The market is green!

Green Marketing Under The Microscope

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Mon, 07 Jan 2008 16:25:00 +0000

As we saw over the holidays, green - the environment kind - is figuring into consumers’ spending decisions. More than ever, companies are positioning products as environmentally-friendly. And why not, research says adding green to a marketing message can increase sales (12 percent of U.S. adults are willing to pay extra for consumer electronics that use less energy or come from a company that is environmentally friendly, according to recent research).
Still, more than a few companies have encountered serious pitfalls in marketing themselves as greener or green. In fact, a recent study found that of 1,018 common consumer products ranging from toothpaste to caulking to shampoo to printers, randomly surveyed, 99 percent were guilty of greenwashing.
To make matters worse, seven in ten Americans either “strongly” or “somewhat” agree that when companies call a product “green” (meaning better for the environment), it is usually just a “marketing tactic,” according to a recent survey.
To help the problem, the Federal Trade Commission has begun a regulatory review of its environmental marketing guidelines, also known as the Green Guides.
In the meantime, thisMarketingProfs article offers five green marketing rules from Jacquelyn Ottman:
The first rule is to know your customer and understand how much they know. Whirlpool’s marketing of CFC-free refrigerators faced hurdles when it became evident that customers didn’t know what CFCs were.
Companies also need to be transparent. Consumers must believe in the legitimacy of the product and the claims a company is making.
Consumers need to feel empowered and feel that by buying a certain product, they can make a difference.
The last two rules are to reassure the consumer that green doesn’t mean a compromise in quality nor an unacceptable spike in price.

Marketing Firm Announces Greenwashing Index

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Thu, 13 Dec 2007 14:01:00 +0000

A social marketing firm plans to rank the best and worst examples of green marketing in the new EnviroMedia Greenwashing Index to be released next month.

EnviroMedia announced the index at the U.N. Climate Change Conference this week, where it conducted a survey about corporate greenwashing.

The survey found that nine out of 10 delegated believe that some companies are "advertising products and services with environmental claims that could be considered false, unsubstantiated and/or unethical."

"It would not have been much of a surprise to see that kind of response from American or EU constituents, but we were really surprised to see that strong a response from the global community, including many developing countries," said EnviroMedia President Kevin Tuerff in a statement.

For its greenwashing index, the company is asking the public about to submit examples of good and bad green marketing in TV, print or online advertisements.

The results will be unveiled Jan. 7, 2008, the day before the Federal Trade Commission is scheduled to hold a forum as part of its review of green marketing claims.

The announcement of the greenwashing index comes less than a month after environmental marketing firm TerraChoice released a report titled the "Six Sins of Greenwashing," which found that the vast majority of marketing claims aren't true.

From: Climatebiz

Green Ideas Take Root in Business

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Wed, 12 Dec 2007 01:55:00 +0000

For U.S. companies, going green has never looked so good.In one of the most dramatic turnabouts in corporate America, previously environmentally apathetic businesses of all sizes and in all industries are rushing to portray themselves as Earth-friendly or touting the eco-friendly aspects of their newest products.

Hardly a day goes by without announcements hawking the latest green initiative, new store or design. Corporate executives are flocking to green-marketing seminars. Even the Business Roundtable, a group of 160 chief executives of major U.S. companies, recently sounded the alarm about the need to reduce greenhouse gases.

In Michigan, it's playing out in everything from landscape services selling special lawn-care programs to protect the watershed to energy-saving skylights and refrigerated cases at a new Wal-Mart set to open Wednesday in Livonia. A Grand Rapids firm has rolled out the first tradeshow exhibit system made of recyclable and renewable materials.

With rising numbers of consumers awakened to the threat of global warming, being seen as green has become a competitive advantage, some marketing experts say. "It's sort of sexy to be green," said Bonnie Carlson, president of the Promotion Marketing Association. "Corporations are jumping on the bandwagon because there's a real positive halo attached to that position."
At the same time, businesses' environmental records face more scrutiny. Climate Counts, a new nonprofit, has evaluated and ranked the climate-change efforts of 56 large companies. Consumers can download free pocket guides with the rankings.

The growth of green marketing
But image isn't the only motivation. Green products often command premium prices. And reducing energy usage helps companies save money. In addition, companies in certain industries such as oil and gas hope to stave off tough climate-change regulations by selling themselves as environmentally conscious, said Thomas Lyon, a professor of sustainable science, technology and commerce at the University of Michigan's business school.

Various industries are "now positioning themselves for a carbon-constrained world," he said. U-M also has tapped into this market. Lyon heads the school's Erb Institute for Global Sustainable Enterprise, which offers a 3-year program that allows students to earn a master of science degree from the School of Natural Resources and Environment and an MBA.

"The challenge is to take something that is not naturally green and make it into a green product," said Sun Yu, president of Berkley-based Zen Design Group, which created a line of electronic toys that doesn't use disposable batteries.

Green marketing takes many forms, from traditional advertising to sponsorships of environmental groups or events such as the recent Live Earth concerts.

As it has spread, it also has become increasingly sophisticated. Gone are the days when companies simply labeled themselves or their products as green. Now, businesses must explain how they're green and advertise in multiple venues, not just television, said David Lockwood, research director at Mintel, a Chicago market research firm.

"Green awareness has progressed to the point where there is skepticism," he said. Lockwood and other marketing experts also warn that selling a product based on its green attributes alone often doesn't work. Ironically, to be successful, companies also must offer some non-green value, such as greater convenience or savings.

"The trick is to have products that are needed and to make them better," he said.

Companies' claims checked
The rise of green marketing has raised concerns about greenwashing -- companies exaggerating their products' eco-friendly attributes or making misleading claims about their environmental efforts.

"There are more and more pressures for companies to start appearing green," said Michelle Chan, Friends of the Earth's program manager for green investments. "Therefore, there are more and more promises."

But with technology, businesses could find it harder to get away with greenwashing than in the past. The Internet makes it easy for dishonest ad campaigns to quickly gain notoriety. And dozens of watchdog groups have sprung up to help consumers discern who's telling the truth. These efforts could ensure that green marketing doesn't lose its effectiveness and become a fad.
"If anything, it's overwhelming, this wave of awareness," said Kert Davies, research director for Greenpeace. "Hopefully, this sticks around and is not just a phase."

IBM Shines Ray of Light on Processor Technology

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Fri, 07 Dec 2007 00:12:00 +0000

IBM has reported a breakthrough in microprocessors: microchip technology that uses silicon and light to transmit information between cores rather than wires and electricity. The result, the company says, is a reduction in power and heat, which would allow for more powerful processors in smaller sizes. The work, however, will take years to move beyond the laboratory stage.

Researchers at IBM (NYSE: IBM) announced Thursday the development of a technological breakthrough known as a "silicon Mach-Zehnder elctro-optic modulator." The device would replace the copper wires normally used to transmit information between the multiple cores in a microprocessor. IBM's optical modulator would convert the electrical signals and send that information using pulses of light through silicon instead of electrical signals on wire.

"We believe this is a major advancement in the field of on-chip silicon nanophotonics," said Dr. Will Green, the lead IBM scientist on the project. "Just like fiber optic networks have enabled the rapid expansion of the Internet by enabling users to exchange huge amounts of data from anywhere in the world, IBM's technology is bringing similar capabilities to the computer chip."
The team of IBM scientists published details of their work in this month's issue of the journal Optics Express.

At the Speed of Light
The IBM modulator is 100 to 1,000 times smaller than previously demonstrated modulators, and according to IBM, will pave "the way for many such devices and eventually complete optical routing networks to be integrated onto a single chip." The modulator could substantially reduce cost, energy and heat while increasing communications bandwidth between the cores more than a hundred times over wired chips.

The goal of the technology is to enable a power-efficient method to connect hundreds or thousands of cores together on a tiny chip by eliminating the wires required to connect them. Using light instead of wire-bound electrical impulses to send information between the cores can be 100 times faster and use 10 times less power.

"Work is underway within IBM and in the industry to pack many more computing cores on a single chip, but today's on-chip communications technology would overheat and be far too slow to handle that increase in workload," said Dr. T.C. Chen, vice president of science and technology at IBM Research. "What we have done is a significant step toward building a vastly smaller and more power-efficient way to connect those cores, in a way that nobody has done before."

It works by converting electrical signals into a series of light pulses carried on a silicon nanophotonic waveguide. The process begins when an input laser beam is delivered to the optical modulator. The modulator acts like a very fast shutter, controlling whether the input laser is blocked or transmitted to the output waveguide.

As digital electrical pulses from a computer core arrive at the modulator, a short pulse of light is allowed to pass through at the optical output. This allows the device to modulate the intensity of the input laser beam, and the modulator converts a stream of 1s and 0s from electrical signals into light pulses

Future of Computing
IBM's announcement highlights a field of research that began several years ago. Companies including Intel (Nasdaq: INTC) , Primarion, Luxtera and IBM have invested millions of dollars into research that could solve the industry's heat-related problem.

"There is in general a fair bit of interest and work going on in various ways to integrate optical links with silicon technology. For example, Intel has a number of projects in this area," Gordon Haff, senior analyst at Illuminata, told TechNewsWorld.

"One of the big problems right now is power and heat," said Rob Enderle, principal analyst at Enderle Group. "The more power you put into something the hotter it gets. And of course the more processing you're doing on an ever-denser envelope, the hotter it's going to get. Gordon Moore talked about at some point these things were going to be hotter than the sun, if we didn't do something. This is the kind of thing we need to do to keep that from happening."

Once it is put into practice, this latest technology could significantly cut back on the power requirements of computers and and reduce heat, allowing for even higher densities and more practical power requirements for a device we might carry in a pocket or for an ultra-dense super computer, Enderle told TechNewsWorld.

"This is one of those things that will make advanced computing late in the next decade possible. Without something like this, we would probably hit a pretty heavy wall in the next five to seven years," he explained.

If IBM can productize the technology it will revolutionize not only desktop computers, but also handheld device, for which the power savings requirement is even greater.

"You could do everything on your phone that you now do on your laptop," Enderle pointed out.

From: technewsworld

FTC Tackling Green Marketing Guidelines

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Wed, 05 Dec 2007 01:27:00 +0000

Good thing too. The Washington Post reports that the FTC is speeding up a review of its green marketing guidelines to get them more in step with the rush of marketing we’re seeing now. It’s first set of public meetings will take a look at carbon offsets and renewable energy certificates. But that’s just likely to be the first topic, because there are so many others that need to be addressed.

As Joel Makower wrote just yesterday about some research that Terrapass TerraChoice, an environmental marketing firm, released about the claims and realities of the green claims made about 1,100 products. Called The Six Sins of Greenwashing, the report found that “all but one made claims that are either demonstrably false or that risk misleading intended audiences.” You can have your doubts about the study, but the exercise is worth taking a look at. And Makower, who describes himself as initially skeptical, explains the methodology behind it, as explained by TerraChoice.

Makower’s conclusion, and one that I have been looking into recently, is that the only real solution to all of this is a label that folks can trust that’s created using a baseline that everyone follows so you know what you’re going to get. The risk, though, is that it will be years before we get to something as sturdy as the Energy Star label for things other than appliances. Without strong leadership, we could see a proliferation of home grown labels and associations, created by trade groups and companies that risk causing a lot more confusion and suspicion among consumers.

From BusinessWeek

U.S. business carbon slash hoax fools some media

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Tue, 04 Dec 2007 00:30:00 +0000

A political action group that bombarded media around the world with false reports of U.S. businesses pledging a major cut in greenhouse gas emissions said its motivation was to get big companies to take greater action on climate issues.
Greenwash Guerrillas, a loose-knit group of students and workers for nonprofit organizations, posed as phony public relations officials and targeted energy reporters around the world on Monday with e-mails and telephone calls.
They claimed that a legitimate group of 33 businesses and environmental groups, the United States Climate Action Partnership, had agreed to slash emissions, blamed for warming the earth, by 90 percent by 2050 and had called for a moratorium on new coal plants.
U.S. CAP includes oil majors ConocoPhillips, Shell Oil and automaker General Motors Corp.
The release said that U.S. CAP was hoping to encourage decisive action in Bali, Indonesia, where delegates from about 190 countries are meeting to try to work out a broad long-term pact to fight climate change.
"We wanted to draw attention to U.S. CAP's influence and hold them to taking real action on climate," Brian Jones, a spokesman for the tricksters who operated from Britain, Canada, Australia and the United States, said in an interview.
The group backed up their press releases by setting up Web sites for a phony public relations company and another claiming to be the new U.S. CAP site, using its official logo.
U.S. CAP businesses and environmental groups said the press release and pledge were "fraudulent."
In fact, at least one U.S. CAP member, Duke Energy Corp, is hoping to build coal plants in the United States, and the group has pressured the U.S. government to cut greenhouse gas emissions by only 60 to 80 percent by 2050.
News outlets including The Dallas Morning News and the New Zealand Herald put the story on their Web sites on Monday, along with the false claims. A source at the Dallas paper confirmed that the site had been duped. The New Zealand paper could not be reached immediately.
"We really hope their editors do not hold them responsible for what was a political action," Jones said about reporters that had been fooled by the hoax.
Katie Mandes, a spokeswoman for the Pew Center on Climate Change, a member of U.S. CAP, said, "We're taking the view that imitation is the highest form of flattery."
She said the group was looking into the legality of the hoaxsters' copying U.S. CAP's logo.

From Environmental News Network (by Reuters)

GoToCleanAir

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Fri, 30 Nov 2007 10:18:00 +0000

The GoToCleanAir website provides best-practice guidance designed to help small and medium businesses reduce their climate-change impact.

The site, developed in conjunction with the Pure, The Clean Planet Trust, includes carbon calculators for assessing the carbon footprint of both your business and your daily commute. It also offers advice on how to go green and reduce corporate travel.

The site provides green business news aimed at business readers and includes access to a range of downloadable case studies.

GoToCleanAir was created by Citrix Online, a provider of software and services for communicating over the internet. Its best-known offerings are GoToMyPC, which allows customers to access the contents of their own PC from any web browser, and GoToMeeting, which provides online meeting tools.

We found the GoToCleanAir site useful from the point of view of firms tackling green issues for the first time. Some features would benefit from providing a little more detail. For example, the carbon calculator for commuting uses a blanket average for all journeys, rather than collecting specific data about the vehicle used and the duration or speed of the actual round-trip.
By contrast the calculator for assessing a business's carbon footprint is more detailed and, consequently, more useful.

A downloadable tip sheet listing 50 ways to go green is available, providing a very useful checklist for firms of all sizes aiming to improve their energy efficiency.

From Businessgreen

New Service Launched to Help Customers Offset Shipping

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Mon, 26 Nov 2007 15:11:00 +0000

A new service allows customers to calculate and offset the carbon impact of shipping individual packages.

ShipGreen uses a mathematical model to calculate the emissions of individual product shipment using the weight of each item, distance and means of travel, such as road, rail or air.

Similar services, the company claims, rely on flat rates or averages of all shipped products to calculate emissions figures and offset amount.

The service is geared toward online retailers, which can put a ShipGreen link on their websites that calculate of offset shipping. The ShipGreen service is free of charge for retailers.

During checkout, customers can choose an offset type, such as a wind, solar or forestry project. The company focuses on projects that are independently verified by third parties.

Projects include a hydropower plant in Indonesia, wind projects in Madagascar and New Zealand, a biomass facility in India, and a reforestation project in China.

ShipGreen co-founders Jason Sperling and Tim Buchanan also helped create the Prairie Tree Project in eastern Colorado, an afforestation venture that allows consumers personal offsets. The project also helps business audit their carbon footprints.

Arpad Horwath and Cristiano Facanha from the University of California, Berkeley, partnered with ShipGreen to create the emissions calculation model.

from: Climatebiz.com

Power Management Industry to Focus on Efficient Solutions in 2008

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Thu, 22 Nov 2007 13:04:00 +0000

Hemen Cheng, Global Sales and Marketing Director, Automotive and Power Regulation Group, ON Semiconductor, discusses the power solutions trends in 2007, and gives his forecast on the industry for the coming year. Excerpts:

What were the main trends on power solutions in your markets in 2007?
One of the big trends for 2007 has been higher efficiency power supplies. This has been due to a number of different factors including market drivers which have seen demand for smaller size solutions with greater functionality, regulatory drivers such as changes to Energy Star ratings and California Energy Commission standards together with a greater focus on "green" products by end users. An example of how this has impacted the industry is the change in the power efficiency standard for ATX power supply from 80%+ to 85%+.

The challenge is for the power electronics industry to provide efficient solutions that cover the three major aspects of the energy efficiency—reduced standby power, improved active mode efficiency and reduced harmonic content or Power Factor Correction (PFC). Over the past few years ON Semiconductor has embraced this challenge and offers a full range of efficient power solutions "From the Socket to the Pocket".

Did you see any particular technologies start to gain momentum?
We have noticed an increase in market demand for high efficiency power supplies for the ATX computing market. Again we believe this is due to the general market trend for more integrated solutions with greater functionality, together with the end-user focus on "green" products.

What are the main concerns keeping your customers awake at nights?
Our customers’ business concerns are usually focused on how they can maintain the competitive advantage in terms of performance, cost and quality. With this in mind, ON Semiconductor strives to continually provide comprehensive total solutions featuring quality products as well as technical support to help our customers achieve their business goals.

Are there any trends or technologies that you think will be particularly significant in 2008?
At ON Semiconductor, we expect one of the key products trends for 2008 to be around applications. This focus on applications will be driven by the fact that specific applications optimize performance and cost, which in turn provides greater value to customers and their end products.

Where do you think ON Semiconductor will be developing products or services, which will create a distinct differential with their competitors, over the next 12 months?
ON Semiconductor ships over 2 billion products monthly and continues to operate with a strong global penetration of key applications and in a variety of regions.

One of the most impressive edges ON Semiconductor has is to actively partner with our customers in the development of new products and system solutions. We have established Solutions Engineering Centers (SECs) in different regions that work to address individual market segments and unique customer needs. For example, the SEC in Taiwan focuses on power and computing, the one in Korea concentrates on customer portable, and the SEC in Germany addresses the automotive industry.

We also have established joint power labs in China with market makers including Hisense Electric Company Limited, a world renowned electronic manufacturer; the Changhong Group, a world renowned consumer electronics solutions and services supplier; and with Kingvon Group, China’s largest set-top box manufacturer. Each of these is a corroborative effort. Targeting specific customers or situating ourselves in close geographic proximity to key customers’ design facilities, we have made ON Semiconductor’s technical expertise available to our customers. In return, our customers have helped us better define and develop differentiated products. These partnerships have also assisted ON Semiconductor with improving customer intimacy, advancing our application knowledge and better targeting our R&D spending.

To support China’s drive to lower standby power consumption to one watt (1W), ON Semiconductor initiated a “1 Watt Forum” in 2006 with China Standard Certification Center (CSC), China’s highest authority for certifying energy-efficient products. This annual platform aims at discussing ideas, solutions, technologies and issues impacting the country’s 1 W movement. International efforts are underway to lower standby power to 1 W. International Energy Agency (IEA) has proposed a 1-Watt Plan, urging all participating countries to reduce standby power use to 1W in all products by 2010.

From: ECNAsiaMag

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Wed, 21 Nov 2007 12:15:00 +0000

As the environment continues to dominate the political, social and economic agenda, there has never been a better time for Welsh businesses to look at ways of improving their green credentials, says Ed Gmitrowicz, Envirowise programme manager for Wales

THE benefits of this are not just financial; increased resource efficiency can save up to £1,000 per employee, as well as enhancing company reputation and driving competitiveness.

Waste minimisation programmes alone can save up to 1% of business turnover, either through extra profit or lowered operating costs, while water and energy savings can reduce effluent and utility bills by as much as 20%.

But only by ensuring the involvement of all employees can a company successfully integrate environmental improvements into its culture. Without such a shift, businesses risk simply ticking boxes on corporate social responsibility rather than implementing meaningful measures that make a real difference to the planet and their bottom-line.

Yet tackling this issue can seem like a daunting task. With so much noise on climate change, combined with pressure from increasing legislation and rising consumer awareness, managers can be forgiven for wondering how to distil such a large subject into a practical programme that can achieve true employee buy-in.

Indeed, many firms avoid taking action because they believe significant investment is needed, but by turning a blind eye to environmental issues they are actually missing out on an excellent money- saving opportunity.

So how can Welsh businesses incorporate environmental thinking into the very bones of their organisation?

Firstly, it is important to emphasise that this need not be as complex or time-consuming as some may anticipate and there are a variety of low-cost or no-cost measures to get the ball rolling.

As a starting point, buy-in from senior management is essential and many companies create a statement of commitment to drive ongoing improvement and sustain momentum.

Others begin the process by nominating an environmental champion to identify opportunities, raise awareness and facilitate action throughout the organisation.

Project teams can further drive momentum for change by encouraging involvement from a range of staff members. Ideally, teams should be cross-functional, allowing employees from different departments to work together and increase their understanding of each others’ needs.
Other measures include team briefings, poster campaigns and newsletters, while integrating environmental issues into the induction process for new employees helps to instil the right environmental mindset from the outset.

Suggestion schemes also provide an effective means of encouraging participation by enabling staff to generate ideas which can be implemented in their particular departments.

Additionally, recognising individual achievements and successes in company newsletters or intranet bulletins maintains enthusiasm and sustains change in the long-term.

Whatever the approach adopted, it is important to ensure that employees understand why environmental improvements are so important.

Again, this does not require a major investment, as simple training days or online workshops can raise awareness of the cost benefits and the competitive advantages that can be achieved.
To help companies embrace such cultural change and develop a programme that meets their needs, Envirowise has launched a new online resource, Words To The Wise.

Designed for companies of all sizes and sectors, the tool provides advice on creating a plan of action to help embed sustainability into corporate thinking and improve environmental performance.

Following the completion of a short questionnaire, the resource provides a bespoke summary of the company’s current environmental position, followed by guidance on the terminology most likely to resonate at every level, from junior management to the boardroom.

In short, there is a very compelling business case for companies to embed sustainable thinking into the very bones of their organisation.

From: icWales

Orange hints at solar-powered mobiles

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Tue, 20 Nov 2007 17:42:00 +0000

Mobile operator Orange this week announced it is selling the world's first solar-powered Bluetooth headset and hinted more solar power devices could be on the way.

The Iqua 603 SUN gives users unlimited operating time anywhere where the solar cells on the headset can catch direct sunlight, according to Orange.

The company added that the headset, which retails for £49.99, limits users' problems with battery life and also reduces their energy use, with even indirect sunlight increasing talk time by up to 12 hours.

A spokeswoman for the company said that Iqua's figures showed that "an average user in average light conditions will use 3.5 times less mains electricity [charging the device] when compared to a conventional non-solar powered headset".

Orange hinted that with the efficiency of solar cells continuing to improve, the new headset could be the forerunner for more solar-powered hand-held devices.

"This product demonstrates the potential for solar power for mobile phones," said the Orange spokeswoman, adding that the company was committed to working with partners such as Iqua to investigate ways of making mobiles and accessories more energy efficient.

From: BusinessGreen

Bank of America to Introduce New Product at Good And Green - The Green Marketing Conference

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Tue, 20 Nov 2007 16:52:00 +0000

Joining forces with other industry leaders finding success in the green marketing space, Bank of America has become a Title Sponsor of Good And Green -- The Green Marketing Conference, November 29-30, 2007, Chicago Cultural Center. Good And Green is designed to teach mainstream national marketers the techniques, benefits and bottom line impact of connecting with today's ecologically-concerned consumers through green marketing efforts.

"Earlier this year, Bank of America Corporation announced a $20 billion initiative to support the growth of environmentally sustainable business activity through the development of new products and services," says Michael Rhodes, SVP Product Development, member of Environmental Council at Bank of America. "We are excited to announce from the Good And Green stage our latest consumer product that addresses these initiatives."

"We are proud to have Bank of America join us as Title Sponsor," says Nan McCann, President of PME Enterprises, LLC, producers of Good And Green. "As a leader in developing environmentally sustainable business practices, it is an honor to have them choose this conference as the setting for their new product announcement."

Bank of America will be sharing the stage with experts and leaders in the green marketing movement addressing such issues as social networking's role in the green revolution, the greener side of the female consumer and carbon offsetting strategies. Attendees will have multiple opportunities to connect and learn from one another through solution-based workshops, drill-down discussion groups, insightful case studies and great networking events. A complete schedule and list of speakers is available at http://www.goodandgreen.biz/.

Discovery Communications' Planet Green is the Exclusive Presenting Sponsor of Good And Green with Title Sponsors Bank of America, The Natural Marketing Institute, The Daily Green and Body + Soul magazine and Associate Sponsors 1% For The Planet, NatureWorks and Ketchum Public Relations. Fast Company is the Media Sponsor, Getty Images is the Imagery Resource, Earthsense is the Breakfast Sponsor, Nestle Waters is the Bottled Water Sponsor and NativeEnergy is the Official Carbon Offset Sponsor.

Good And Green is produced by PME Enterprises, Hartford, CT. Please visit http://www.goodandgreen.biz/ or call 860.724.2649 x 14 for more details and to register.

from: earthtimes

Business pages get green makeover

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Mon, 19 Nov 2007 17:39:00 +0000

Media reporting of green business stories has soared in the past year, according to new research released this week, and editors believe the trend is yet to peak.

The study from the Donald W. Reynolds National Center for Business Journalism in Arizona assessed the number of green business stories published in the top-10 US newspapers and found that the number published in 2007 was already double that for last year.

Examination of the content also determined that 81 of 154 business stories on environmental sustainability appearing since 2000 had been published during 2007.

The study argued that a "significant shift is underway in coverage priorities " with the increase in green business stories being driven by demand from both readers and advertisers.

"Coverage of business aspects of the environment is relatively recent, but the dollars involved and the public’s interest in it speak loud and clear," said report co-author Andrew Leckey, director of the Reynolds Center.

A small survey of 17 US business editors found that the trend is set to accelerate, with all respondents claiming that interest in green business stories had not yet peaked. However, they also agreed that coverage of green issues needed to improve, claiming that business journalists require more training in coverage of sustainability issues.

The report also said that the popularity of green business stories was having a knock-on effect on the global PR and communications industry and had resulted in the emergence of new PR departments and agencies "focused on getting 'green' press releases to business journalists".

From: BusinessGreen

The Greening of Digital Marketing

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Fri, 16 Nov 2007 15:26:00 +0000

2007 is shaping up to be a banner year for green marketing. Growing public concern about the environment, combined with the rise of digital media covering it, has sparked many an eco-marketing initiative devoted to saving the planet -- or at least talking about it in ads.
There's GE's acclaimed Ecomagination effort, and a slew of new campaigns and microsites from the likes of Michelin ("A Greener World") and Philips ("A Simple Switch").
These mainstream efforts are crowding in on the green market's endemic advertisers -- companies like Seventh Generation, Organic Valley and Method. Yet many blue chips hitting the green media circuit for the first time are finding the rules are a little different online.
Waving the Green Banner (Ad)John Rooks is president of Dwell Creative, an integrated agency that builds campaigns around social awareness and sustainability issues. He said the appeal of online media to Dwell's clients and its campaign planners is issue-based segmentation.
"The latest shift we've been tracking is the shift from demographic marketing to psychographic marketing," Rooks said. "If we have a client that's interested in land conservation, we can pinpoint the psychographic that cares about that issue."
Dwell's business mix is around 30 percent government contracts and 30 percent non-profits, Rooks said. The rest is for-profit businesses doing cause-related, grassroots-style online marketing. Interactive accounts for about 30 percent of the agency's work. He likes Web advertising for its ability to establish a dialog rather than simply broadcast a message, and he believes it's that potential for consumer engagement that's driving a wave of recent consolidation in green market media.
Online, that consolidation includes Discovery Communications' purchase of TreeHugger.com, and Gaiam.com's acquisition of eco-lifestyles media firm Lime Media and Zaadz, a "LOHAS" social net. (LOHAS, in case you were wondering, stands for Lifestyles of Health and Sustainability, a newly hot acronym and consumer niche that includes everyone from the vegan freecycler to the cash-poor suburban dad eyeing the Prius at the next gas pump over.)
"The companies that are out there acquiring the TreeHuggers -- Discovery and others -- they're looking to establish dialog with the brand," said Rooks. "Online offers that to a much greater degree than [other media]."
Ken Rother, president of TreeHugger, agrees. Despite the mainstreaming of the green movement and despite the site's relatively large audience of just under 2 million unique visitors in June, a self-reported figure, he said TreeHugger is a poor vessel for mass media campaigns.
"Treehugger is a pretty well-defined, self-selecting audience," Rother said. "When a large organization has made a conscious decision to have a greener footprint or greener products, that's a good way to tell that audience, because the audience may not be available in other media."
And not only that. "There's this implicit trust between... TreeHugger and the reader. That trust takes a lot of work to build. It's our belief that the advertising should have similar conceptual values to the content."
Yahoo Bleeds Purple and GreenLarge online publishers like Yahoo and Washington Post.Newsweek Interactive have lately introduced dedicated operations to serve (and serve ads to) such passionate consumers. Yahoo Green, for instance, first appeared several months ago as 18seconds.org, an initiative urging consumers to switch to Energy Star CFL Bulbs. (The CFL pledge meme is widespread. Philips's "A Simple Switch" microsite, for instance, invites people to commit to trading up their fluorescent bulbs.)
Ads on the site include environmental-themed placements from the likes of toothpaste maker Tom's and Hewlett-Packard. Yet it's not a large enough category for Yahoo to justify a dedicated salesperson. "There isn't one person who is responsible for selling green on the sales team," said Dina Freeman, a Yahoo spokesperson. "The entire sales team is tasked with bringing it to their clients based on whether or not it makes sense for the client's objectives."
Yahoo approached HP shortly before the launch of the section. The high tech firm jumped, said HP Manager of Emerging Technologies Patty White, because "we feel HP is a leader in environmental responsibility. We want to be where our audience is in learning about and discussing these important issues."
One rich media ad for HP that's now running on Yahoo Green contains the copy, "HP Recycles the equivalent of 600 Jumbo Jets Per year. Go Green with HP." Clicking through brings the user to a page on equipment exchange, recycling and other environmentally sound means of unloading hardware.
With its pro-recycling message on Yahoo Green and elsewhere online, HP's White said the company wants to start a conversation with consumers and provoke their involvement.
"HP's Green initiatives provide not only videos and podcasts, but we also welcome users to join the green computing movement," she said.
Among other gestures, the hardware manufacturer uses its Web site to aid those wishing to recycle equipment and printing supplies; to offer online tips on reducing energy bills and greening a business; and to help businesses "manage older assets by turning used equipment into cash."
Hey, wait a minute. In the handbook of eco-catchphrases, aren't "turn used equipment into cash" and "five quick steps" a tad too facile, too late-night-infomercial, to bolster HP's eco-credentials? Shouldn't HP's messaging be a little more, uh, radical or something?
Well, yes and no.
Green Authenticity
For any firm tethering its advertising to the LOHAS bandwagon, there's certainly a risk of being perceived as inauthentic or faking the sustainability vibe -- a sin often called "greenwashing." Or so the accepted wisdom goes.
"What people are learning in the Web 2.0 world is that anybody can say anything about any company," said TreeHugger's Rother. "Organizations are going to be called to the carpet. There's a platform for people to say things and be heard. Whether it's green washing or some other lack of authenticity, it's going to hurt corporations if they're not careful."
Yet as the U.S. market for green products and brands balloons to include not only dedicated cyclers and recyclers, but also Escalade-driving Whole Foods habitués vaguely drawn to the aura of organic, it gets easier to feed the public a line about environmental awareness.
Problem is, despite America's burgeoning interest in sustainability, "the mainstream doesn't care about authenticity very much, which I think is dangerous for the green movement," said Dwell's Rooks. "It jumped the shark as soon as Shrek was marketed with the phrase 'Go Green.'" (Shrek the Third was marketed in several nations in conjunction with eco-causes, including Los Angeles's Million Trees campaign.)
Certainly many Fortune 100 companies that have launched digital ad campaigns around LOHOAS themes are authentic, HP's recycling campaign not excluded. GE for instance has invested heavily in wind farms, desalination facilitates and clean diesel train engines -- all highlighted in its global Ecomagination videos and digital campaign. From the beginning, Ecomagination was crafted a product as well as a branding initiative. The initial iteration of the Web site, launched in 2005, sought to educate consumers about environmental issues.
Jakob Daschek is a founder and creative director of Syrup, the creative and production agency that worked with GE agency-of-record BBDO on the effort. He believes the U.S. market has become considerably more sophisticated about environmental issues since the campaign began 18 months ago.
"With the first launch of Ecomagination, we had this whole thing educating people about what the issues are," he said. "Now we're migrating it out into specifically what GE is doing, because people know at this point [about the issues], and they can benefit from knowing exactly what GE is doing."

From: Clickz

BeGreen: Carbon calculator

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Thu, 15 Nov 2007 14:11:00 +0000

We all contribute to global warming when we do things like heat and cool our homes, drive our cars, and fly on airplanes. The good news? BeGreen empowers you to take an active role in neutralizing your carbon emissions and reducing your impact on global warming. Simply follow our tips to begin decreasing the energy you use each day, and offset the rest of your carbon-emitting energy use through our easy-to-use carbon calculator and BeGreen Carbon Offsets. Once you do, tell the planet (or at least a few friends). Together we can make a world of difference, but we need your help. So go ahead and be green, now.

Go to Carbon Calculator: http://www.begreennow.com/calculator

Honda: Solar Production Begins

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Thu, 15 Nov 2007 03:12:00 +0000

Though Honda has been mass producing solar cells since October, and has begun sales of them, the opening of Honda Soltec’s production facility in Kumamoto, Japan makes it official: Honda’s in the solar business.

As you’d expect from the cutting edge car company, the product is state of the art. Honda is using thin-film, copper, indium, gallium and selenium (CIGS) cell technology - a technology still trying to gain footing against tried and true silicon solar. But Honda says that overall, in the big picture, grand scheme of things, CIGS is greener than silicon solar. The company says CIGS use 50 percent less energy to manufacture, start to finish, than conventional silicon crystal solar cells.

The new facility will reach full speed of 27.5 megawatts annual capacity by next spring. Honda says that’s enough to power about 9000 Japanese homes. Already the Soltec subsidiary has 80 distributor locations in Japan and will have 200 there by the end of 2008. In conjunction with the commemoration of the new plant Honda will begin exports of the solar products.
The plant will employ 150.

Honda now says it’s in the energy creation business. Aside from its well-respected gasoline generators, the company also makes home cogeneration (micro combined heat and power) units on sale in Japan and the US (the US variation of it being developed and offered by Climate Energy of Massachusetts); is developing new technology to produce ethanol from cellulose; and continues to develop and sell fuel cell vehicles (10 of which have been sold so far in the US.)

Initially there will be two Honda Soltec products, 125-watt and 115-watt modules. Interestingly enough, both are the same size (1417 x 791 x 37 mm)( about 56 x 31 x 1.5 inches). Prices are factory set at 57,500 Yen ($511) and 49,800 ($442) respectively. Prices may vary of course, taxes additional.

The Soltec CIGS modules are solid black in color which will make them easy to integrate into building designs. Honda has done so with the Kumamoto facility.

Links:
Honda Global
http://world.honda.com

Honda Soltec (Japanese)
http://www.honda.co.jp/soltec

Climate Energy
http://www.climate-energy.com

From: environmental news network

Consumer Survey Finds Doing Good Is Good for Business

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Wed, 14 Nov 2007 12:12:00 +0000

Americans are quick to identify polluting companies as "socially irresponsible" and make their purchasing decisions accordingly, says a new survey. The poll also found that American consumers between the ages of 18-29 are more likely to spend more on organic, environmentally preferable or fair trade products than other age groups.

The survey, by the research firm Global Market Insite, quizzed more than 15,000 online consumers in the U.S. and 16 other countries about their socially conscious business practices.
Americans placed the highest value on corporate community involvement; when asked what factor was the most important in determining if a business is socially responsible, "contributing to the community" (e.g. sponsorship, grants, employee volunteer programs) came in highest with 47%. On the other hand, all of the other countries surveyed (India, Canada, Australia, Germany, China, and Japan) selected environmentally preferable practices (recycling, using biodegradable products) as the top factor.

"In the high-tech era where employees are expected to work 24/7, it's significant that Americans rate giving back to the community as their top priority in recognizing socially responsible companies," said Marjorie Thompson, co-author of Brand Spirit: How Cause Related Marketing Builds Brands. "It shows that people want to feel connected to each other and that they are willing to reward businesses who tap into this sense of mutual support and belonging. Companies will need to start thinking of their community programs as core to their businesses and brands, and central to how they market themselves."

Not surprising, the U.S., along with other countries such as India and China, which have experienced environmental disasters caused by corporations (e.g. Love Canal, Bhobal, Exxon Valdez) or have had to deal with major polluting issues (e.g. coal plants, manufacturing), believe that damaging the environment is associated with acting socially irresponsible. Other countries, including France (60%), Denmark (52%) and Italy (45%) selected the use of child labor as the main factor in making them think a corporation is socially irresponsible.

Juxtaposing Americans' negative opinions on damaging the environment, the GMIPoll found that only 42% of all Americans are willing to spend more for products branded as organic, environmentally friendly, or fair trade, except for the Y Generation. While only 14% of 18-29 year olds label themselves as socially responsible consumers, half of this age group (50%) responded that they will spend more on these types of products (organic, environmentally friendly or fair trade) compared to their older and wealthier counterparts, with only 37% of 45-64 years olds saying they would spend more on green products.

Thompson adds: "Based on the findings, Generation Y is obviously more environmentally conscious and socially savvy, which is expected given that many are aware of the issues surrounding globalization and trade and how this can negatively affect the environment, labor pool and the local communities."

Surprisingly, a large majority of online consumers in the less developed countries of China and India, 91% and 71% respectively, will pay more for socially responsible products, while almost half (47%) of the U.K. respondents indicated they would spend more for these types of goods.

From sustainablemarketing.com

Microsoft Launches Green News Site

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Thu, 08 Nov 2007 15:50:00 +0000

Microsoft has launched MSN Green, an environmental news site aimed at consumers.
MSNBC, The Daily Green, Conservation International, Environmental Defense, Grist, TreeHugger and StopGlobalWarming are supporting partners.

MSN says that the success of Live Earth was part of the impetus for the site. Liveearth.msn.com generated more than 15 million streams the day of the concerts and surpassing the number of people who watched the event on TV.

Today’s news includes a story on the disappearing bees, one covering whether climate change is affecting the color of foliage, and another on how many trees are used to make baseball bats.

From environmentalleader

Solar Power to Electrify Remote Australian Town

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Wed, 07 Nov 2007 19:18:00 +0000

It’s sunny and hot in Cloncurry, Australia, so much so that the Queensland government is planning construction of a $7 million solar thermal power station to provide the community of under 5000 with 24 hour a day electricity.

Anna Bligh, the Premier of Queensland, announced the town will be powered by a 10-megawatt plant using 8000 mirrors to reflect sunlight onto graphite blocks. Water will be pumped through the blocks creating steam which will power a turbine electricity generator. According to the news source the amount of water used to generate the steam is no more than the amount of rainfall the area receives in a year.

The plan will deliver about 30 million kilowatt hours of electricity a year, enough to provide electricity for the community 24 hours a day. If all goes as planned, the small town will be buzzing with electricity by 2010.

Cloncurry is the site of a former copper mine and boasts the warmest temperature ever recorded in Australia, that was in 1889 when it got up to 53.1(C) or 127(F) in the shade. Maybe their new electrical system will afford them some much needed cooling in those hot summers. Of course we here in Tucson, AZ have temperatures well over the 100’s during the summer, but we like to say it’s a “dry heat”. Good chamber of commerce material.

Cloncurry isn’t the only community sited for electricity where it’s otherwise too expensive to deliver by normal means. The government has approved the expenditure of $75 million toward a $420 million large-scale solar concentrator in Mildura, Victoria. And a solar updraft tower has been proposed for Buronga in Western New South Wales. The tower construction would resemble a large circular greenhouse-like structure that funnels hot air through a tall tower, that drives turbines which produce electricity.

Small solar dish power stations have been installed in remote indigenous townships around Australia, proving solar power is gaining ground in acceptance as a sustainable energy source.

from: planetsavehttp://www.planetsave.com/blog/2007/11/05/solar-power-to-electrify-remote-australian-town/

Link: Networking & Dating

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Wed, 07 Nov 2007 13:28:00 +0000

idealist - Find people, ideas and resources worldwide and get involved.

Earth Wise Singles - A dating site for singles who are passionate about green living and sustainable lifestyles.

VeggieDate - An online vegetarian dating service.

dharmaMatch - A dating service that matches based on your beliefs, values and spirituality.

Green Drinks - Networking opportunities internationally for people who work in the environmental field.

GishiGo - A ride sharing network that connects riders and drivers.

pooln - A carpooling community with a social-networking approach.

GoLoco - Quickly arrange ride shares between friends, neighbors, and colleagues (it also helps you share trip costs online).

Link: Charitable Donations

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Wed, 07 Nov 2007 13:26:00 +0000

InviteForGood - Manage invitations for all kinds of events, and add an optional charitable gift registry to those invitations.

alonovo - Shop online and your purchases will benefit the cause of your choice.

Kiva - Allows you to lend to a specific entrepreneur in a developing country to help them with their business and lift them out of poverty.

Contribution Manager - Keep track of all your donations online (and if you’re in the UK, you can fill out all the necessary forms to make the claim).

GiveMeaning - An online fundraising site that emphasizing creative fundraising and unique charity donation.

Giveness - Online shopping widget that you can put on your site that will generate awareness and donations for the causes you support.

Link: Games

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Sun, 04 Nov 2007 14:32:00 +0000

ElectroCity - An online game that teaches about energy, sustainability and environmental management through the building virtual towns and cities.

KyotoPotato - An idle trading game for making energy efficiency more fun (all you have to do is remember to turn off your computer when you’re not using it).

MyAbodo - An interactive toy that lets you build a house online and see the impact that your choices make on the world around you.

Web Earth Online - Multi player online ecology game.

Link: Search Engines, Directories & Guides

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Sun, 04 Nov 2007 14:17:00 +0000

sprig - A super-hip and fashionable resource for your green lifestyle, including food, fashion, beauty and home.

The Nature Conservancy Nature Preserve Map - A Google Maps mashup featuring nature preserves across the U.S.

EcoSeek - A search engine for green stuff.

Greener - An environmental search engine.

GuideMeGreen.com - A resource of green companies and brands for environmentally conscious shoppers.

Green Maven - A search engine and green directory powered by Google search.

Evolvist - A directory of eco-friendly & socially responsible business that will be released soon. They also have a blog and a Facebook app.

Holistic Local - A resource to find local conscious businesses, local events and courses, and articles & e-books, as well as a marketplace to buy and sell conscious products.

Sustainable Travel International - A sustainable travel guide that also offers carbon offsets for your travel.

Green Building Blocks - A green building product & service directory that also features information on green building techniques and ways to promote your green business.

Lime - Lime is a complete green living guide with online TV, radio, mobile, podcasts, shopping and more.

GoodSearch - A search engine that donates 50% of it’s proceeds to the charity of your choice (over 40,000 are currently participating).

Green Building Studio - Online tools for green builders, engineers, building products manufacturers and architects.

Yahoo! Green - Yahoo!’s green information site that includes a pledge to help reduce your environmental impact.

Links: Carbon Footprint Calculators, Other Calculators & Carbon Offsets

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Sun, 04 Nov 2007 14:14:00 +0000

Environmental Defense PaperCalculator - Calculate the environmental impact of the paper products you use.

The Carbon Diet - Track your carbon footprint every day and compare your footprint with those of your friends.

NativeEnergy - Carbon offsets and a travel carbon calculator.

The Nature Conservancy Carbon Calculator - Another carbon footprint calculator.

BeGreen - A carbon calculator and information resource that also offers carbon offsets.

zerofootprint - Helping individuals, organizations, and cities reduce their environmental impact (their goal is to get 1,000,000 people pledging to reduce their environmental footprint by 10% in one year).

Yahoo! Green Carbon Footprint Calculator - Another carbon footprint calculator.

Ecological Footprint Quiz - Find out how much “nature” your lifestyle requires.

terrapass - A carbon offset company that has an emissions calculator.

50 Ways to Green Your Business - Part V

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Sun, 04 Nov 2007 14:07:00 +0000

41 From the department of small moves: This holiday season, Gap Inc. (NYSE:GPS) debuts gift cards made from recycled plastic. And next spring, its Gap and Banana Republic brands will convert their price tags to 100% post-consumer recycled material. It's not exactly retooling an entire soccer-mom wardrobe into sustainable organic cotton, but it does add up: Gap price tags alone account for 10 tons of paper.

42 Looking to create a computer-industry equivalent of LEED certification, the EPA in 2006 created EPEAT, the Electronic Product Environmental Assessment Tool, which rates the "greenness" of computers for large-scale buyers based on 51 criteria such as energy use and amount and types of plastics. Since it began, the program has rated more than 600 computers from 23 companies, which voluntarily submit their products for review. Early adopters include Apple (NASDAQ:AAPL), Dell, HP (NYSE:HPQ), and Lenovo.

43 Last year, U.S. sales of organic food increased 22% to $17 billion, but still accounted for only 3% of all food and beverage sales. To better understand this burgeoning market and the challenges faced by organic farmers, Wegmans supermarkets this year started a 50-acre organic research farm just outside of Rochester, New York. Starting small with just potatoes and tomatoes, the company hopes to develop best practices (read: cost-efficient as well as healthy) for organic farming in the Northeast. Once it gets it figured out, Wegmans hopes to share its findings with the 800 farmers who supply its stores.

44 Wal-Mart is the champ when it comes to twisting suppliers' arms to boost their sustainability efforts (and efficiency). Increasingly, other companies are doing the same--most recently Marriott, which announced it will be scrutinizing everything from its duvets to its shampoos. In true Wal-Mart fashion, suppliers that don't make the grade may end up out on the street.

45 Federal laws on greenhouse-gas emissions are inevitable, so let's get on with it already! That's the logic behind the United States Climate Action Partnership, a big-biz coalition pushing for federal standards. Notably, USCAP includes companies with mixed eco-cred--BP, Rio Tinto, GM (NYSE:GM) --as well as green stalwarts such as Environmental Defense and the Nature Conservancy. Its goals include a mandatory 60% to 80% cut in emissions by 2050 and a uniform nationwide market free of the current patchwork of state regulations. Oh, and fiscal incentives for new technology--a big opportunity for firms like GE, whose CEO Jeff Immelt led the effort to launch USCAP.

46 Another kind of network is sprouting in an old lamp factory in Chicago as Baum Development unveils the Green Exchange, a 250,000-square-foot retail and office space reserved exclusively for green companies. Billed as the country's first "green business community," the development's concept is that proximity will foster the exchange of ideas. Set to open in Fall 2008, the building is already 40% leased, with tenants including an electric-car dealer, energy consultants, and even a green pet-supply store.

47 Before Rick Rubin agreed to run Columbia Records, he made some unorthodox demands: He wouldn't wear a suit, travel, or have a corporate office. He also got Columbia to agree to eliminate plastic jewel cases from CD packaging. Pushing a green agenda during contract negotiations is rare--but maybe not for long. Both Jack Johnson and Pearl Jam have green requirements in their venue riders. How long until an enlightened CEO candidate makes eco-initiatives more important than access to a corporate jet?

48 In 2003, the tiny Presidio School of Management in San Francisco launched an MBA program in sustainable management. So far, only 56 students have walked away with green diplomas, but with 200 clocking in this fall, Presidio is heating up--and preparing for the onslaught of recruiters.

49 On the subject of hiring: Companies everywhere are suddenly clamoring to snag a vice president of sustainability. Or a director of environmental affairs. Someone whose job is to understand the environmental impact of the company and look for ways to turn it inside out. (Why aren't you using your empty roof to generate solar power, anyway?) Ten years ago, the job essentially didn't exist. But in the last two years, it has become common across a startling variety of industries. Starbucks (NASDAQ:SBUX) has one. Ford too. Also Airbus, Albertson's, Alcoa, Alaska Airlines, and Anheuser-Busch (NYSE:BUD). Dow Chemical and DuPont have even given the position C-level heft--chief sustainability officer.

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