “Used Electronic Equipment Management of Used Electronic Equipment in New York State”, 2009, Retrieved on May 21, 2009 from:  http://www.dec.ny.gov/chemical/8788.html. 5. Wal-Mart, “Some Facts about Wal-Marts Energy Conservation Measures”, 2005.

Retrieved on May 21, 2009 from:  http://walmartstores.com/FactsNews/NewsRoom/5015.aspx