A blog about Policy

Walmart, the retailer everyone loves to hate, has decided to push the environment-friendly compact fluorescent light bulbs in its stores. These bulbs use about 75% less energy and last almost ten times longer – but their high cost has been a barrier to widespread use.

…the long-lasting, swirl-shaped light bulbs known as compact fluorescent lamps are to the nation’s energy problem what vegetables are to its obesity epidemic: a near perfect answer, if only Americans could be persuaded to swallow them.

But now Wal-Mart Stores, the giant discount retailer, is determined to push them into at least 100 million homes. And its ambitions extend even further, spurred by a sweeping commitment from its chief executive, H. Lee Scott Jr., to reduce energy use across the country, a move that could also improve Wal-Mart’s appeal to the more affluent consumers the chain must win over to keep growing in the United States.

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It would be interesting to observe the outcome of a giant like Walmart using its retail might to push a environment-friendly product.

Update- (by confused) Patrix is not too happy with how Walmart is selling the compact fluorescent bulbs-lack of choices and expensive prices. Perhaps, they are just teething troubles.