Be sustainable, be green and what does it all mean?

Greenwash It’s all around us. 

Some call it a revolution, others a movement.  But clearly, green is in.  And where there’s in, there is marketing opportunity.  There are now green agencies, green marketing blogs, and even new jargon.
 

Let’s face it, green has gone mainstream.  Some of it is genuine while others is really more marketing ploy than true activism or product benefit. 

They even have a name for it already….greenwashing.  CK provides this definition in a recent post.  "Greenwashing is "the act of misleading consumers regarding the environmental practices of a company or the environmental benefits of a product or service."

As with all "hot" trends, these will shake out.  The companies that can sustain it and walk their talk will reap the benefits of the position.  Those who seized the opportunity with much behind the fanfare will be exposed.

I love this story out of the New York Times.  A group of direct mail companies are trying to create some "green standards" like "list hygiene" which basically means taking dead people off their lists.  Come on.

In the meantime, as we all wrap our heads around the green movement, it’s helpful to have a tutorial or two.  And that’s why Mario Vellandi has shifted his blog (Melodies in Marketing) and his efforts to covering topics in sustainability, product development, design and green marketing.

Mario put together an impressive and exhaustive video series while attending the Sustainable Brands 08 conference.  You can find descriptions of each speaker, some summary and analysis of their presentation and of course, view the videos.  (Note:  Some of the videos have been temporarily removed.  But Mario’s blog and efforts are still worth the visit.)

We all have a lot of learning to do.  Mario’s video series is an excellent start!