What Is Green Marketing

The question on some minds today is, what is green marketing? With a tidal wave of interest now focusing on ways to cut energy consumption and at the same time be ecologically and environmentally correct, the answer to this question can be as varied as the solutions to the global warming debate. Eco marketing can essentially mean the push to raise the public consciousness regarding materials or products that are presumably environmentally safe or friendly. This broad brush moniker can cover a plethora of concepts. Packaging, fuel savings, advertising, building materials, manufacturing processes, and many other facets are included under the umbrella of green marketing ideas.

The now popular trend by many shoppers takes form in the seeking out of businesses that are truly organic or ecologically gracious in nature. So when asking what is green marketing, it may mean simply that the merchant has begun selling only enviormentally friendly products. Both online and onsite stores tout themselves as being "green" by selling everything from organic foods, soaps, gardening supplies and toothpaste, all the way biodegradable trash bags, and fluorescent light bulbs. Other services that will fall under the green marketing ideas shadow are those who assist in disposing of toxic materials, such as worn out electronics, tires, plastics, and other environmentally unfriendly products. New green marketing ideas will spring up exponentially to wrest a market share of a somewhat lucrative commerce interest.

There are some real issues facing the whole eco-friendly business segment at the moment. Products that are pushed on shoppers from this perspective aren't always really that friendly. Biodegradable doesn't always mean that it disappears back into the earth in a positive manner. Indeed some products with that label don't biodegrade at all. Other products that claim carbon offsetting do very little to just that. Since humans around the world leave a carbon emitting footprint through the use of electricity, automobiles, jet travel and other activities deemed as normal, at least to this point in history, products are now being announced as offsetting the carbon footprint to some degree or another. Yet because the term "carbon offsetting" has been used to generically without any testing to back the claim, the government has begun to look into modifying businesses' rights to use the term on products and services until more substantial proof is offered on such claims.

The idea of carbon offsetting has been one of the most popular green marketing ideas embraced by the more affluent consumers all around the world. This idea is based on the concept that a person can "bank" carbon offsetting activities that will negate other carbon producing ones. One prominent European politician recently announced that a private jet excursion, producing several tons of carbon dioxide emissions would be offset with eco friendly lighting at home and a donation to a firm that would plant a number of trees to soak up the carbon emissions of the plane trip. Thus the idea of buying carbon credits was born. To many observers, this kind of conscious salving seems to be a hypocritical way of continuing the excesses of wealth. "There is that maketh himself rich, yet hath nothing: there is that maketh himself poor, yet hath great riches." (Proverbs 13:7)

When the concept of eco-friendly products first began stepping onto the commerce stage in the 70's, very poorly conceived products, from supposed biodegradable detergents that still floated on the tops of rivers to water saving showerheads that barely offered a trickle of water, turned the public off to the idea of sacrificing convenience and annoyance in some cases, for the good of a cleaner earth. One of the answers to what is green marketing is inferior product designs that don't work nearly as well as their more toxic counterparts. To some degree, this perception still exists today, although thousands of products, particularly appliances have earned an energy rating that is a sought after paradigm for all others to achieve. There has been a marked advancement in the effectiveness of ecologically friendly products.

Green marketing ideas also include the move to supply more and more of the world's power through the responsible use of renewable energy resources such as wind, geothermal, hydro and solar power. Over half of all power customers in the United States have the option of choosing some sort of green power as part of their supply source. Depending on the location, choosing green power may actually mean a higher power bill, because of the cost utility companies must to invest in new ways to generate and transport the power. Over six hundred utility companies in thirty states offer green pricing options for their customers. While there is a premium place on these kilowatt hours, some people feel green power is one of the ways America can begin to end its dependence on fossil fuels.

Companies will forever be having to deal with ecological landmines in their advertising campaigns.When the question is asked what is green marketing,it is for certain not what one of America's largest fast food chains devised as a marketing gig in the recent past. For a summer incentive to come in for a meal, the chain offered miniature versions of the most fuel inefficient vehicles in the country. During the summer, children could collect eight different colors of the largest models of the car brand, sending the signal to some ecologically aware children that apparently the fuel crisis, real or contrived, had suddenly ended. Parents with real environmental concerns raised a fire storm of protest over the seemingly "ungreen" approach to the chain's marketing strategy. Like it or not, advertising executives will have to contend with the eco questions ever before them.

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