"From milk to mulch and laundry detergent to light bulbs, more than 50 products spanning various aspects of sustainability including energy conservation, waste reduction, and organics will be featured on store shelves during the month of April. In addition, Walmart.com will offer more than 500 eco-friendly items, including apparel, baby products and home furnishings, at unbeatable prices online."

Later this afternoon, the National Legal and Policy Center (NLPC) called "Wal-Mart's Earth Month sustainability campaign, touting its new lines of alleged environmentally-friendly products, a waste of time and resources."  In it's own Press Release it states:

"Wal-Mart got to where it is today by adhering to a business model that took into account the consumer's priority to get quality products at the lowest possible price," concludes Carlisle. "This foolish 'Green' campaign is completely contrary to that model. The more Wal-Mart emphasizes so-called sustainability factors in marketing products, the more it risks undermining its competitiveness."

Tsk,Tsk, gentlemen aren't we supposed to be promoting the "green" revolution?  In all fairness, the NLPC states in their Press Release that they support "ethics in corporate life" and the Corporate Integrity Project.  Maybe they feel that Wal-Mart isn't being sincere?  Or could it be that they still stand by the December 2006, special report titled "Wal-Mart Embraces Controversial Causes: Bid to Appease Liberal Interest Groups Will Likely Fail, Hurt Business"?

I thought I would give you a little of the behind-the-scenes cat fighting.  It's interesting for us to know as consumers what is really driving decisions.

In other eco-news, Barneys New York Co-Op will begin a national T-shirt recycling program.  On April 13th, you can drop off your old Flashdance T-Shirt from the 80's and Loomstate will "re-fashion" your sad old discards into limited edition brand new T-shirts set to be offered for Holiday 2008.  I can't wait to see what sort of message T-shirts make their way into the fray; "I'm with stupid", "I (heart) nerds"? You know there will be much worse, but I am trying to stay clean.

The word is also those of us who participate, will receive a 20% discount on Loomstate for Barneys Green from April 13-17.  All proceeds from the initiative will go to "Organic Exchange, a unique resource for companies interested in the cultivation and sourcing of certified organic cotton."

If you want to learn more about this in green ambition click here for the press release.

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The global organic cotton apparel, home and personal care products market topped one billion dollars in 2006, with estimates projecting many times that number in years to come, according to results of a forthcoming report from Berkeley-based Organic Exchange (OE). Report highlights were released at the organization's fifth annual conference and marketplace in Monterey, Oct 31 - Nov 2, with more than 330 professionals from 39 countries in attendance, representing the entire global organic fiber supply chain. According to the OE Organic Cotton Market Report 2007, global retail sales for organic cotton products is projected to increase 83% to $1.9 billion by the end of 2007, $3.5 billion in 2008, $4.5 billion in 2009, and $6.8 billion in 2010.

Reasons for past market growth include strong consumer demand for apparel, home textile and personal care products containing organic fibers as well as expansion of organic cotton programs by companies that have been in the organic market for several years. Additionally, organic cotton apparel has become more fashion-forward, with a wider variety of products across categories. Other trends include increased use of other organic fibers, such as organic wool, linen, and even leather, and certification to standards such as the Global Organic Textile Standards (GOTS) and Oeko-Tex processing standards, as well as Fair Trade. Founded in 2002, OE facilitates expansion of the global organic cotton fiber supply by working closely with farmers, leading brands and retailers and their business partners to develop organic cotton programs.

{molly's 2 cents: Organic Exchange is an awesome organization-- great example of folks who are in it for the right reasons!}