OUR top sustainability trends for 2008
The green business movement continues to grow in the New Year. If a company wants to be taken seriously by its customers and investors, it must take sustainability seriously. 2007 was the year in which forward looking corporations pledged to build for LEED certification and go carbon neutral. As these sustainable processes become more commonplace, how will the bar be raised in 2008? Here are The Element Agency's picks for the top green trends for 2008.
One - Greenwashing charges increase
You may want to hold off spray-painting your company's logo "green" now that you have a recycling bin in every office. The bar has been raised and firms that do not deliver on their green claims will be called out by environmentalists as "greenwashers." In the age of the blogosphere, anyone with a WordPress account can discredit your entire $100 million ad campaign. Reach out and engage a variety of stakeholders and commit to a plan for sustainability. Don't just proclaim you are now green, work towards becoming more sustainable. And communicate your efforts honestly.
Two - Blue becomes the new green
Tons of companies are starting to measure the tons of C02 they emit each year. But what about water? And we are not just talking about your Poland Spring bottles. Fresh, clean water is becoming scarcer as globalization kicks developing economies into an even higher gear. Some green tech start-up companies like NanoH2O are already trying to tackle this problem. Expect greater public scrutiny over water waste and pollution. We might even see a few cutting-edge companies start to measure their "hydro footprints."
Three - Global warming is also framed as a moral issue
Throw the stereotypes into your mulch garden. The threat of global warming transcends petty political lines and groups often associated with the Republican Party are demanding action in their communities and capitol buildings. Churches are going green and leaders like Rev. Richard Cizik, vice president of the National Association of Evangelicals (NEA) have become climate crusaders. There is now an Evangelical Climate Initiative as the faithful argue we have a moral duty to be stewards of the earth.
Four - IT goes green
How are we going to power the growing datacenters like Google's famed cloud without harnessing human energy, a la the "Matrix"? So far software companies have been "mum" about their energy usage. Expect that to change in 2008 as IT goes green. Major players like Dell, Microsoft, HP and Intel have launched The Green Grid to coordinate the industry's efforts. We definitely need more information about what IT companies are doing to tackle energy consumption.
Five - China may stay red, but it's sprinting towards green
The world is anxiously awaiting China's coming out party at the 2008 Olympic Games in Beijing. The country is doing everything it can to boost its eco-credentials, including constructing thousands of "Green" certified hotels just for the games. Nevertheless, Beijing residents have the lowest public satisfaction with the environment, in all of China. With the spotlight shining brightly on the world's factory, how will environmentalists react to what they see? Will the US still be able to cite China's quick growth as a reason not to sign international emissions reduction targets? Stay tuned to the Games this summer.
And be sure to stay tuned to My Green Element, The Element Agency's blog on sustainable business and marketing trends. We welcome guest contributors and look forward to continuing the discussion of all things green in 2008.
沒有留言:
張貼留言