Wal-Mart Teams With GE For Chinese Energy Saving Program

Wal-Mart has joined hands with GE to launch energy saving centers at 14 Wal-Mart Supercenters in Beijing, Shanghai, Shenzhen, Dongguan and Kunming.

Featuring the theme of "building a conservation-minded society together with you", the energy saving center showcases various environmental lighting products from GE and Wal-Mart Private Brand aiming to help customers lower costs and save energy. Compared with traditional light bulbs, Wal-Mart says energy-efficient bulb provides compact size, high luminosity and can save energy consumption by up to 80%.

The energy center is one of the environmental projects Wal-Mart is working on with suppliers and Wal-Mart says it will continue to introduce more environmental programs in the future.

Environmental protection is one of Wal-Mart's Corporate Social Responsibility initiatives. The company says its environmental goals at are straightforward: to be supplied 100% by renewable energy; to create zero waste; to sell products that sustain resources and environment.

James Lee, Vice President Corporate Affairs, Wal-Mart (China), says "We believe that being a good steward of the environment and being an efficient and profitable enterprise are not mutually exclusive. In fact they are one in the same. Environment problem is our common problem. Wal-Mart can't grow without the healthy interaction with nature. We are responsible for the well being of our common world. Taking the opportunity of Wal-Mart China 10-year anniversary, we are carrying out a series of sustainability programs with our partners. The energy saving center with GE is an important program of them. Through the event, we hope to increase the public awareness on environment protection as a response to the government's call on building a conservation-minded society."

GE's Ecomagination is a global project launched in China early this year, aiming to solve environmental problems for clients. Meanwhile, GE is increasing the investment on environmental technology research, from 0.7 billion in 2005 to 1.5 billion in 2010.