Cheap Green vs Local Green

News that WalMart now has 60,000 vendors supplying “green” products - makes me wonder whether this volume purchase of low-cost consumer goods will shift the marketplace toward green goods, or simply drive small business that can’t compete in the high volume, low price world of WalMart … out of business.

A better option, I’m told, is to have the focus shift from green to local. When making a cooperative purchase on a single item - say compact fluorescent lightbulbs - it’s better to purchase locally - where possible - to stablize the local economy, than shop globally to find the best savings.

Buying from “green” vendors at the lowest price simply means that both jobs and pollution end up in China. Local business can’t compete.