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by Rachel Elnar On a sweltering day during the summer, I called my business
partner Michael to ask why he thought it was so hot out. In Michael said he'd been listening to discussion on the radio
about how we're feeling the heat from the greenhouse effect. I felt helpless at
that moment, seemingly waiting for an environmental Superman to whisk away the
threat of our carbon contributions and bring the sprawling metropolis back to
peace. As the days are getting shorter and the downtown air has finally
started to cool off, the dialogue about fighting global warming keeps heating
up. All this talk is changing the way business is being done. Governor Schwarzenegger signed into law the California
Global Warming Solutions Act to impose the reduction of greenhouse gas
emissions down 25% by the year 2020. As the very first emissions-cap initiative
in the nation, the act is expected to encourage new business technology
development in Nationwide, corporations have taken the concern seriously
and started business and marketing initiatives of their own. Wal-Mart wants to
sell 100 million compact fluorescent light bulbs to reduce the amount of carbon
dioxide in our atmosphere, as one bulb is equivalent to taking 1.3 million cars
off the roads. Target and J.C. Penney have begun to sell clothing and bedding
made of bamboo fibers, a sustainable alternative to cotton and the hottest new
"green" material in the eco-fashion boom.
The heat has also affected the stock market. Investors are
rushing to put their money towards a good cause. The new market trend, called
"green investing", is turning attention towards socially responsible
companies (Starbucks, Johnson & Johnson, General Electric) and companies
searching for renewable energy sources (Genecor,
Pacific Ethanol, US BioEnergy). Global warming has created unique niche in marketing to
consumers with the terms "biodegradable", "organic" and
"eco friendly". Just ask consumers how good they feel when they
interact with This is an opportunity for businesses to change the way they
do business and ultimately reposition their brands. Oil companies, who haven't
had the best of press lately, have been making some major changes. BP (British
Petroleum) introduced a new look in 2000 and realigned the company's brand to
BP (beyond petroleum). BP invests in renewable and alternative energy. Royal
Dutch Shell has become on of the world's largest developers of wind farms. DuPont and Chevron are teaming up in efforts to bring corn
ethanol to market. Hopefully, together we can slow down climate change. Ready to help save the planet? Here are three practices that
make a big impact: #1 - Recycle One of the best ways to lessen the landfill is to recycle.
You can do your part by sourcing post-consumer recycled paper for printed
collateral and materials. Post-consumer recycled (PCR) paper is made from paper
waste, available from 10% to 100%, which vary in paper texture, color and
ability to hold ink. Many PCR paper grades are processed chlorine-free reducing
water pollution. Recycled packaging materials and biodegradable foam can be
used to pack products in shipping. #2 - Invest in electronic communications Another great way to lessen pollution is to forego print
altogether. Invest in email, Internet and broadcast communications.
Well-designed e-mail newsletters, PDF materials, online annual reports and
mini-Web sites encourage feedback and community-building. Podcasting
via audio or video is a great way to distribute training, tours, conference
meeting alerts and updates and another method of building report with your fan
base. #3 - Add sustainability to your core values Establish programs that demonstrate leadership and innovation
in responsibility. Cultivate an employee commute program to encourage
carpooling and mass transit use. Purchase renewable energy credits from wind
farms to balance the electricity you use. Support supply chain partners are
vital to a sustainability effort. Every little bit helps. Seems to me that
Superman had an easier time saving the planet. But he was alone in his
fight. Lucky for the business community, it's now a group effort. Posted: © The article above is copyrighted by it's
author. Creative Commons Attribution-NoDerivs
license.
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