Obama chose to unveil his energy initiatives at the retail giant Wal-Mart, the country’s largest employer and a target of frequent criticism for its treatment of workers. Obama’s venue choice drew a protest from hundreds of people outside, including Wal-Mart workers seeking higher wages.

Dominic Ware: “He’s ignoring the fact that there’s workers that are starving and being mistreated day in and day out. And we wish that he was here speaking out on those issues. So, since that’s not the topic of discussion, we’re going to make it the topic of discussion.”

Charmaine Givens-Thomas: “I have to depend on everything, every resource out there. I have to depend on food pantries. I have to go to government assistance to get my utilities paid. And I work for Wal-Mart, and been there almost nine years.”

According to government figures, Wal-Mart gets just 3 percent of its electricity from wind and solar. In a statement, a coalition of more than 30 environmental, civil rights and labor groups criticized Obama for speaking at Wal-Mart, saying: “It’s hard to understand why President Obama … has decided to visit a company known for paying low wages and doing little to address its poor environmental record.”