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Fayetteville-Center of Environmental Sustainability

RemusCal

By RemusCal
in Northwest Arkansas

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Mith242 Gigalopolis

Mith242

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I agree. I used to work for the energy controls company that supplies and operates all Wal-Marts and other large chains. Wal-Mart has focused on superior energy management long before we heard about the green movement. I think they are finally at a point where serious changes can be implemented. Up until now, there really wasn't enough public interest or scrutiny to propel that effort. I have my criticisms of WM, but I think there is some potential there. Anything that will save money will be implemented. Thats how it goes for them. They could certainly bring national focus to the area and help make NWA a center for sustainability.
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Mith242 Gigalopolis

Mith242

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Sorry to get us a bit off topic. But I read an article I had read recently and thought I'd share. Some people are complaining about Wal-mart giving in to the liberal left. Basically saying they're wasting their time with their 'green incentives' and such. I find it funny how people still view the environmental sustainability movement. Although they have made some concessions to be more 'politically correct' I still think a lot of what they're doing is based around efficiency and saving money. To me it's like saying if you're Republican you have to drive a big gas guzzling vehicle. And if you go to a smaller vehicle you're 'giving in' to the environmentalists. Although some people are switching to smaller or hybrid vehicles to be more environmentally sensitive I think most people do it to save money on gas.

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johnnydr87 Burg

johnnydr87

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I rarely venture to this side of the Arkansas forum, but let me just say: Wow. I am impressed by the vision for "Green Valley" by Fayetteville. I have my doubts that NWA could become a "center of environmental sustainability" for a variety of reasons, but like Mith said Fay could become a regional center. The Silicon Valley comparison smacks of the hyperbole that seems to cluster around discussions of development in NWA...

In light of global warming, environmental sustainability is a mainstream movement. As has been said in this thread already, WalMart is exercising shrewd business management by jumping on. The movement is pretty much nationwide: my school appointed a vice-chancellor of sustainability last year, who is developing plans for reducing the school's footprint. I am living in an Environmental Sustainability housing group next where we will hold events/dialogue on the issue, as well as work with the vice chancellor.

I have a few reservations for NWA's prospects. First, UA is the only major research center in NWA (or the state, really). Other states and regions have larger initiatives with more prominent schools. In all frankness, some of these other places have more qualified people and hence more brain capital working on the issue. However, NWA has Wal-Mart, which could very likely be a much bigger influence in making NWA an environmental sustainability center, depending on whether they're interested in civic engagement like that. But hopefully more assistance is coming: $1.5M really is not all that much.

Those hippies in Fayetteville were a step ahead of the rest.

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Mith242 Gigalopolis

Mith242

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I rarely venture to this side of the Arkansas forum, but let me just say: Wow. I am impressed by the vision for "Green Valley" by Fayetteville. I have my doubts that NWA could become a "center of environmental sustainability" for a variety of reasons, but like Mith said Fay could become a regional center. The Silicon Valley comparison smacks of the hyperbole that seems to cluster around discussions of development in NWA...

In light of global warming, environmental sustainability is a mainstream movement. As has been said in this thread already, WalMart is exercising shrewd business management by jumping on. The movement is pretty much nationwide: my school appointed a vice-chancellor of sustainability last year, who is developing plans for reducing the school's footprint. I am living in an Environmental Sustainability housing group next where we will hold events/dialogue on the issue, as well as work with the vice chancellor.

I have a few reservations for NWA's prospects. First, UA is the only major research center in NWA (or the state, really). Other states and regions have larger initiatives with more prominent schools. In all frankness, some of these other places have more qualified people and hence more brain capital working on the issue. However, NWA has Wal-Mart, which could very likely be a much bigger influence in making NWA an environmental sustainability center, depending on whether they're interested in civic engagement like that. But hopefully more assistance is coming: $1.5M really is not all that much.

Those hippies in Fayetteville were a step ahead of the rest.

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Mith242 Gigalopolis

Mith242

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I agree. Even if NWA doesn't become a "center" for sustainability, an increased prescence here can only be a good thing. These so-called "green collar" jobs tend to pay pretty well, and they definitely help promote good environmental policies in the area.
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Mith242 Gigalopolis

Mith242

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This has more to do than just Fayetteville, but this topic seemed a good place to put this. Three organizations in the area were given a $25,000 grant to develop a plan for green infrastructure. It will focus on the Fayetteville-Greenland-Farmington-Johnson area.

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Mith242 Gigalopolis

Mith242

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Dan Sanker of CaseStack has helped start the Green Valley Network, a nonprofit coalition to help collaborate and commercialize sustainability technology. There's still a lot up in the air about where the region can go with this. Some like Dan Sanker seem to think it's really going to happen. But there are those who also just don't seem to see why our area is more likely to develop this over others. One big factor is of course Walmart. It's pushing this and it has a lot of pull. For that matter there's a number of large businesses in the area, none the size of Walmart of course. But we do have large businesses that you often would tend to find in larger metros. The University of Arkansas is here, I imagine people from other regions of the country would be quick to dismiss it. The U of A isn't necessarily in the top tier of colleges, but it's still an important resource. One I wasn't aware of what so ever is the Donald Danforth Plant Science Center in southern Missouri. It apparently has the largest concentration of plant scientists in the world.

I try to be somewhat level headed about hearing statements about what this area could accomplish. There is some hype, but I also wouldn't be so dismissive as some people seem to be either. Maybe other cities have been looking into sustainability before NWA. But that doesn't mean we can't take things to a different level either. Hopefully this is going to be something we hear a lot more about in the near future.

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greenblogger Crossroads

greenblogger

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New Green Event! Mark your calendars now! NWA Green Expo "sustainability equals profitability"

The NWA Green Expo is brought to you by the Bentonville/Bella Vista Chamber of Commerce. See the latest in eco-friendly living: exhibitors, workshops, and more! The two-day event, free to visitors, connects people who are interested in making a positive difference both in their lives and in their communities.

When:

Friday, May 8, 2009: 11 a.m. to 5 p.m.

Saturday, May 9, 2009: 9 a.m. to 3 p.m.

Benton County Fair Grounds - Hwy 12 and Barron Rd. in Bentonville

The expo will include:

  • Green Seminars and Workshops

  • Eco-friendly Businesses and Services

  • Vendor Product Displays

  • Outdoor Food Pavilion

If you have questions, please contact Nancy Desler at 479-273-2841.

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Galls Unincorporated Area

Galls

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To be honest I do not see how this area can become a power player in green technology, that is unless it becomes economically efficient for Walmart to start adopting those technologies.

-You do not have an abundance of knowledge down here.

-Until the economics for Walmart makes sense there is no demand, the locals certainly are not going to fill that void.

-The NWA culture does not align itself with the typical culture of those in the green industry; young, atheist/agnostic and all that goes with those things.

-Then of course there is the actual environmental aspects of NWA. Living in NWA means you are anything but green and when you compare the per person emissions of NWA to Portland, Seattle, San Fransisco, and the North East (New York City having the lowest per person emissions in the country), NWA looses by a long shot.

So when you compare the possible places for a company to locate their green business, where are they going to locate? Blue collar jobs I can see down here, but not many region advancing white ones.

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Mith242 Gigalopolis

Mith242

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True there are some problems. But I don't think we should just give up because there's no way it will ever happen either. I don't see anything wrong with aspiring to be a center of sustainability. It's one of the things I really like about NWA. I don't know if there's anywhere else in the state that a community would try to go for something like this. Much of the state tends to have a pessimistic outlook, our community could never pull something like this off so why bother trying. As with past developments, yeah there's some hype going on here. Other cities do have some advantages over NWA. But I also think there are some advantages to NWA as well. We're centrally located in the US. I don't think any other community in this part of the country has the potential to pull this off in this area of the country. It also helps having a huge company like Walmart here as well. Seemed like Coody did a pretty good job pulling in Swedish sustainability companies. They chose us over other US cities. Now trying to be realistic over the whole matter, maybe we just don't have enough to become 'The' center of environmental sustainability in the US. But it still seems to me that we still have a decent shot at being 'an' important center of environmental sustainability.

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jdevers Whistle-Stop

jdevers

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Living in NWA means you are anything but green and when you compare the per person emissions of NWA to Portland, Seattle, San Fransisco, and the North East (New York City having the lowest per person emissions in the country), NWA looses by a long shot.
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akahogfan Unincorporated Area

akahogfan

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To be honest I do not see how this area can become a power player in green technology, that is unless it becomes economically efficient for Walmart to start adopting those technologies.

-You do not have an abundance of knowledge down here.

-Until the economics for Walmart makes sense there is no demand, the locals certainly are not going to fill that void.

-The NWA culture does not align itself with the typical culture of those in the green industry; young, atheist/agnostic and all that goes with those things.

-Then of course there is the actual environmental aspects of NWA. Living in NWA means you are anything but green and when you compare the per person emissions of NWA to Portland, Seattle, San Fransisco, and the North East (New York City having the lowest per person emissions in the country), NWA looses by a long shot.

So when you compare the possible places for a company to locate their green business, where are they going to locate? Blue collar jobs I can see down here, but not many region advancing white ones.

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