Wal-Mart CEO renews call to make a greener company

Computerworld - If the CEO of Wal-Mart Stores Inc. has his way, customers will one day be able to charge their hybrid or electric cars in a store's parking lot while they shop.

Speaking at Wal-Mart's annual meeting last week, CEO Lee Scott told the company's 7,000 managers that he wants Wal-Mart to play a leadership role in environmental issues in the 21st century.

Scott said Wal-Mart's goal is to be supplied by 100% renewable energy, create zero waste and sell products that are energy efficient.

One of the areas Scott wants the company to focus on is hybrid and electric vehicles. He said he has been talking with the heads of the major automakers over the past several weeks to find out how Wal-Mart could get involved in the hybrid electric or plug-in electric car market.

"Maybe there isn't room for Wal-Mart in this right now," Scott said. "But something tells me that there may be some role for us in the future, and we are going to continue taking a look at this."

In addition, Scott said he wants to look at ways the company could provide eco-friendly energy to its customers. "Imagine your customers pulling into your parking lot and seeing wind turbines and solar panels, and being able to charge their cars while they shop," Scott said. "I think that would make them feel good about shopping at your stores. What if we fed the power generated by those wind turbines and solar power back into the electrical grid? Just imagine the impact of our customers being able to buy eco-friendly energy at the unbeatable Wal-Mart price."

In the area of health care, Scott said by the end of 2010, Wal-Mart will provide electronic "personal, private and portable" health records to its U.S. employees and their families, including retirees.

"They will drive down costs and improve quality and safety," Scott said.

Driving down energy costs is not new at the discount store chain. In 2004, the company set goals of making its stores 20% more energy efficient in seven years, and for its new stores to be 25% to 30% more energy efficient in four years.

At that time, the company launched efforts toward a 25% reduction in solid waste in three years and to sell 20% more energy-efficient products in three years.

Wal-Mart could not be reached for comment about progress on meeting those goals.

Read more about networking and internet in Computerworld's Networking and Internet Knowledge Center.