The current economic crisis has caused some in the sustainable marketing field to wonder if companies are going to shift their focus away from environmental responsibility as money gets tight. Of course those of us in the field know that when done right, sustainable marketing can actually SAVE MONEY.

Here are some ways to make lean, green initiatives part of your company’s belt-tightening efforts:

Cut Waste
It almost goes without saying, but now is a better time than ever to go after the proverbial low-hanging fruit. Simple waste reduction strategies can free up badly needed cash while generating measurable environmental benefits.

Moving from paper to electronic communications is another tried and true source of savings for the earth and the bottom line. Verizon has not only saved more than $8 million in paper and administrative costs by getting more than 3 million customers to sign up for paperless billing, it also saved another $2.7 million by moving its payroll, training, and HR systems online. You can find more examples of such initiatives here.

Invest in Efficiency
While the financial crisis has led us all to rethink the risk profile of our investments, it is important to remember that energy efficiency projects are still relatively safe ways to deploy capital. Oil prices may have fallen from their highs this summer, but the price is still far above what it was only few years ago (the price was under $30 per barrel in 2003), and the price of electricity is still rising. Even if energy prices remain where they are, many energy efficiency investments will be worthwhile.

The McKinsey Global Institute just published a report stating that economic uncertainty can drive more investment in energy efficiency, particularly in the developed world, because efficiency costs less than meeting demand through new energy supplies.

What’s more, investing in energy efficiency now puts your business in a better position to examine clean energy choices later. Lower energy needs will mean you will need smaller, less capital-intensive renewable energy systems to provide green power.

Tunnel Through the Cost Barrier
Amory Lovins, Hunter Lovins, and Pawl Hawken introduced this concept in Natural Capitalism. In short, tunneling through the cost barrier means designing highly efficient products and processes so that they require less capital than traditional systems. Rather than waiting for five-, three-, or even one-year paybacks on equipment, you can be in the black on day one. How? By designing whole systems to be so efficient that they require smaller energy sources. For example: A well-insulated building requires a smaller HVAC system. Better-designed piping requires smaller pumps.

Spend Time Rather Than Money
The approaches above shouldn’t be capital-intensive, but they can be information-intensive and communication-intensive; they require plenty of thinking and cooperation to implement effectively. In a white-hot economy, it can be difficult to take the time for this level of planning. But during a slowdown, you may have the luxury to think things through more. One best practice is to convene design charrettes - meetings of designers, builders, and those impacted by design decisions - long before a project gets off the ground. By including participants all along the value chain in the process, you can avoid the hang-ups and do-overs that cause costs to escalate, while creating a greener, better outcome.

Sustainable thinking makes perfect sense in a slowing economy. Whether your priority is efficiency, re-engineering, or deepening trust with customers, employees, and other stakeholders, there’s a lean, green strategy that’s right for you.

Learn more by visiting my website for Harvest Design & Marketing.

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source: Harvard Business Publishing

Most people in business, community, and government are focusing on tactical and survival-based responses in order to deal with the current financial crisis. I would suggest that sustainability initiatives are an essential element for everyone to consider in order to minimize financial imbalances and limit overhead.

This is a time when it is important for pay very close attention to what you spend. That doesn’t always mean that spending needs to be frozen, but it does mean that value is a more important consideration than ever.

I have found that the sustainable marketing message is becoming increasingly attractive to my clients. At Harvest we show clients how to reduce resource use, reduce environmental impact, and reduce overall expense. Cumulatively these benefits help their companies be more socially responsible which is a critical response to the current environmental crisis. But responsible spending is absolutely essential in this atmosphere of economic crisis.

So many people focus exclusively on the environmental aspects of sustainable business. But there is an opportunity to drive home the message that this practice is a very practical solution to tightening budgets with a continued demand to increase sales.

If you are looking for more information for your home or business, make sure you look through the links listed on the right of this page. There are some excellent resources for learning more. Or feel free to contact me if you are in the Omaha area and I can share what I know.

The Pollution Prevention Regional Information Center (P2RIC) strives to improve resource sharing for waste reduction between the programs, businesses, and agencies of EPA Region 7 (Iowa, Kansas, Missouri, Nebraska). P2RIC shares success stories in Region 7 as a way to increase dialogue for businesses wishing to implement sustainable practices.

Recently, the P2RIC contacted me to speak with them about the differences between Greenwashing and Sustainable Marketing. Greenwashing is not a complementary term, it is ‘the practice of making an unsubstantiated or misleading claim about the environmental benefits of a product, service, technology or company practice.’

In the recent rush to go green, greenwashing has oftentimes become synonymous with green  marketing - which makes the job of marketing a company’s genuine green efforts all the more difficult. It can be easy, if not even tempting, for a company to slip into the unsavory realm of greenwashing. According to local marketing specialist Ryan Atkinson, “the current environmental movement has been used as a marketing tool to try and attract new customers.”

Atkinson is President of Harvest Design and Marketing, an Omaha-based company that began in 2007 as a firm dedicated not to green marketing,  but rather, to sustainable marketing. So, what’s the difference? According to Atkinson, it’s not merely to attract customers with greenness, but to build a green ethic into a company’s overall marketing strategy. “If they have a sincere desire as a company to reduce their environmental impact, that’s where sustainable marketing as I see it comes into play.”

To learn more, click the link below to listen to the audio file.

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Listen to Interview

Audio file requires Quicktime Player, free download here.

Deloitte has just released a whitepaper on developing corporate responsibility and sustainability strategies. The paper offers information on the risks and rewards of such strategies.

As a consulting firm, Deloitte offers a variety of services. It has relatively recently began advising clients on the benefits of sustainability.

With business practices under increasing scrutiny by regulators, analysts, media and stakeholders, corporate responsibility and sustainability (CR&S) is fast becoming a critical issue for companies. Yet confusion exists over CR&S and the best approaches to it. Is CR&S mainly about charity? ‘Green’ business? Human rights? Pro bono work? All of the above?

This paper offers insight into why a strategically driven CR&S program is critical to a company’s survival — beyond the ‘feel good’ factor of charity — and outlines a suggested CR&S approach.

Among the questions addressed in the paper:

• Where should companies focus their CR&S initiative?
• What activities should they be reporting on?
• What impact will CR&S have on their bottom line?
• What are the major risks?

The whitepaper is available for free as a PDF you can download from Deloitte’s website.

Over half of Americans ages 15-34 are actively using online social networks (e.g., Facebook, MySpace), spending on average more than seven hours per week on such websites and driving the growth of overall time spent online.

For those 35 and over, the percentage of social network users drops, but is still tens of millions of people. Participation in social networks continues to grow, though more slowly than in prior years, as more people seek to connect, share and collaborate with sometimes far-flung family, friends, business colleagues and other likeminded individuals online.

Today, hundreds of millions of online users have already joined at least one social network, with an increasing number belonging to more than one. About 40% of all social networkers say they use social networking sites to learn more about brands or products they like, with 28% saying that a friend has recommended a brand or product to them.

For marketers, social networks represent a unique and potentially more personable way to communicate with customers in a environmentally responsible way. Those users can be found across a wide variety of social networks, including both general interest and vertically focused networks that connect people interested in environmental and social responsibility.

In addition to the list of over 50 notable green social networks we’ve identified, there are hundreds more that pop up with the term ‘green’ in their names that use platforms, like Ning, that allow anyone to create their own social networks. Probably hundreds more with terms like environmental, sustainable, eco, etc.

There are a number of ways marketers can integrate social networks into their marketing mix. Among them are to (1) create profiles or pages, and start groups on existing social networks; (2) integrate marketing campaigns with social profiles and tools (e.g., video, podcast, fanbase); (3) start their own social network; and (4) advertise on social networks.

With any of these tactics, some real effort and/or budget are required for success. That’s why rather than a scatter shot approach, it’s important to choose the right social networks for your organization, brand and objectives, and then commit the time to give your efforts a chance to work.

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Source: SRB Marketing

Yesterday I rode my bike over to the UNO campus and the KVNO studios to record a podcast for the Pollution Prevention Regional Information Center (P2RIC).

P2RIC is federally funded and tasked with providing information and resources to businesses, agencies, and P2 specialists in EPA Region 7 (Nebraska, Iowa, Kansas, and Missouri). They find ways to encourage resource and information sharing in the P2 community.

The ‘Success Stories‘ project at P2RIC aims to tell the stories of businesses who are going green in a viable manner in order to provide models and encouragement to other businesses. I met Rick Yoder, one of the key player in the program, through the Green Omaha Coalition. After sharing information about Harvest, he asked me to submit a company profile for consideration as a ‘Success Stories’ feature.

Over this last month I went through a submission process and preliminary interview. My approach to sustainable marketing was apparently interesting enough that it was worth sharing. So yesterday I met with Jennifer Korrell in the studio and recorded an interview that will be featured soon by P2RIC.

When the podcasts are online I’ll post a link.

Forbes reports, that business and government executives from across the U.S. gathered in Washington to exchange ideas on energy efficiency. The forum was a run-up event to the annual energy efficiency conference hosted by Johnson Controls, a Wisconsin-based company specializing in improving auto and building efficiency.

The focus of the gathering was to share ideas for improving energy efficiency that didn’t necessarily require a significant in technology. One of the primary focuses was on resource reduction in order to get the most out of what is available. This is also the strategy that Harvest uses in helping clients implement sustainable marketing programs.

UPS was noted as an example of using behavioral changes to reduce resource use. “Two years ago Big Brown established a policy instructing its drivers to save energy and gasoline by turning off their vehicles at even the briefest stops. Through a specialized computer system developed by UPS itself, the company discovered that by not idling their trucks, drivers ran their engines an average of 24 minutes less per day, for a savings of $188 per driver each year. Doesn’t sound like a lot, but with more than 90,000 drivers worldwide, that translates into a cost savings of close to $17 million annually.”

Forbes wrote up a list of 10 money-saving efficiencies that the group came up with:

Lighting Improvements
Compact Fluorescent lamps, which lasts up to 15,000 hours longer than the standard bulb, can save up to 75 percent in energy costs.

Reducing Vehicle Idling
By not letting vehicles idle, UPS saves about $190 per driver per year. And with more than 90,000 drivers under its wings, that about $ 17.1 million in savings.

Building Orientation
Buildings facing north-south instead of east-west can reduce energy consumption by as much as 20 percent. “E” or “H” shaped offices maximizes sunlight and window area, reducing light costs. While long, thin buildings maximize natural ventilation.

Green Roofing
Reduce cooling costs by planting green roofs to soak up sunlight during the day. Light-colored roofs can also reduce cooling expenses by about 40 percent because it reflects light.

Water Recycling
Industrial cooling to irrigation can be taken care of with reused or treated water.

Maximizing Thermal Efficiency
Save as much as 40 percent on thermal heating costs by maximizing the efficiencies of the entire production line instead of individual components. Operate furnaces and boilers at or close to design capacity. Restricting loose air used for combustion will lead to heat savings.

Bicycles
Use bikes as a form of transportation. This will reduce traffic and carbon emissions. In 2007 Paris made more than 20,000 bicycles available to subscribers, similar pilot programs are also planned in the U.S.

Energy Auditing
Have your building audited for wasteful energy to determine what efficiency improvements are needed. Reducing drafts alone can save around 30 percent in energy costs per year.

Driving the Speed Limit
Drive slow, fast driving wastes gas. Keeping tires properly inflated could also improve gas mileage by about 3 percent. Keeping the car light by emptying out unwanted items from the truck can also improve the car’s efficiency.

Lobbying
Lobby congressmen to renew policies such as the federal tax credits for residential energy efficiency improvements, which expired at the end of 2007.

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Source: Environmental Leader

There is a major shift in the meetings and conventions industry toward holding environmentally friendlier events. Holding a green meeting is “no longer a quirky, nice thing to do,” said Joel Makower, executive editor of GreenBiz.com. “It’s something that increasingly is being asked, if not demanded, by meeting producers.”

Why is this an issue? If not closely monitored, thousands of conventioneers can accrue plenty of waste in just a couple of days. For example, a five-day event with 2,200 people could produce one ton of plastic waste in the form of disposable serving pieces alone. There is a massive amount paper consumption and waste from unused or ineffective promotional materials. And who hasn’t seen the piles and piles of trash heaped by the trade show aisle at booth set up and tear down?

Not surprisingly, companies with the environment in mind, such as the U.S. Green Building Council and the National Recycling Coalition, have been on board with green meetings for years. But in the past 18 months, companies from a wide range of sectors have begun planning more sustainable events.

Many companies and meeting planners have been pleasantly surprised that producing green meetings can be cost effective. Some elements do cost more, but the increase in efficiency can offset the expense.

For example, using pitchers of water instead of individual bottles might cancel out the cost of organic food. Companies now offer attendees the ability to review company information online instead of printing expensive and wasteful informational materials.

There is an ever-widening selection of eco-friendly booths hitting the market that can make this durable investment less harmful. When companies feel they need to offer giveaways to attendees, there are now green trade show promo options available.

There may never be a perfectly sustainable conference, but that isn’t a reason to start taking steps today that will make a big difference tomorrow.

Monadnock Paper Mills, Inc. announced the release of the third edition of its how-to guide for creating more sustainable print materials. The publication, A Field Guide: Eco-Friendly, Efficient and Effective Print is a single resource that objectively details alternative design decisions that impact sustainability without sacrificing style or effectiveness.

The guide presents information from choosing paper to recycling the finished piece including paper types, paper contents, chemical labeling, sizing to reduce paper waste, inks and coatings, finishing techniques, binding, printing processes and the use of environmental logos. New information in the third edition of A Field Guide includes a full chapter dedicated to eco marketing, eco claims and the topic of “greenwashing”, as well as new information on inks and finishing.

“We are very pleased that our Field Guide has become a leading industry resource for furthering sustainable decision making in the field of graphic arts” said Richard Verney, Chairman and CEO of Monadnock Paper Mills “The Third Edition continues Monadnock’s commitment to provide graphics professionals with the tools and knowledge to impact sustainability throughout the design and production processes.”

Part of the guide’s popularity with users is that it doesn’t tell them what to do nor does it advocate that they follow every suggestion. Rather, it provides detailed information on decisions that impact sustainability in the design processes and offers environmentally preferable choices that can be made at each stage.

The guide is available in PDF format and printed copies may be ordered through Monadnock’s website.

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Source: Manadnock press release of 06.10.08

The ‘green’ movement has certainly made a lot of money for advertising agencies in the last couple of years. Who would have thought that making a bunch of water droplet logos or integrated recycled emblems would help an exec pay for a beach house in Bermuda?

Now that the ‘green’ trend is starting to wear on the patience of the marketplace, some agencies are starting to realize that there is something more to the concept of sustainability than just a sales message.

A recent Advertising Age article suggests that agencies were drawn into the green movement in order to promote the sustainable aspects of client businesses. Now these agencies are providing measureable tools for clients, as well as changing their own operations to become more sustainable.

PHD has teamed up with a researcher from the University of California, Berkeley, to measure the environmental impact of each media channel — for instance, the amount of electricity required to power a 30-second spot.

Using those data, an Environmental Media Sustainability Index is created for media planners. The software tool shows how green options, such as solar-panel billboards, can lessen a media plan’s environmental hazards.

Other agencies have done things like develop sustainable options and green alternatives in print production, developed internal sustainability teams, sponsored environmental charities and initiatives and developed paperless invoicing and proposals

Independent digital agency IMC2 recently launched Clear Sky Digital Media, a free online tool marketers can use to calculate the carbon footprints of their online campaigns. Clear Sky Digital Media, developed with ICF International and an environmental researcher at Stanford University, converts online media buys into a kilowatt-hour measure of the energy necessary to support their delivery. That measurement is translated into carbon emissions and then used to determine the cost of purchasing reliable offset credits from organizations that fund emission reductions.

I’m glad to see that Harvest isn’t alone in the world of agencies, in fact, we’ve got some pretty good company. We’ve been working to aggressive paper reduction strategies for our clients. We’ve been working hand-in-hand with the best printers in town to reduce waste on every project. We been wired in with all of the major paper suppliers to stay abreast on all of the latest environmentally friendly printing options. And we’ve been driving as many projects online as much as possible.

I find that the marketing departments at companies that I work with tend to be more progressive than the organization as a whole. It is rewarding when they approach me to help them develop solution that help them stretch their budget and at the same time reduce environmental impact. It looks like other agencies are starting to find that out too.

Procter & Gambler (P&G) has certainly been guilty of creating our consumer culture and our reliance on synthetic chemicals to maintain our lifestyles. It is always difficult to measure the sincerity of a company of this size when they start discussing sustainable initiatives. Are they just Greenwashing?

But regardless, marketers should always be aware of what is happening in the field. And this BrandWeek interview highlights some of the efforts that P&G is putting into sustainable reforms, including packaging reduction and monitoring paper sources.

In the interview, Len Sauers, VP-Sustainability at P&G, shares the company goals. One of the more important elements to consider is that P&G has measured customer behaviors to determine that only ~5-10% of consumers (my least favorite word, followed closely by hate) will accept higher cost for eco-friendly products. While ~50-75% of consumers consider environmental issues important but aren’t willing to pay more.

Mr. Sauers states, “However [consumers] will choose a product that claims environmental benefits if it meets all their other needs: performance, value, cost, etc.”

I believe that customer behaviors are changing, or are being forced to change, faster than P&G anticipates. They have a vested interest in maintaining the status quo after all. But the fact that smart sustainability can reduce a company’s operating costs while still delivering a high quality product is a feather in the cap of sustainable marketing.

Customers want green products, companies want to keep making profits, sustainable marketing delivers a sales message in a way that reinforces green values while keeping promotional budgets in check.

A common topic for me to discuss is direct mail. So many people hate it, mostly because they are overwhelmed by the piles of useless (poorly produced) garbage that shows up in their mailbox each day. I respect the desire to reduce paper use, so I am a staunch advocate of getting the ‘junk’ out of ‘junk mail’. I think that well planned, designed and produced direct mail made from recycled or sustainably harvested forestry can be an effective and sustainable marketing tool.

The Direct Marketers Association (DMA) Director of Corporate Responsibility Serenity Edwards has been promoting ways for marketers to become good corporate citizens and to run a financially sound business. She stresses that one of the real benefits of being environmentally friendly is the positive impact the practice can have on a company’s the bottom line.

She encourages marketers to review The Green 15, which is comprised of 15 environmental practices divided into five key areas:

• List Hygiene & Data Management
• Mail Design & Production
• Paper Procurement & Use
• Packaging
• Recycling & Pollution Reduction

The Green 15 is an excellent primer for any business aiming to implement more sustainable marketing practices in their operations.

I just got a note from Renze Display in Omaha, they have been named the exclusive regional dealer for Eco-Systems Sustainable Exhibits. This is great news. I work closely with Renze on projects for clients all of the time. They have been really responsive to the sustainability initiatives that I’m promoting through Harvest. This development means that opportunities for green-built, portable and modular, exhibit systems have just been greatly increased for my clients.

It is so nice to be able to go to a trusted local vendor, and get the products that we need. I’m really getting tired of combing the internet for all of these suppliers. It shouldn’t be hard to promote sustainable marketing.

What Renze is telling me so far is that Eco-Systems’ exhibits are developed with environmentally responsible materials benchmarked to the Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) Green Building Rating System of the U.S. Green Building Council. They are built using a variety of recycled materials, recyclable materials, and materials derived from recycled content. From what I see on their website, they use 100% recycled aluminum, bamboo plywood, sorghum board, water based stains and finishes, biocarpet, Eco-Spun materials, LED lights, and a variety of flooring materials.

I look forward to learning more about these products, and can’t wait for the first chance to help a client implement them.