by C. Commisso
Going Green.
It’s hip. It’s trendy. It’s the “in” thing to do. Consumers are becoming more environmentally conscious every day, and companies are scrambling to keep up with the demand for less waste, more recycling, and more eco-responsibility.
But how can a consumer be sure which companies are really taking their committment to the environment seriously, and which are just giving consumers lip service?
Good news for the good guys: Green Seal, the D.C.-based non-profit certification leader for green products and services, is launching a pilot Company Certification Program that offers the first — and only — holistic assessment of a company’s product line and its business operations. The new program builds on Green Seal’s development of 30 environmental standards and certification of over 3,500 green products and services, taking into account things like greenhouse gas emissions, water conservation, biodiversity impact and labor relations.
The assessments will be conducted by independent experts during on-site visits, and the company’s supply chain and major products will be under the microscope. Social and environmental impact studies will be taken into consideration as well.
This is good news for consumers: they’ll be able to feel good about giving business to companies they know are walking the talk.
This is good news for the companies that truly care about their impact on the environment: for the first time, they’ll be able to prove their claims. Consumer trust will skyrocket.
This is NOT such good news for companies that are just jumping on the green bandwagon: Green Seal (and consumers) will be all over you like white on rice. And you know the statistics, right? Consumers who have a positive experience with a company or brand might tell 2 or 3 people. But get on their bad side, and they’ll tell 10.
Bottom line is this: consider very carefully any green claims you make and your motivation for making them. If you’re trying to boost sales by catching a trend wave, this new certification is going to make things very difficult for you. But if your company is really committed to helping the environment — well then, prove it.
by Kathy Monear
April 21st, 2009
As Earth Day approaches, it’s great news that our print manufacturing industry has responded to the cry for environmental awareness. Just 6 months ago it was difficult to find printers that were certified by the Forestry Stewardship Council or the Sustainable Forestry Initiative, the two renown organizations protecting and managing our forest. Today, it is rare that a printer does not have either one or both certifications, and if they do not, they are awaiting approval.
Working with printers that have the FSC or SFI certification reinforces our commitment to replanting the forests for the future. Printers are also blitzing alternative energy sources in their manufacturing process such as wind power and recycling the waste by-products from the manufacturing process which will lower the carbon imprint placed on the environment.
The Paper industry is also responding to the call by making papers available with 10% Post Consumer Waste the norm, not the exception, and pricing them at affordable levels so they are available for all our print needs. The selection of papers with 30% to 100% Post Consumer Waste fibers has increased scientifically with new paper lines being manufactured using stone, recycled plastics and some papers with seeds.
The Print industry is listening and responding to the call from consumers to be more efficient, environmentally friendly and aware of how they impact the world around us.
by Mark Bellissimo
April 21st, 2009
As a consumer and as a business professional, you can’t escape the economic news today. And for environmental marketing, it’s clear this has been impacted. First, the subject matter of the environment itself has taken a backseat to global economic news. Second, with a drop in consumer confidence, many purchasing decisions in general have been curtailed, environmental products or not. Third, low prices and coupons have taken center stage in shopping and purchasing of goods and services, not exactly good news for many environmentally friendly products which tend to include a cost premium. On the surface, these factors would seem to favor a wait and see perspective, looking for economic improvements before resuming any major environmentally based initiatives. Yet, possibly the most opportune time to test the robustness of your environmentally based messages is now—if you do it in a disciplined manner that emphasizes real value-based benefits. The reason is, sustained marketplace success for environmentally sensitive products isn’t any different than that of products or services in general: those that deliver best on their relevant brand promises will reap the rewards. Like the housing boom, getting caught up in the recent hype of the environment has led some marketers to simply slap “green” labels on products without truly exploring both the real impact on the environment and that of the consumer expectation in purchasing them. So, consider today’s economic environment as a weeding out period of weak environmental promises. Become one of the strong propositions. Start by ensuring yours has real environmental benefit. Then, make sure this benefit meets real customer needs your brand can address. If you have to rationalize this, you are fooling yourself. Lastly, be careful to discern whether there is real value in the proposition for your customer. Consider using the opportunity of today’s marketplace to do this, as consumers need to see your environmentally-based proposition not as a luxury, but as a value based benefit they are willing to pay for—there is no better backdrop than today’s economic conditions to experiment within.
by Chris Seiger
April 21st, 2009
Most people have heard of Earth Day but have no idea where or when it started. The story begins with Senator Gaylord Nelson of Wisconsin. While the idea of environmental health was the goal, how it was to be achieved was a bit different from the kinds of thoughts that Earth Day conjures for most people these days. Neslon’s agenda was more about population stabilization, which he viewed as critical to environmentalism. More people use more resources and create more waste, and so on. Curbing immigration was one of the population controls he supported. Regardless, his timing was good – the environment was a top-of-mind issue. For example, five months before the first Earth Day, the New York Times ran an article by Gladwin Hill (who led an interesting life himself) which reported on the rising fear of “global cooling.” Ah, the good old days. Nelson actually patterned Earth Day observances after Vietnam War protests and rallies. The April 22 date was chosen to maximize college student and campus participation since it did not fall on exam days, spring breaks, or holidays. Oddly enough, April 22, 1970 would have been Vladimir Lenin’s 100th birthday, which prompted conspiracy theorists of the time to suspect the event to be cover for a communist attack. It was also the birthday of Julius Sterling Morton who founded Arbor Day in 1885 in Nebraska. In any case, on April 22, 1970, the very first Earth Day was observed by some 20 million Americans with the goal of a healthy, sustainable environment. Groups of people who had been fighting separately against things ranging from oil spills and corporate pollution to wildlife and wilderness development had the epiphany that they all shared a common value – the environment. Today, Earth Day observers number in the hundreds of millions worldwide as we work toward a cleaner, healthier world for everyone.
