Ambivalence

I read this article the other day from Fast Company about Walmart’s attempt to create a “Sustainability Index” that will require suppliers to add sustainability info to their labels. They’re working with the folks from The Good Guide and they are handing the reins over to a 3rd party group rather than running it themselves so this project does have some legitimacy to it. Granted, this is not done with pure intentions – but things so rarely are these days. I don’t mind if there’s a marketing reason behind something if it’s the right thing to do and it’s done properly.

Between thinking about that and a conversation last night, I’ve decided Walmart really represents my total ambivalence about what ‘doing the right thing’ means.

Walmart has some really terrible practices – they discriminate, they encourage the disposable lifestyle, they represent the fast cheap fix and the uncaring consumer. One point I had never thought about that much until last night is this: the cycle of terrible eating practices is often perpetuated by the prices at Walmart and other places – the food that is terrible for you is cheap and easy and usually on sale. The food that is good for you and the planet requires work and effort, and often costs more money. For folks working themselves to the bone just to make ends meet, the idea of shopping local markets and then spending half an hour or more on prep seems impossible. Also local markets often can’t take EBT due the individual nature of the vendors and the market, so it’s a lot harder to buy local if you’re on any kind of assistance.

On the other hand, Walmart also provides jobs for thousands of people who might have a difficult time finding work otherwise and provides a basic standard of living that many people might not be able to otherwise afford. One personal story I know keeps me from just outright hating Walmart without a second thought. A friend had a series of circumstances that forced him to quit his well paying job and then pick up again at Walmart, one of the places that would hire him and that had jobs available. He worked hard there and is now in management. Not many companies provide second chances for people, and in some locations, it’s work at Walmart, or don’t work. Also, the options, at least where I am, are generally not any better. They don’t have markedly better practices or items and there are some items that are just impossible for me to get locally, so I have to shop somewhere.

I’m left with a real problem – do I support a big box company with shady practices while they try and do the right thing for morally questionable reasons? When it comes to food, that’s not a question – it’s easy enough in this day and age and location to avoid those stores for what goes on my plate. It’s all the other items that really leave me wondering what to do, and I haven’t found a good answer yet.