Wal-Mart Tracking Sales of Eco-friendly Items
BENTONVILLE, Ark. - Wal-Mart Stores, Inc. has begun tracking the shopping habits of its "green" shoppers, using what it calls a "Live Better Index" -- a barometer of customer attitudes, based on sales of compact florescent light bulbs, organic milk and baby food, extended-life paper products, and laundry detergents in concentrated form or with reduced packaging.
Wal-Mart's index reportedly has already found that New Hampshire is the "greenest" state, with Connecticut, Rhode Island, North Dakota, and California also performing well, according to a Reuters report.
Wal-Mart said its data revealed that 43 percent of Americans think they will be "extremely green" in the next five years, but that only 11 percent classify themselves as "extremely green" today.
In other news, Wal-Mart regained the No. 1 spot on the Fortune 500 listing of America's largest corporations, pushing Exxon Mobil Corp. down to No. 2.
The world's largest retailer has topped Fortune's list for five of the past six years. This year, Wal-Mart was listed as having $351.1 billion in revenue, which was almost $4 billion ahead of Exxon Mobil's $347.3 billion.
As for profit, on the other hand, Exxon Mobil came out ahead. Fortune reported that Wal-Mart's profit was $11.3 billion profit, compared to Exxon Mobil's $39.5 billion, the largest profit in history, Fortune said.
Oil companies hold three of the top five spots, with ConocoPhillips Co. No. 5, and Ford Motor Co. at No. 7.
Rounding out the top 10 are General Motors Corp. (No. 3), Chevron Corp. (No. 4), General Electric Co. (No. 6), Citigroup Inc. (No. 8), Bank of America Corp. (No. 9) and insurer American International Group, Inc. (No. 10).
Wal-Mart's index reportedly has already found that New Hampshire is the "greenest" state, with Connecticut, Rhode Island, North Dakota, and California also performing well, according to a Reuters report.
Wal-Mart said its data revealed that 43 percent of Americans think they will be "extremely green" in the next five years, but that only 11 percent classify themselves as "extremely green" today.
In other news, Wal-Mart regained the No. 1 spot on the Fortune 500 listing of America's largest corporations, pushing Exxon Mobil Corp. down to No. 2.
The world's largest retailer has topped Fortune's list for five of the past six years. This year, Wal-Mart was listed as having $351.1 billion in revenue, which was almost $4 billion ahead of Exxon Mobil's $347.3 billion.
As for profit, on the other hand, Exxon Mobil came out ahead. Fortune reported that Wal-Mart's profit was $11.3 billion profit, compared to Exxon Mobil's $39.5 billion, the largest profit in history, Fortune said.
Oil companies hold three of the top five spots, with ConocoPhillips Co. No. 5, and Ford Motor Co. at No. 7.
Rounding out the top 10 are General Motors Corp. (No. 3), Chevron Corp. (No. 4), General Electric Co. (No. 6), Citigroup Inc. (No. 8), Bank of America Corp. (No. 9) and insurer American International Group, Inc. (No. 10).