Wal-Mart and Home Depot were the two highest profile retailers to make green moves this week in the lead up to Earth Day on April 22.
The world's largest retailer broke a national print and television ad campaign this week promoting products, including low-energy compact fluorescent light bulbs, organic cotton pajamas and concentrated laundry detergent.
Home Depot also made a green splash this week with the unveiling of the company's Eco Options labeling program that will identify nearly 3,000 environmentally friendly products sold in its stores. Home Depot expects that number to climb to 6,000 products by 2009 with the sale of those items representing roughly 12 percent of the retailer's total.
The Eco Options program while new to the U.S. is not new for Home Depot. The chain first introduced the program in Canada in 2004 and sales of items carrying the Eco Options label have been strong. More than 90 percent of the items receiving the Eco Options label are already sold in Home Depot's stores.
Ron Jarvis, vice president for environmental innovation at Home Depot, told The New York Times, "Given the option of a product that performs just as well, we are seeing the consumer would rather buy something that has less of an impact on the environment. We are just making that easier."
Lawrence Selzer, president of the Conservation Fund, an environmental group that works with Home Depot, thinks that consumers are moving environmental friendliness up on their purchasing hierarchy.
"What feels different today is the level of public engagement," he said. "There is a buzz in the country right now. The buying public is ready, willing and able."
Richard Hastings, vice president and senior retail sector analyst at Bernard Sands, said Wal-Mart and Home Depot are testing for the willingness that Mr. Selzer described.
"They know the buzz is out there," he told The Associated Press. "They're trying to find out what is the market out there. They need to know what is the demand, what is the response."
Discussion Question: American consumers have shown a willingness to buy eco-friendly food products. Are they now willing to extend that to categories such as light bulbs, household cleaners and clothing basics such as pajamas? What is your assessment of what Wal-Mart and Home Depot are doing in these areas?