“Going green.” What does that mean?
For many businesses “going green” serves as the tagline for sustainable and environmentally-friendly initiatives.
How exactly do businesses and entrepreneurs incorporate sustainable practices into everyday corporate life?
In today’s world, corporations can consult a variety of resources to “go green.” Simple changes, like investing in fluorescent light bulbs or turning off power strips at the end of the day, really contribute to energy reduction.
Many businesses nationwide claim to “go green.” However, this single statement says a lot more than just two words.
Entrepreneurs inadvertently use the phrase “going green” to sell their corporations. While companies may not intend to use this form of misguided marketing, it definitely serves as a prevalent source of deceptive advertising.
Modern consumers invest their money in the products and goods they buy, so naturally they want to know where they’re items are coming from. Companies that claim to practice “green” habits, attract customers. This mentality relates the business to other modern issues, humanizing the company. Customers want to know that the people that take their money are also invested in them and their concerns.
If businesses commonly engage and advertise “green” practices, where does the problem lie?
Unfortunately, companies that claim to promote sustainability don’t necessarily practice what they preach.
Driven by superficial means, companies often implement short-term sustainable practices rather than long-term solutions. While recycling a plastic bottle here and turning off a light there adds up, companies don’t often promote initiatives that will persist into the future.
Many people wonder if legislation or guidelines for these parameters exist. Unfortunately, the only legislation that currently subsists simply requires companies to submit quarterly reports of their green initiatives and results.
With the pressure of positive publicity and time constraints, companies seek out the easiest and fastest means of implementing sustainable practices. The result? Companies only attack the problem on the surface.
Consumers and investors want to see the fruits of their labor. Unfortunately, truly effective sustainable practices require a substantial amount of time before companies can experience a truly rewarding return. But, in our world, time is of the essence and people want tangible proof.
Not all companies engage in such skin-deep practices. In fact, many corporations nationwide strive to achieve overall sustainability. This trend will continue to grow in the years to come, hopefully leading to a sustainable corporate world that works harder to sustain a business’ carbon footprint than solely to promote a temporary reputation.
I don’t think going green as an advertising ploy is necessarily a bad thing. Let’s be honest, we live in a society where consumerism, supply and demand rule the world. But is that a bad thing? If the end result is still being accomplished, who cares where the motivation is coming from?
If consumer culture decides that going green is what they want – what’s “in” – and companies answer the call, the world is still becoming more sustainable, just as it would be if companies took it upon themselves to become “green.”
And every little bit helps. For example, when water bottle companies change the shape of their bottles, they reduce the amount of plastic used. Plastic still isn’t the best choice, but at least less is being created.