The Green Valley Initiative is an effort to create a science, business and technology cluster in Northwest Arkansas focused on sustainability. The influence of Walmart in Bentonville, Tyson Foods in Springdale, J.B. Hunt Transport Services in Lowell and the University of Arkansas in Fayetteville offers a perfect storm of opportunity for businesses with advanced, sustainable technologies bringing affordable solutions to the market.
The region’s focus on sustainability cannot be matched. Northwest Arkansas enjoys unique, regional assets, providing local businesses extensive opportunities to focus on sustainability. Those opportunities include:
- Headquarters of Walmart, the world’s largest retailer. The company’s ambitious sustainability initiative was launched in 2005.
- Location of more than 1,000 Walmart suppliers and other Fortune 500 companies which have adopted sustainability initiatives.
- The University of Arkansas in Fayetteville operates the Applied Sustainability Center, whose vision includes “creating a sustainable global goods economy.”
- The University of Arkansas is recognized for its knowledge base for cutting-edge research and technology transpiring between corporations and industry in NWA.
- The Stribling Sustainability Institute is in the planning stages at NorthWest Arkansas Community College. Its goal is to provide training and education about sustainability to help people incorporate it in their lives, work and communities.
- John Brown University in Siloam Springs offers a bachelor’s degree in renewable energy and the university focuses the program in the areas of design, management and international development.
- The University of Arkansas in 2011 began offering a minor in sustainability. Most of the students enrolled in the program’s first year come from the Fay Jones School of Architecture.
- Arkansas Research and Technology Park in Fayetteville is a center for the commercialization of next generation products.
- Northwest Arkansas is nationally recognized for its quality of life and culture of frugality, hard work, and entrepreneurship.