Clinton, Wal-Mart team up on climate change

[madinmaryland]

Former president tells more than 100 mayors that putting a halt to global warming is tied to the effort's initiatives making economic sense.
November 2 2007: 7:11 AM EDT

http://money.cnn.com/2007/11/02/news/companies/wmt.ap/index.htm?postversion=2007110207

SEATTLE (AP) -- Former President Bill Clinton told more than 100 mayors Thursday that stopping global warming depends on them demonstrating that it makes economic sense. He said his foundation is teaming up with Wal-Mart Stores to save cities money on environmentally friendly supplies by buying in bulk.

"We will not get a global agreement on climate change unless you can prove this is not a burden," he said. "This is the greatest opportunity we have had in our lifetimes."

The Clinton Foundation has previously worked with 40 of the world's largest cities to create a buying pool to bring down prices for green supplies such as hybrid vehicles and more efficient street lights. It's the same approach the foundation used to dramatically cut the price of AIDS drugs in Africa.

In addressing a climate summit organized by the Conference of Mayors, Clinton announced that the 1,100 cities represented by that organization will become part of the purchasing group. Wal-Mart (Charts, Fortune 500), the nation's largest retailer, said it would work with Clinton's foundation and the cities to bundle orders and product specifications for green technology.

Clinton and many of the mayors present criticized the White House, saying it has done little about global warming and has missed a chance to boost the nascent "green collar" economy - the jobs created by making the U.S. more sustainable, from the people who install solar panels to scientists who develop new technologies.

..snip

Hmmm. I don't know how to comment on this one.

:popcorn:

[MadHound]

1. Hmm, sounds like one hand is washing the other

Wal-mart helps out the pet project of one Clinton, in hopes that the other Clinton, and former board member, will help out Wal-Mart.

Sounds like typical corporate politics.

[BrklynLib at work]

2. Wal-mart?????????? Why do I feel like someone is peeing on my shoes and telling me it is raining?

[NewJeffCT]

5. You can even use the actual Eastwood quote

"Senator, don't piss on my leg and tell me it's raining." from The Outlaw Josey Wales

[BrklynLib at work]

9. I did not realize how perfect that quote was... Thanks.

[NewJeffCT]

10. sorry, here is the exact quote

Senator: There's a saying, Fletcher: To the victor belongs the spoils.

Fletcher: There's another saying, Senator: Don't piss down my back and tell me it's raining.

http://www.garnersclassics.com/qjosey.htm

Is that the Bush administration or what? Clear Skies, Healthy Forests, last throes of the insurgency, a few dead-enders, etc.

[Clark2008]

3. I guess if they kill off thousands with their E. coli-laced meats, that

will be helpful to the environment.

:eyes:

[sandnsea]

4. Outsource our pollution to China too

All we ever do is put on band-aids to cover the gaping wounds. Going green is not buying cheap crap from China. Aargh.

[marmar]

6. Next he should team up with Diebold on voting reform......

:freak:

[JTFrog]

7. "unless you can prove this is not a burden"

"We will not get a global agreement on climate change unless you can prove this is not a burden," he said. "This is the greatest opportunity we have had in our lifetimes."

It will be as easy as shopping at Wal-Mart. No need for sacrifice, BUY BULK!!!

:crazy: :crazy: :crazy:

[papau]

8. climate change work is the one good thing about Walmart -amid a sea of bad n/t

n/t

[GrpCaptMandrake]

11. While I'm certainly no fan of Senator Clinton's campaign

I can at least recognize what I believe to be the motivating factor (beyond politics) in this initiative.

This country is driven by one thing more than any other: the lust for money, more money, lots of money, more money, maximum MONEY.

If we hope to "green" America, it will only happen when the money-chasers, money-changers, money-grubbers make a determination that going "green" means more money for them.

WallyWorld, loathsome as it is, can show the American business community that "green" is good for bidness. If they do so, the rest of bidness will get in line behind them.

This looks like a classic example of Clintonesque (Bill) coalition-building; his search for the "third way," if you will, reaching across the aisle to make something intrinsically good commercially good as well.


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