WAL-MART TURN TRASH INTO PET SUPPLIES

I don't think it's too much of an exaggeration to say that Harrisonburg's Wal-Mart Supercenter is what keeps the city running (could JMU dorm-life survive without it?).  It's enormous to say the least, and one could therefore assume the amount of waste produced is also enormous.  

Well, earlier this month Wal-Mart unveiled a plan to begin recycling some of its wasteful items for use in pet products.  No, this doesn't mean they'll be handing out old shoes to teething puppies, but what it does mean is that Wal-Mart's new partnership with pet supply company Worldwise aims to create new products through environmentally sustainable means.  According to GreenBIz, CEO of Worldwise, Matthew Turnbull describes the partnerships: "Creating 'Closed Loop' systems, that generally utilize waste from one process as the raw material for another, have long been hailed as an important model for more sustainable consumption."

Some of the products to be recycled include hangers, plastic bags, cardboard and plastic bottles for use in dog beds, litter boxes, and cat scratches.  The bloggers over at Unleashed also took note of the initiative;  They reported that sales of the pet beds will ultimately keep 100 million plastic bottles out of landfills.  More than 50 products will be sold through Wal-Mart under the brand names Poochplanet and SmartyKat.  I couldn't agree more with a statement Unleashed made regarding the project, "Now even if you’ve got issues with some of Wal-Mart’s policies and politics, you have to respect the company for taking a step in the right direction with this."  

The new products are on sale now in store and through their website.  So, if you’re in the market for some new supplies, take the green route and shop smartly at Wal-Mart.