Environmentally Safe Products & Services
Interest in the environment, piqued by the first Earth Day in 1970, was pushed to new heights with the 20th year celebration of Earth Day 1990. Since then, a consumer and marketing frenzy over “going green” has emerged. In fact, more than 11 percent of new products introduced between 1989 and 1990 were making some type of claim to be “green” or environmentally friendly. This seemingly endless number of “green” products has been created to meet the demands of environmentally conscious consumers. “Green” education has been added to our schools’ curriculum, and is a prominent message in many media public service and corporate identity campaigns.
Companies that are going “green” today may be seeing gold along the way, but the flood of green products and advertising also has prompted scrutiny by regulators, environmental groups and consumers. Simply labelling a product “environmentally friendly”, “biodegradable”, or “recyclable” isn’t enough, and companies whose products are perceived or found to be harmful to the environment or falsely represented as “green” may see decreased sales and a loss of public trust, as well as possible repercussions from the Federal Trade Commission or their state’s attorney general’s office.
From a business standpoint, the green movement stands to benefit the economy as well as the earth. Entrepreneurs have found ways to associate products with the environmental movement, everything from shampoo and laundry soap to calendars and t-shirts. Other companies are seizing the opportunity to become involved in environmental issues with public relations programs, such as partnerships with environmental groups, or with marketing promotions such as giving away tree seedlings or touting the new reduced packaging of their products.
Incorporating environmental concerns with a solid business strategy can make a difference and provide a competitive edge. Read on to see what other companies have done.
Tags: environmentally friendly, going green today, green product, Interest in the environment