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You know who's actually doing the most for sustainable local agriculture here? Walmart. It just plain freaks me out. But they have an angel fund to support loca

by Vivtek 10y ago

You know who's actually doing the most for sustainable local agriculture here? Walmart. It just plain freaks me out. But they have an angel fund to support local farmers, and preferentially deal with them. They're the only chain I know of where you can get bagged coffee that's not produced by a Coca-Cola subsidiary. Thanks for the link! MeFi FTW!

Mz 10y ago
I am actually a fan of Walmart. I respectfully suggest that Walmart is a good example of good business that is not evil, in spite of how much people talk trash about it. I suggest it is good food for thought that, no, not everything has completely gone to hell, in spite of how easy it is to feel that way thanks to the 24 hour news cycle where "news" is always bad news, basically.
- Vivtek 10y ago
  Walmart has done incredible damage to the local economies of the Midwest - they've essentially eliminated small retailers over much of the country. It's true that they're simply part of an existing larger trend - but they've profited hugely from it and have cut a lot of ethical corners in making one family the richest people in the world. Walmart Puerto Rico is a wholly-owned subsidiary. Here, they've done less damage (there wasn't as much damage to be done) and they've done positive good.
  - Mz 10y ago
    Eh, I see it differently. I think Walmart gets blamed for those trends and no one thinks about what the world would look like with those same trends and no one like Walmart to serve certain purposes. There are 7 or 8 billion people globally and in my lifetime we went from being mostly agrarian to having more than half of all people living in cities. These are unprecedented global changes. We have nothing to compare them to. And people keep bellyaching about overpopulation and global warming and THE SKY IS FALLING, meanwhile, people are living longer...etc. I fundamentally don't agree with some of the assumptions behind accusations that Walmart is evil and predatory. That doesn't mean they are a white knight or have room for improvement, mind you. Best.

by Vivtek 10y ago

Mz 10y ago

I am actually a fan of Walmart. I respectfully suggest that Walmart is a good example of good business that is not evil, in spite of how much people talk trash about it. I suggest it is good food for thought that, no, not everything has completely gone to hell, in spite of how easy it is to feel that way thanks to the 24 hour news cycle where "news" is always bad news, basically.

Vivtek 10y ago
Walmart has done incredible damage to the local economies of the Midwest - they've essentially eliminated small retailers over much of the country. It's true that they're simply part of an existing larger trend - but they've profited hugely from it and have cut a lot of ethical corners in making one family the richest people in the world. Walmart Puerto Rico is a wholly-owned subsidiary. Here, they've done less damage (there wasn't as much damage to be done) and they've done positive good.
- Mz 10y ago
  Eh, I see it differently. I think Walmart gets blamed for those trends and no one thinks about what the world would look like with those same trends and no one like Walmart to serve certain purposes. There are 7 or 8 billion people globally and in my lifetime we went from being mostly agrarian to having more than half of all people living in cities. These are unprecedented global changes. We have nothing to compare them to. And people keep bellyaching about overpopulation and global warming and THE SKY IS FALLING, meanwhile, people are living longer...etc. I fundamentally don't agree with some of the assumptions behind accusations that Walmart is evil and predatory. That doesn't mean they are a white knight or have room for improvement, mind you. Best.