Walgreens To Build First Self-Powered Retail Store 186
MojoKid writes "We hear about green deployment practices all the time, but it's often surrounding facilities such as data centers rather than retail stores. However, Walgreens is determined to go as green as possible, and to that end, the company announced plans for the first net zero energy retail store. The store is slated to be built at the corner of Chicago Avenue and Keeney Street in Evanston, Illinois, where an existing Walgreens is currently being demolished. The technologies Walgreens is plotting to implement in this new super-green store will include solar panels and wind turbines to generate power; geothermal technology for heat; and efficient energy consumption with LED lighting, daylight harvesting, and 'ultra-high-efficiency' refrigeration."
Re:Geothermal heating? (Score:4, Insightful)
The ground can be used as a source or drain, depending on the season. In winter, it's warmer than the atmosphere, and in summer it's colder.
But yes, essentially just a heat pump.
Re:But... (Score:2, Insightful)
Yeah, I was wondering about the energy break-even point of razing and rebuilding, too. Those bulldozers and steel foundries don't run on unicorn farts.
Re:But... (Score:4, Insightful)
Walmart is quite cheap. Far more people work there than shop there. It's a net win - just like factory automation reducing the number of factory workers is a net win. Also, Walmart really pisses off hipsters, so it's twice as good.
Higher taxes for everyone else comes from voting for bigger government, not from Walmarts.
And, undercut the local retailers leaving no jobs either before they move onto a new community to suck dry.
Riiiight, just like the industrial revolution destroyed everyone's standard of living by putting all those local craftsmen out of work. Reducing the cost of products and services is called "technology" and it's a good thing, despite the workers it always displaces.
Re:But... (Score:5, Insightful)
Re:But... (Score:5, Insightful)
When things are cheaper because of greater efficiencies, everyone involved wins.
In truly free trade, everyone wins. Whenever I am better at A's than B's, and you are better at B's than A's, then trading is of benefit to both of us.
Thats regardless of any other factors. For instance, I can also be better at B's than you are at B's, yet trade still benefits both of us because no matter how much better I am then you at B's, I am still better at A's than B's.
The complaints about companies like walmart are cloud and mirrors around the idea that you may not be good enough at either A's or B's to make a reasonable living (= low wages.) But this really isn't an argument against walmart.. the problem is skills. Those attacking walmart and corporations like it won't improve anyones skills, but may end up costing people their low skill jobs.
Re:But... (Score:2, Insightful)
Re:But... (Score:4, Insightful)
Walmart is quite cheap. Far more people work there than shop there.
Now that's quite the business plan. Less patrons than customers.
Also, Walmart really pisses off hipsters, so it's twice as good.
Higher taxes for everyone else comes from voting for bigger government, not from Walmarts.
You just got back from Palin's speech at CPAC didn't you?
Reducing the cost of products and services is called "technology" and it's a good thing, despite the workers it always displaces.
As long as it isn't a race to the bottom, on that we agree. This disruption is going to be pretty interesting. We're reaching the era where humans will be freed from any sort of manual labor.
I was listening to a TED talk today on what the future might hold. One presenter pointed out that the industrial revolution came along and allowed humans to extend their physical strength and dexterity in the production of devices. So much that it made a mockery of everything that came before. Now we are in an information age, where what we can know via our connections to the world. You and I can can access the same info that a dullard woth a smartphone can. Ther success or failure will depend on whether a person uses this new power to actually do something, or if they are contented to tweet and contact bff's on Facebook.
This will very likely make a severely striated two society system for some time. There will probably come a time when we try to figure out what people are going to do to earn their keep. I know that there aren't many professions now that cannot be performed by machinery. Beyond that, we'll settle down into a new world that will essentially make a mockery of the one we are in now.