Green Options

Today, we are at an important crossroads in our industry. Acceptance of green products and lifestyles is on the rise. The more we can do to help gain the trust of the consumer the more likely they are to embrace products that help make a difference. This is not only good for business; it is good for the environment. And after all is said and done, that is what matters most.

There is a lot humankind can – and must – do to reduce its impact on the environment, but we cannot eliminate our impact entirely. The very act of breathing produces greenhouse gas. It is no more possible to come up with a 100% green product than it is to live a 100% green lifestyle. At the end of the day, it is all about compromise, sacrifice and trade-offs. This is a concept with which any successful ecopreneurist must come [...]

Generally speaking, social entrepreneurs are not involved with greenwashing (at least not blatantly or intentionally). However, being an ecopreneurist does not automatically give you immunity from scrutiny. The fact that so many companies have jumped on to the green bandwagon has created an environment of skepticism among potential customers that any company claiming to be green must overcome.

For many, people, reducing their impact on the environment is not a fad; it’s a way of life. We need to do what we can to support and encourage more people to take environmental stewardship seriously. By painting everything with the same green brush, the marketing community is running the risk of hurting the very movement on which it is trying to capitalize. This is simply something we must not allow to happen.