Posts Tagged ‘environment’
Keeping the Green Movement Going: How to Avoid Eco-Fatigue
Monday, September 22nd, 2008
Unless you’ve been hiding under a non-carbon based rock for the last five years, you are probably aware that there is a massive environmental movement under way. This movement is centered around the dangers posed to the planet by global warming, as caused by the actions of human beings.
Governments, businesses, and individuals are all on the green train, but there is a new worry on the horizon: will people eventually tire of being told what to do in order to save the planet?
There is a curve when it comes to marketing of any product or idea. First, the idea starts small, then gains momentum. Eventually the idea has the support of thousands of people, but then a funny thing happens: all of a sudden, everyone gets tired of hearing the same old message.
It Ain’t Easy Being Green
This has happened time and again in marketing, but the problem with consumers and so- called eco-fatigue is that the very life of the planet depends on people continuing to live greener - and supporting businesses that conduct business in a greener manner.
In other words, no one can become eco-fatigued enough that they actually fall asleep, or the result may be a permanent coma.
So how does a business go about helping others, and the business itself, to avoid eco- fatigue? Well, first of all businesses need to be leaders in the area of green living. Businesses need to show people, through example, that their impact on the environment is important to them.
They can do so by using recycled and recyclable packaging with the recycle symbol on it. Refusing to use too many supplies - and making sure those supplies are eco-friendly - will also send the message that your business cares about the environment.
Use A Light Touch
And that is really what avoiding eco-fatigue is about; staying away from the point where people begin to feel as though they are being bullied into inconvenient behaviors in order to circumvent a catastrophe at some point in the distant future.
The campaign surrounding green living has traditionally centered around fear and guilt, and people just can’t take that kind of treatment for long (just look at how effective it is on your teenager!).
Sooner or later they rebel, and it usually happens in a big way; while they may have done little things before to help out, now they do nothing because they are just tired of being pushed into it.
The way to avoid this problem lies in the way we state what green living is all about. It is surprising how little of the ‘living green’ campaign focuses on how smart green living actually is; it is not just about the environment, it is about the bottom line.
Turning off lights, using less water and driving less means a far less outlay of cash. It is just more convenient to do paperless paper work; much easier to send messages wirelessly, and much easier to keep records.
In order to avoid eco-fatigue, then, it is important both to lead and to emphasize the positive. Doing so will be good for your business - and good for the planet.
Tags: consumers, eco friendly, eco-fatigue, environment, environmental movement, going green, Green, green business, green movement, how to, Leeia Ladipoh, Marketing
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Protect the Environment and Promote Your Business
Tuesday, March 25th, 2008
Take a look at any of the major news stories or political agendas, and you’ll probably find that the environment is at the top of everyone’s priority list. From ozone layer depletion to the effect of harmful emissions, it’s an important topic that’s at the top of many agendas. As a business owner, this also includes you, as you’re directly responsible for how you affect both the local environment around you, as well as in general.
Local governments as well as federal government laws are looking to come down hard on any businesses that fall foul of the new and proposed laws. However, far from this being a financial burden on your business, you can actually benefit and market your business as a green and environmentally friendly company. This will keep you on the right side of the law, as well as potentially increase your sales as customers look for greener options.
Go Green and Get Results
So how can this work for you? Aren’t there some businesses that are more suited to this approach than others? Not necessarily - even the smallest change can make all the difference. Yet you also need to have a plan in place that will make your business sustainable as well as environmentally sound. Then you need to market your business properly and to the right audience.
For example, say you’re a wholesaler that provides cardboard boxes of all sizes and shapes to various industries, as well as consumers. If you’re not already doing so, change your manufacturing techniques to use only recycled paper that can then be converted into cardboard. If your electricity bill is high due to the amount of power needed to run the machinery that you need to compress the cardboard, consider switching to either solar power or wind power.
This needn’t be as expensive as you might think, either. Once you pay out the initial costs of installing solar panels or wind turbine generators on your site, you have no more outlay - all your energy is provided by natural power. Solar panels are particularly useful, as they will store unused energy to be used later, which means that contrary to what their name suggests, solar panels will allow you to work throughout the night.
Effective Marketing
There are many ways that your business can change over to greener options and market itself at the same time. Use either your business cards, website or emails to promote as well as more traditional marketing techniques.
For instance, say you have a large fleet for transportation needs. Make sure you change over to unleaded or green fuel, and then advertise that on all your lorries or trucks with a logo “Powered by green technology” or similar. Release a press release that tells how you’re pioneering a green working environment both in your business and with your partners - the resulting news feeds could make a big difference to your business. Just make sure that you’re making all these changes for the right reasons, and not just to make a quick profit - people will soon figure that approach out.
Tags: advice, danny brown, environment, going green, Marketing, Marketing Your Business, promotion, tips
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More Than 25 Easy Ways to Recycle, Reduce and Reuse Everyday in Your Business
Wednesday, March 5th, 2008
There are many things you can do to make your business more environmentally friendly. And, the best part is, many ideas are free and some can even save you money! It may take a little extra effort to get your new (and greener) processes in order, but once they’re in place you can feel great about doing your part to reduce waste and lighten your company’s carbon footprint. An initial staff meeting on the importance of recycling and reducing waste can really help to motivate the entire office to do their share. Here are some easy ways that the entire office can recycle, reduce and reuse:
Ways to recycle
* Have clearly-labeled recycle bins throughout the office and recycle paper, cardboard, cans, plastic, bottles, etc.
* Recycle toner and printer cartridges - most office supply companies will take empty cartridges back.
* Buy recycled products (paper products, packaging, etc.) whenever possible
* Recycle old electronics and computer equipment - check with local computer parts suppliers to see if they’ll take your old equipment.
* Don’t purchase paper that is a contaminant in recycling. For instance: thermal fax paper, paper with bright colors, paper with glossy coatings, etc.
Ways to reduce
* Stop using cover sheets on faxes
* Print directly on envelopes instead of using labels
* Use erasable white boards instead of sticky notes
* Use both sides of the paper when printing or making copies
* Review documents on screen before printing
* Switch to lightweight paper
* Remove out-of-date names from mailing lists
* Take the necessary steps to reduce unsolicited mail, such as unwanted catalogs and mailings
* Post announcements on bulletin boards or send via email
* Circulate memos, reports, documents etc. electronically rather printing paper copies
* Design mailers that don’t use envelopes (fold and staple the paper instead)
* Buy refillable printer ink and toner
* Buy fluorescent instead of incandescent bulbs
* Encourage employees to carpool or use public transportation by offering special commuter benefits
Ways to reuse
* Save paper that has been used on only one side and use the other side as draft paper for faxes, copiers, and notepads
* Save packing material you receive to reuse for future shipments
* Use old letterhead for internal documents
* Place a new label over outdated file folders and reuse
* Shred newspapers, magazines and old papers to use for packaging
* Encourage employees to bring their own reusable plates, cups, and silverware to the office. Idea: have mugs and lunch coolers printed with your logo to give to your employees. It’s a gift that keeps on giving - back to the Earth!
Taking the steps to become a more Earth-friendly work environment isn’t hard, but it does take a commitment on the part of the owners and the employees. You might even consider putting together a “Green Committee” of a few employees who continue to come up with new ideas for making new, and environmentally-friendly changes to the office. Also, having an anonymous “Office Green Tips” box will encourage all employees to make suggestions on how to improve things around the office. Other ideas might be to have an “employee tree planting day” or an “empty parking lot” day and reward those employees who participate.
Tags: Carrie Hinkel, environment, going green, recycling, reduce waste, saving money, tips
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