Wal-Mart

You want a big Supercenter far away from your home or a convenient store near your home? I think it better to have an accessory store in my neighborhood, because it will be more convenient to buy things and I don’t have to store supplies at home. However, the developments of some chain stores focus on expanding their products and acreage (Shopping for Subsidies: How Wal-Mart Uses Taxpayer Money to Finance Its Never-Ending Growth, 2004; USA Today, 2003). I believe that the spreading Supercenters will cause traffic air pollution, less exercise, and economic downturn across the communities and neighborhoods.

Many people driving cars to Wal-Mart caused a lot of air pollution around the area. In UFCWIU (2005), “A study of estimated additional driving cost of Supercenters in the San Francisco Bay area concluded that there would be up to an additional 238 million vehicle miles traveled per year” (par.1). Most Wal-Mart stores are placed in the suburbs, and people have to drive their cars to go there. Their attraction of low price and complete products make people want to shop merely there. Moreover, so many people have to shop one time each week, have to shop when they forget to buy something, or when they have to buy something urgently. Under these kinds of random frequencies, the air becomes worse and worse, people will complain about that finally and forget the benefits they thought of before.

If the stores are near our home, we can walk to shop all the time, and don’t have to use cars. It’s a good idea of preserving our environment and maintaining our health. No convenient stores are near neighborhoods in most parts of the U.S., and there are fewer opportunities for residents to shop by foot. Having stores near houses is not only a chance for inhabitants to know more about their community, but also a chance for them to use their available time to exercise and shop. On the other hand, using cars more will make people have less time of physical activity, and spend more time and money on cars. People should think in more detail about what the ultimate consequences of a big Supercenter setting in a suburb are. Don’t forget to think more about your health than about saving money.

The large alluring factor of low price and providing jobs for the dwellers makes people want to shop there to save their money and agree with their establishment (Hoenig, 2004; Locke, 2004). According to the Dallas Morning News (2002), the enlarging of Wal-Mart brings the smaller stores in the country to lose their competitiveness and close eventually. We can find that the facts behind the superficial benefits are very serious for the common people. Despite the good effects, the bad effects are more than them, and have longer influence to local people. Local people should fight for their own economic benefit, and make a better way for themselves.

In conclusion, setting a big Supercenter to help local finances or make a better life are not worthwhile, and will cause air pollution, less exercise, and economic decline. Think about these effects and try to shoot for residents and their descendents in the communities.

References

Dallas Morning News. (2002, February 10.). The Real Facts About Wal-Mart: Community Impact. WAKEUPWALMART.com. Retrieved on November 27, 2007, from http://www.wakeupwalmart.com/facts/.

Hoenig, J. (2004, February 10.). Welcome Wal-Mart. Capitalism Magazine. Retrieved on November 27, 2007, fromhttp://www.capmag.com/article.asp?ID=4561.

Hopkins, J. (2003, January 29.). Wal-Mart’s Influence grows. USA TODAY. Retrieved on November 27, 2007, from http://www.usatoday.com/money/industries/retail/2003-01-28-walmartnation_x.htm.

Locke, E. (2004, February 22.). Three Cheers for Wal-Mart. Capitalism Magazine. Retrieved on November 27, 2007, from http://www.capmag.com/article.asp?ID=3534.

UFCWIU. (2005). The Real Facts About Wal-Mart. WAKEUPWALMART.com. Retrieved on November 27, 2007, from http://www.wakeupwalmart.com/facts/.