Walmart is certainly a retailer that evokes many emotions. At the same time, the numbers are undeniable. Worldwide, more than 100,000,000 shoppers per week choose to spend their dollars there. The company could have a major impact on sustainability. Some corporate sustainability efforts can be fairly easily thrown into the cynical greenwashing file. And Walmart has certainly suffered reputational slings and arrows for many reasons, but when the largest retailer in the world dedicates itself to a serious sustainability agenda we should probably sit up and notice.

Tour the rolling countryside of Nova Scotia in the fall and it's like driving right into a post card. Head west of Truro and not only do you get this scenic drive but you'll find Nuttby Mountain wind farm -- the turbines popping up into view quite unexpectedly. All things being equal would you be more inclined to have a coal-fired power plant in your backyard or a wind turbine that you helped raise the money for?

One of the hottest topics today for business and consumers is environmental sustainability...but what does that really mean? For a time, green arrows and leaf logos were the signal to customers that they were getting a sustainable product. But it wasn't long before customers got more sophisticated and began to recognize that "green" logos alone do not guarantee an environmentally sound, responsible and sustainable global sourcing model.