After my quick post questioning Costco as being a blessing or a blight to the communities it serves, I intended to write on more general levels for follow-up posts. Which will happen…
Then, however, Jo commented regarding a Costco proposal for New Brunswick. The Costco in question could be destroying wetlands in order to bring forth their mega-store. Many residents are rallying to defeat the giant from entering their community. On the other side, some citizens support the expansion. From the previously linked articles to a Facebook group regarding the controversy, comments show support both for and against Costco. Philip Lee is chronicling the advances and debate within the community (like here, here and here). The comments section from the Daily Gleaner article chronicles those that simply hate Costco, those that blindly love it, and those that think it will be good for their community, but not at that location. Anywhich way, this is certainly of major concern for environmentalists.
It is hard to label a company as leading corporate America in sustainability if they build a gasoline bar in a wetlands lot. On the contrary, perhaps that is a sign of corporate America… not perfect, but progressing.
Turns out, Costco alone seems to deserve a thorough look-over on Green Grounded.
To be fair, I am starting with support of Costco because I feel like positive is the natural start in a compare and contrast. Maybe that is just me, but I am not apologizing for it.
The Good of Costco (through my perspective):
~ Rwanda’s President recently thanked Starbucks for using Rwandan coffee and boosting the farm community there. Starbucks became involved with Rwandan coffee farms upon suggestion and coordination from Costco’s CEO Jim Sinegal.
~ Costco is a big fan of solar energy, both using and selling.
~ Costco CEO Jim Sinegal works to put transparency in his company. Huge. Pays their employees well with great benefits. Some stakeholders aren’t impressed. Yet, Costco, unlike one of their major competitors, is known for taking good care of their staff, even encouraging “van pools” to reduce gas use and price-effect for employees.
~ Though most produce and florals are not local, many are still supporting great environmental causes.
~ Costco takes your unwanted electronics, and even pays for some, for recycling.
~ My personal joys: they have many biodegradable soaps and products from great Triple-Bottom Line companies, they carry a large variety of hormone-and-antibiotic-free meats for Marc, they have organic juices and fairtrade chocolates I can get for gifts or for our home, and, yes, I like things being cheaper there… meaning…
~ Many people in the lower-rung of the middle-class are upon very difficult times. People are out of jobs, people who have jobs are taking pay and benefit cuts, yet we still have to pay all of our bills and buy groceries and buy gas to get to work. These are real issues, right now, for a growing sector of our society.
Now with the bad of Costco:
~ Mega-box chains do perpetuate suburban sprawl. Lots of people still do not mind sprawl, but it is inherently bad for a community. The chain is always more concerned with making money than protecting that individual community, meaning location choice can be quite damaging. Such as with the Fredericton, New Brunswick case.
~ For every item Costco sells that is eco-friendly and sustainably-oriented, they also continue to sell “a totally unnecessary product with extraordinarily bad consequences”, such as air-in-a-can convenience office-cleaning product.
~ As with today’s greenwashing trends, Costco, like many other retailers, does carry some products that market themselves as “green” but are highly skeptic, if not disproved, by the environmental community.
~ Costco carries plastic bottled water. I get it, people like their plastic-bottled water. Regardless, it bites.
~ Costco carries a large number of “individually packaged” products. Drinks bottles, cheezy poofella pouches, etc. for easy lunch-box packing or for mass crowds. These items have their use, but that does not make them environmentally sound.
~ Even buying a major national pharmaceutical product there (like we do ~ as it is much cheaper) hurts a local business owner who you could be buying from.
Costco shopping round up:
Buying from the local coop, or even the local Earthfare / Wholefoods just is not a realistic option for many Americans right now. I blew through money buying local organic fairtrade in 2008. Some of those products came from Costco. Now, Marc and I are really having to decide where and what we can buy. Basically, we are having to decide on a case-by-case basis, every day, what our priorities are in accordance to what we can afford. That is unfortunate and true.
I am not advocating throwing one’s hands up at spending more for local / organic / fairtrade, but we each have to find the balance we (individually) can afford with the reality of today.
Today, I heard a coworker saying he does not support Wholefoods because they carry produce from Chile. While that environmentally is a valid energy concern, I feel we cannot hang Wholefoods’ Chilean produce as hypocritical to the green movement if we consumers are drinking coffee or tea in our daily routine. Or consuming chocolate. Those products are grown down the road.
I argue the answer lies in finding the balance.
If you can afford to buy only local / organic / fairtrade, kudos. Further, advocating conscientious buying habits amidst your peers is always Rockstar. Questioning corporations and demanding transparency, promoting progressive goals, and striving for triple bottom line standards is necessary.
Whether or not you can afford to buy only local /organic / fairtrade, considering our fellow humans, both those working on farms, and those living two blocks over, is the most important part of community. My organic coffee helps workers not be exposed to poisons and gives them a decent wage to live on. The fact that my in-laws (both jobless due to unavoidable circumstances) cannot afford to indulge in such things as $10 lb. coffee is also something I refuse to hold against them. I do what I can, and they do what they can.
…and what I “can do” is becoming increasingly less during this time of my life.
I, for one, will continue my Costco love/hate membership for a third year.
I will do my best with what they offer and what I can afford to buy elsewhere.
Sustainably yours, Ashley Sue
For an update, however, here is a post by 
Alas, Marc noticed these great multicolored aluminum tumblers! Why are these so lovable for us? Well, beside the fact a pack of six is a pack of six different colors for easy remembering, aluminum is lightweight for packing on trips. Even better, when these get too dinged up to be usable anymore, aluminum can be recycled countless times. If you accidentally leave your cup on the picnic table and a bear comes and tries to eat it, after he realizes he does not want the cup and spits it out, you can chunk it into your recycling bin!
