Green Marketing

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‘Green is the new Black’

The statement and sentiment behind ‘green is the new black’ has been bandied around in recent times, an indication that ‘going green’ is in vogue, supported by influential people and increasing public awareness of climate change (Filiegelman J, 2010). Consequently, consumers are demanding more environmentally friendly products and services, and in response, companies are working towards providing them with eco-innovations that ‘consist of new or modified processes, techniques, practices, systems and products to avoid or reduce environmental harms’ (Jansson J, 2010). This is a positive trend, because, let’s face it, just about every item we buy, use and dispose of, has had, or will have, some kind of impact on the environment. From the clothes we wear, the car we drive, the house we live in, the food we eat, the technology we use… all these things and more are well and truly embedded in our different lifestyles and societies and will be for years to come. But if we are to try and reverse some of the damage done to planet earth, then we need to get smarter about what we use, how it’s made and how we dispose of it.

But, are we responsible for Climate Change?

The message conveyed in the documentary “An Inconvenient Truth” (Guggenheim, 2006) in which Al Gore, ex US Vice President, presents a graphically visual slideshow showing the effects of climate change, is that the Industrial Revolution and increase in population and subsequent carbon emissions are the primary contributors to increased greenhouse gases in the earths atmosphere causing global warming and climate change (Australian Academy of Science, 2008).

The actual causes of climate change are the subject of much debate and many question some of the longstanding analysis, claims and evidence put forward in the film (Lovgren 2006), as well as the credibility of the presenter Al Gore being a political figure (Nordberg 2007). As the debate continues, there...