Paper Mate has introduced a new biodegradable pen as well as a mechanical pencil. They cost a bit more and are designed to be nicer- to help justify the increased price. However, a significant portion of the devices can be recycled in nature and represents a good start to the back-to-school season.
Gil-
Showing posts with label Green. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Green. Show all posts
Monday, July 26, 2010
Saturday, July 10, 2010
Environmentalist Jerks
A recent article in Popular Science (August 2010)highlights a recent study that just being exposed to green products (seeing a green TV ad or going into a health store) created a halo effect that makes people more charitable. However this effect changed quickly. After a green purchase, the green consumers were more likely to lie and steal. Thus, the green consumers think they are receiving a license to do bad things since they have done good thing. The goal is for people to do the right thing without thinking they should receive something for it. Just do it for the environment without expecting to receive any "moral capital."
Tuesday, June 8, 2010
MLB going greener
MLB announced for Earth Day in April a new software system that will collect and analyze environmental data to help stadium operations throughout the league. The different sport leagues will all be getting more involved in environmental causes, but the message is not always successful for some major events. For example, the World Cup in South Africa later this week is expected to generate a carbon footprint of 2.75 million tons (a nine fold increase over the World Cup in Germany four years ago)) and double the carbon footprint form the Beijing Olympics.
One interesting green step was taken by Nike which has made the Jerseys used by nine teams from recycled plastic bottles from Japan and Taiwan. Each jersey is made from around eight plastic bottles melted and made into a thread- which uses around 30% less energy than manufacturing regular polyester.
From Athletic Business, June 2010.
One interesting green step was taken by Nike which has made the Jerseys used by nine teams from recycled plastic bottles from Japan and Taiwan. Each jersey is made from around eight plastic bottles melted and made into a thread- which uses around 30% less energy than manufacturing regular polyester.
From Athletic Business, June 2010.
Wednesday, March 17, 2010
Green v. Dollars
When the battle is between green and green (cash), green is king. That is that green efforts have gone by the wayside for many when economic realities come to play. A recent Gallop poll released on Tuesday of 1,014 Americans produced record low responses associated with the environment. Approximately 53% of respondents indicated that economic growth takes precedence to environmental issues. Only 50% worry a "great deal" about drinking water pollution, 33% are concerned about the loss of rain forests, and 31% are concerned about the extinction of plants/animals. Other findings include:
46% today are concerned about waterway pollution, down from 72% in 1989.
44% today are concerned about toxic waste contamination of the air/water, down from 69% in 1989.
38% today are concerned about air pollution, down from 63% in 1989.
28% today are concerned about global warming, down from 41% in 2007.
Gil-
46% today are concerned about waterway pollution, down from 72% in 1989.
44% today are concerned about toxic waste contamination of the air/water, down from 69% in 1989.
38% today are concerned about air pollution, down from 63% in 1989.
28% today are concerned about global warming, down from 41% in 2007.
Gil-
Green Health Clubs
The International Health, Racquet & Sportsclub Association (IHRSA) just released its first ever Green/Sustainability Survey. Over 130 clubs participated in the study. Results include:
70.7% indicated senior management had a positive perspective on implementing green practices.
33.1% indicated that going green was a high priority.
65% believed implementing green practices would differentiate them from their competitors.
35% indicated that senior management believes green strategies will increase membership growth.
48.9% responded that senior management believes that green practices would increase profits.
For more information visit www.ihrsa.org/research.
Gil-
70.7% indicated senior management had a positive perspective on implementing green practices.
33.1% indicated that going green was a high priority.
65% believed implementing green practices would differentiate them from their competitors.
35% indicated that senior management believes green strategies will increase membership growth.
48.9% responded that senior management believes that green practices would increase profits.
For more information visit www.ihrsa.org/research.
Gil-
Friday, January 29, 2010
Changes in California
http://mikes.prof-in-constr-ind-network.com/2010/01/14/governor-schwarzenegger-announces-first-in-the-nation-statewide-green-building-standards-code/
The article above higlights the California Building Standards Commission adoption of a new standard for facilities built in California requiring them to comply with Green Building Standards Code called CALGREEN.
The article above higlights the California Building Standards Commission adoption of a new standard for facilities built in California requiring them to comply with Green Building Standards Code called CALGREEN.
Thursday, January 21, 2010
Green HR
By Greg Menken Wednesday, January 20, 2010 in MediaPost publication:
Beyond Green PR: Green HR
According to research by Harris Interactive, 36% of American workers would be more inclined to work for a green company, while 59% believe their companies aren't doing enough to improve environmental performance.
Research by the Kenexa Research Institute found that companies supporting sustainability initiatives increase employee engagement levels. These initiatives increase employee pride, overall job satisfaction, and willingness to recommend their employer as a good place to work. Another report from Brockmann and Company shows that companies with sustainability programs have higher customer satisfaction, higher employee satisfaction and higher revenues per employee.
Perhaps most importantly, research finds that younger employees are the most eager to work for eco-friendly companies. As our nation's demographics quickly change, companies will come under intense pressure to compete for these younger workers.
While the Harris Interactive report showed that 52% of baby boomers would like their employers to be eco-friendly, greater than 67% of Generation Y workers wanted the same. A MonsterTRAK survey showed an astounding 92% of young workers would choose to work for an environmentally responsible company.
As baby boomers phase out of the workplace, more and more workers will seek out green employers, giving these companies a competitive hiring advantage over their non-green competitors.
Moreover, the Harris Interactive report showed that nearly a third of workers would be willing to sacrifice salary for the satisfaction of working for a green company. Again, Gen Y workers align much more strongly on this point than baby boomers, with Gen Y workers willing to sacrifice 6.2% of salary, as opposed to only 2.5% for baby boomers.
This evidence makes it clear that companies must take their green marketing beyond their external audience and engage their own employees and potential employees. By extending green marketing beyond PR and into HR (human resources), companies will attract better staff, achieve greater worker satisfaction, and increase profitability.
Great idea. If consumers and employees are equally engaged imagine what we can do.
Beyond Green PR: Green HR
According to research by Harris Interactive, 36% of American workers would be more inclined to work for a green company, while 59% believe their companies aren't doing enough to improve environmental performance.
Research by the Kenexa Research Institute found that companies supporting sustainability initiatives increase employee engagement levels. These initiatives increase employee pride, overall job satisfaction, and willingness to recommend their employer as a good place to work. Another report from Brockmann and Company shows that companies with sustainability programs have higher customer satisfaction, higher employee satisfaction and higher revenues per employee.
Perhaps most importantly, research finds that younger employees are the most eager to work for eco-friendly companies. As our nation's demographics quickly change, companies will come under intense pressure to compete for these younger workers.
While the Harris Interactive report showed that 52% of baby boomers would like their employers to be eco-friendly, greater than 67% of Generation Y workers wanted the same. A MonsterTRAK survey showed an astounding 92% of young workers would choose to work for an environmentally responsible company.
As baby boomers phase out of the workplace, more and more workers will seek out green employers, giving these companies a competitive hiring advantage over their non-green competitors.
Moreover, the Harris Interactive report showed that nearly a third of workers would be willing to sacrifice salary for the satisfaction of working for a green company. Again, Gen Y workers align much more strongly on this point than baby boomers, with Gen Y workers willing to sacrifice 6.2% of salary, as opposed to only 2.5% for baby boomers.
This evidence makes it clear that companies must take their green marketing beyond their external audience and engage their own employees and potential employees. By extending green marketing beyond PR and into HR (human resources), companies will attract better staff, achieve greater worker satisfaction, and increase profitability.
Great idea. If consumers and employees are equally engaged imagine what we can do.
Tuesday, January 5, 2010
How are we Marketing Green?
Green Marketing More of a Trend Than a Fad
Environmental Leader and MediaBuyerPlanner partnered to study Green Marketing through the audiences of five industry publications to help determine if it's a staple or a fad. The report found that 33% of respondents said green marketing was more effective than their normal marketing efforts, with just 7% saying it was less effective. The remainder either did not detect a difference between their regular marketing efforts and their green efforts, or did not know which was more effective. Additional information from the Executive Summary is included for your perusal, and purchase information is available from a link at the conclusion of this Brief.
Companies that view themselves as the most green spend the most on green marketing, observes the report, while those that see themselves as least green spend just a fraction of their marketing budgets on such tactics. Marketers are backing up their beliefs of the company's level of "greenness" with marketing campaigns, rather than creating green campaigns to be part of the trend. The research suggests that management first buys into "greenness" and, later, green marketing, rather than beginning green marketing efforts simply out of a desire to appear green.
71% of firms indicated that they were in the "somewhat green" to "very green" categories, but they tended to believe their customer base thinks them less green than they really arr. This belief is persistent among the respondents, and may indicate why green marketing is on the rise.
Here are some of the key findings explained in the study:
82% of respondents indicated they expect to spend more on green marketing in the future. Among manufacturers, that number is significantly higher. At least half, if not more, of respondents plan to engage in online marketing efforts in the future.
28% of marketers themselves think green marketing is more effective than other marketing messages, compared to 6% of marketers who think it is less effective. Management is even more optimistic, with 46% of them indicating a belief that green marketing is more efficacious. Just 23% of those in operations think green marketing is more effective.
Companies with smaller marketing budgets tend to spend more on green marketing. Firms with a marketing budget of under $250,000 spend just over 26% on green marketing, while those with budgets of more than $50 million spend 6% on green marketing.
The most popular medium for green marketing was the internet, with
• 74.2% of respondents having spent money online, followed by
• Print (49.8%
• Direct (40%)
• Outdoor (7%)
• Radio and TV (7%)
• Mobile (6%)
29% of marketers with budgets between $10 million and $50 million, and 25% of those with budgets of more than $50 million, used outdoor, compared to 7.3% for all marketers.
Mobile was also a popular medium for marketers with the highest budgets:
• 14% of those in the $10 million to $50 million budget category spent money on mobile
• 16% in the more than $50 million budget category spent money on mobile
• Compared to 6% for all marketers
Those firms that used the most trackable media are also those that said green marketing worked better than the average marketing message.
• 48% of respondents who employed direct marketing in their media mix said that it was more or much more effective, much like those who used internet (43%)
• That contrasts with those respondents who had employed TV, 25% of whom said it was more effective than average, indicating that green marketing works better than those who don't or can't measure results think it does.
Direct-oriented media showed the more positive results when asked if customers would pay more for green products or to a green company:
• Of the people who used the two least trackable media, TV and outdoor, only 29% and 25% respectively indicated that customers would pay more
• That compares to 44%, 42% and 46% for internet, print and direct respectively
Larger companies are more likely to target employees rather than customers:
• Companies with media budgets of more than $10 million annually showed a much higher proclivity to have their own employees as their target audience, with customers being targeted in only 70% of their efforts
• Firms with budgets less than $250,000 were about 80% more likely to target customers directly, and only about half targeted their own staff
50% of marketers themselves indicate they have complete or consultative control of green marketing, while 57% of PR folks say that have control of the sustainability program. Sales and operations, on the other hand, are skeptical that marketers have so much control of the sustainability programs, with just 41% and 21% respectively saying control lies in the hands of marketers. However, those in management tended to agree that control of the sustainability program is in the hands of marketers, at 50%.
About half of companies reported that they are consciously taking steps to become more green. The most popular actions are:
• Conserving energy in operations, at 59%
• Changing products to reflect greener values (such as changing ingredients, packaging or intended use), at 54%
And the Executive Summary observes that nearly half of respondents said the decision-makers at their companies hold green marketing in high regard, compared to just 15% who hold it in low regard. Companies with decision-makers who have a low regard for green marketing tend to be those with the larger marketing budgets between $10 million and $50 million per year, where more than a quarter indicated that their decision-makers held green marketing in low regard. Smaller companies, concludes the report, may believe green marketing to be more effective than larger companies do.
Center for Media Research
(c) 2010 MediaPost Communications, 1140 Broadway, 4th Floor, New York, NY 10001
Environmental Leader and MediaBuyerPlanner partnered to study Green Marketing through the audiences of five industry publications to help determine if it's a staple or a fad. The report found that 33% of respondents said green marketing was more effective than their normal marketing efforts, with just 7% saying it was less effective. The remainder either did not detect a difference between their regular marketing efforts and their green efforts, or did not know which was more effective. Additional information from the Executive Summary is included for your perusal, and purchase information is available from a link at the conclusion of this Brief.
Companies that view themselves as the most green spend the most on green marketing, observes the report, while those that see themselves as least green spend just a fraction of their marketing budgets on such tactics. Marketers are backing up their beliefs of the company's level of "greenness" with marketing campaigns, rather than creating green campaigns to be part of the trend. The research suggests that management first buys into "greenness" and, later, green marketing, rather than beginning green marketing efforts simply out of a desire to appear green.
71% of firms indicated that they were in the "somewhat green" to "very green" categories, but they tended to believe their customer base thinks them less green than they really arr. This belief is persistent among the respondents, and may indicate why green marketing is on the rise.
Here are some of the key findings explained in the study:
82% of respondents indicated they expect to spend more on green marketing in the future. Among manufacturers, that number is significantly higher. At least half, if not more, of respondents plan to engage in online marketing efforts in the future.
28% of marketers themselves think green marketing is more effective than other marketing messages, compared to 6% of marketers who think it is less effective. Management is even more optimistic, with 46% of them indicating a belief that green marketing is more efficacious. Just 23% of those in operations think green marketing is more effective.
Companies with smaller marketing budgets tend to spend more on green marketing. Firms with a marketing budget of under $250,000 spend just over 26% on green marketing, while those with budgets of more than $50 million spend 6% on green marketing.
The most popular medium for green marketing was the internet, with
• 74.2% of respondents having spent money online, followed by
• Print (49.8%
• Direct (40%)
• Outdoor (7%)
• Radio and TV (7%)
• Mobile (6%)
29% of marketers with budgets between $10 million and $50 million, and 25% of those with budgets of more than $50 million, used outdoor, compared to 7.3% for all marketers.
Mobile was also a popular medium for marketers with the highest budgets:
• 14% of those in the $10 million to $50 million budget category spent money on mobile
• 16% in the more than $50 million budget category spent money on mobile
• Compared to 6% for all marketers
Those firms that used the most trackable media are also those that said green marketing worked better than the average marketing message.
• 48% of respondents who employed direct marketing in their media mix said that it was more or much more effective, much like those who used internet (43%)
• That contrasts with those respondents who had employed TV, 25% of whom said it was more effective than average, indicating that green marketing works better than those who don't or can't measure results think it does.
Direct-oriented media showed the more positive results when asked if customers would pay more for green products or to a green company:
• Of the people who used the two least trackable media, TV and outdoor, only 29% and 25% respectively indicated that customers would pay more
• That compares to 44%, 42% and 46% for internet, print and direct respectively
Larger companies are more likely to target employees rather than customers:
• Companies with media budgets of more than $10 million annually showed a much higher proclivity to have their own employees as their target audience, with customers being targeted in only 70% of their efforts
• Firms with budgets less than $250,000 were about 80% more likely to target customers directly, and only about half targeted their own staff
50% of marketers themselves indicate they have complete or consultative control of green marketing, while 57% of PR folks say that have control of the sustainability program. Sales and operations, on the other hand, are skeptical that marketers have so much control of the sustainability programs, with just 41% and 21% respectively saying control lies in the hands of marketers. However, those in management tended to agree that control of the sustainability program is in the hands of marketers, at 50%.
About half of companies reported that they are consciously taking steps to become more green. The most popular actions are:
• Conserving energy in operations, at 59%
• Changing products to reflect greener values (such as changing ingredients, packaging or intended use), at 54%
And the Executive Summary observes that nearly half of respondents said the decision-makers at their companies hold green marketing in high regard, compared to just 15% who hold it in low regard. Companies with decision-makers who have a low regard for green marketing tend to be those with the larger marketing budgets between $10 million and $50 million per year, where more than a quarter indicated that their decision-makers held green marketing in low regard. Smaller companies, concludes the report, may believe green marketing to be more effective than larger companies do.
Center for Media Research
(c) 2010 MediaPost Communications, 1140 Broadway, 4th Floor, New York, NY 10001
Thursday, December 31, 2009
Green sport story in 2009
Newsbeat publication from clubindutsry.com listed its biggest stories from 2009 an article about green gyms. Here is the link to the article entitled: Dawn of a Green Revolution: Energy efficiency projects.
http://clubindustry.com/forprofits/0601-energy-projects-club-efficiency/
Gil-
http://clubindustry.com/forprofits/0601-energy-projects-club-efficiency/
Gil-
Wednesday, December 30, 2009
Greening our shelves
There are estimates that there will be 1,500 new products by the end of next year available on store shelves touting green benefits. However, a recent article in MediaPost publications (By David Almy (12/30/2009)) highlights that consumers are not just interested in green, but also simple and straight forward products. This is partly due to the confusion consumers have with all these "green" claims.
Almy writes....
In March 2009, Haagen-Dazs launched a new premium product line called Five. Five was developed with fewer, more recognizable ingredients (the name reflects the number of ingredients in the product: milk, cream, sugar, eggs and a natural flavor such as vanilla bean.) In just eight months, Five sales have grown to account for 10% of Haagen-Dazs business.
The irony here, of course, is that products that aspire to be perceived as green, with their promises of enabling a simpler, less impactful lifestyle, are rife with confusing messages. This confusion in turn perpetuates distrust in the products themselves: according to a recent survey by BBMG, only 5% of respondents trust green claims in advertising.
Thus, make sure your green sport ideas are simple, transparent, and truthful to really engage your customers.
Gil-
Almy writes....
In March 2009, Haagen-Dazs launched a new premium product line called Five. Five was developed with fewer, more recognizable ingredients (the name reflects the number of ingredients in the product: milk, cream, sugar, eggs and a natural flavor such as vanilla bean.) In just eight months, Five sales have grown to account for 10% of Haagen-Dazs business.
The irony here, of course, is that products that aspire to be perceived as green, with their promises of enabling a simpler, less impactful lifestyle, are rife with confusing messages. This confusion in turn perpetuates distrust in the products themselves: according to a recent survey by BBMG, only 5% of respondents trust green claims in advertising.
Thus, make sure your green sport ideas are simple, transparent, and truthful to really engage your customers.
Gil-
Wednesday, December 23, 2009
Green Gardens
The January 2010 issue of Popular Science highlights two ways to have a greener lawn. One strategy is to go electric with all your equipment. One study indicated that nearly 17 million gallons of gas are spilled every year by people trying to fill yard equipment.
The article also highlighted that Toro has released a smart watering system that monitors soil type, climate, water requirements, and other variables to properly water a lawn while reducing water usage. The system is linked to the NOAA satellite network to obtain weather reports to help determine if the sprinklers need to be turned on, and when.
Gil-
The article also highlighted that Toro has released a smart watering system that monitors soil type, climate, water requirements, and other variables to properly water a lawn while reducing water usage. The system is linked to the NOAA satellite network to obtain weather reports to help determine if the sprinklers need to be turned on, and when.
Gil-
Olympic Green
The 2010 Winter Olympics are scheduled to be the most green Olympics to date. All buildings have a minimum LEED Gold certification. The buildings are designed to utilize 50% less water and an equal reduction in energy usage.
Gil-
Gil-
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