President Barack Obama was at a Silicon Valley Wal-Mart Friday that gets 15 percent of its power from solar energy to promote climate change efforts taking place across the country.
At the store, Obama announced that about 300 companies and government agencies have committed to using solar energy and also talked about his plans for reducing the country’s reliance on carbon fuels.
Urgent: Do You Approve Or Disapprove of President Obama's Job Performance? Vote Now in Urgent Poll
"The commitments we're announcing today prove that there are cost-effective ways to tackle climate change and create jobs at the same time,"
Obama said from the Mountain View, California, Wal-Mart, The Associated Press reported.
The efforts to incorporate solar power are equivalent to powering 130,000 homes, the AP said.
Obama told about 250 store employees that the campaign to reduce energy dependence will create jobs in renewable energy and help combat global warming.
Obama is the first president to visit the Wal-mart chain, which was selected because the company has said it will double the number of solar energy projects in its facilities, the AP said.
But the decision drew criticism because many criticize Wal-Mart for paying low wages, which goes against Obama’s policies on pay equity.
Photos of people picketing the Wal-Mart while Obama was there showed up online.
Urgent: Assess Your Heart Attack Risk in Minutes. Click Here.
Related Stories: