Developing a greener supply chain has been discussed for years, but it really didn’t gain much traction until the fuel crisis that started about 20 months ago. When fuel prices were through the roof, everyone from the supply chain to the soccer mom was in an uproar about the adverse effects on one’s well being. Rants focusing on the need for alternative fuel sources were common, and the overuse of the word “green” would’ve made any leprechaun happy.

Alas, we have short memories as the chaos gave way to a mild roar with the decline of fuel prices. Of course, we’ve used the recession as an excuse for not adopting green policies, which is why it’s noteworthy when a company such as Wal-Mart continues to expand its greenness. According to a recent article, Wal-Mart instituted a new program that would pressure its suppliers to adopt green measures within their manufacturing and packaging processes.

Is this a good thing? Long term, the benefits can be...