1. However, Walmart does not want to work on reducing the stuff it sells to consumers, because doing so reduces sales, which reduces the share price. So Walmart, like all retailers, seeks to sell more and more. Whats good for Walmart is bad for the planet and thats ultimately bad for consumers its a win-lose. Selling stuff that clogs landfills and oceans is clearly the problem.

Critically evaluate this statement using ONE utilitarianism-based argument and the CSR pyramid to determine how Walmart is behaving ethically.

What's good for Walmart is bad for the planet and that's ultimately bad for consumers -- it's a win-lose. Selling stuff that clogs landfills and oceans is clearly the problem. But there is another part of the issue that is more subtle, yet may be even more important. By pressuring suppliers to clean up their production processes, Walmart may inadvertently be hindering - not helping - sustainable development. Sustainable development is enabled through the circular economy, which requires suppliers to produce stuff that lasts longer, biodegrades faster or can be repurposed more efficiently. But transitioning into a more circular economy may not always be economically valuable for retailers. The issue of single-use plastic versus paper bags is a clear case in point. Walmart has refused to take a stand on single-use plastic. On upstream impacts, plastic wins over paper. Plastic uses less carbon to produce and fewer greenhouse gas emissions to transport. However, on downstream impacts, paper is the clear winner. If properly diverted from landfills, paper will biodegrade in less than a year rather than the hundreds of years that it takes for plastic. By selecting plastics over paper upstream prevents us from addressing the issue downstream What can a responsible consumer do? Most consumers believe they need to walk with their feet." So they threaten retailers to take their business elsewhere if the retailer doesn't take more action on sustainability. It's like the drug addict threatening to buy their drugs from another drug dealer. It solves the immediate problem, but the drug addict still needs drugs and the drug dealer is still selling them - just different buyers and sellers. Instead, consumers need to demand retailers to focus on the downstream impacts, not just the upstream -- what is often called "extended producer responsibility." Walmart, along with other retailers, must be held responsible for taking back the stuff that they sell or working with suppliers and other retailers so they can