Forums: Discussions for entrepreneurs and small business.

Thanks for bringing this issue up as an ongoing topic.  It`s important to me. 

Standing lean and green.

JoAnne

I am formulating a line of "Green" hair car products for a private medical practice, which I hope to take national, but the sheer number of "Green" hair care products scares me.  I think I may have missed the boat as I cannot find a angle to differentiate me from the other guys.

My advice is to act quickly as "Green" is becoming very popular.

To your point Richmeister--
Here`s an interesting article about green marketing.
Basically, what I got out of it is that green is good, but, you have to couple it with other advantages--like value.
The rules of marketing and sales don`t go into the trash... I mean... the recycle bin, just because your product is "green."

Rich, you are right!  The rewards from going green is much greater than any  marketing or business advantages.  Going green will be force on all of us.  You can go screaming in the future when you have no choice or feel good that you did now.  We all know our current government will never do anything about it that is real, they are too busy with more important things that side track us from the real issues.

Oops...Now look what you did, you got me started...

I couldn`t agree more. Ultimately, green is going to become essential to compete in the mainstream marketplace. It`s going to be expected that companies operate on sustainable principles for the majority of consumers, and leanring about the issues now and implementing these practices is the best way to ensure future success.

• Stricter environmental regulations
• Incentives for businesses that implement sstainable practices
• Real, meaningful standards for what "sustainable" and "green" really mean

Roughstock, you make good points but let me tell you about my side of things.  I live in Southwest Florida where things are different.  I have fought a losing battle for over 30 years now with our local government to have planned development, better use of our resources, and to save our environment.  I have until recently been mostly alone.  I have watched our government turn their backs on the environment to allow for runway growth.  They make more money by doing this in taxes and believe me they know how to spend it.  Greed currently drives our government not voters wishes.  Now that they (and we) have allowed this massive destruction, they all say we need to go green.  Duh!  We are nearly out of fresh water.  We have huge fires to deal with during drought.  We don’t use alternate power sources because of contracts with gas companies and our power companies.  (They are even talking about adding a new coal power plant!)  We do not use solar power as we should and we live in the sunshine state.  We all have electric water heaters that are power wasters instead of solar versions.  We have lost most of the wild life in the area including several endangered ones.  We have causing red tide that is destroying aquatic life.  And there is much more that I will not bore you with that our government should be addressing and they are instead working on issues that have no barring on the real issues of the citizens while they are saying we should go green.  I must also say our Federal government isn’t doing much better.

Like Lee Iacocca says “Let’s look at what is working.”  I feel we all need to take on this responsibility because I do not trust our government today to do it right.  They are being misguided by donations.  Maybe in the future if more voters get more involved and we get some real leaders back in office, we might be successful.  Right now they are just going through the motions in most locations.  I do think it is great that people are now talking about this issue and actually starting to do something about it.  I don’t feel so all alone any more and it has renewed my faith in the fact we might all change our wasteful ways.  I also think talking about this at SUN is a great addition!  You are right.  Business can have a huge effect in the solution.  In many ways some business have been the source of our problems.

Business people like you and the California government need to be commended for all that is starting to happen there.  It is a good start but this is huge challenge.  I wish Florida and several other states along with our Federal government would get on board too.

I hope this better explains my point of view and I definitely feel we all need to take on the responsibility.  I like your enthusiasm!  Sorry to make this so long!

I agree technology is a key.  Subjects like science, math and other school subjects being taught in our schools are also important.  We need smart people to do green right. 

I also agree you that we need to be after the local government constantly.  I am sure they consider me a radical just for that reason.  Unfortunately we put the wrong people in office here in Florida, so no matter what was said to them, they did what big money told them to do.  The last election made some changes and I am sure the next one will do more.

I think a better way to change the government is to study carefully who we vote for at election time.  Voting can let your green feelings come to life.  And everyone needs to vote!  If my sources are correct, only 45% of the people that could have voted, voted in the last presidential election.  This is very sad.  When we vote we need to look at each candidate like we were hiring them for a job.  I like Lee Iacocca`s suggestion that the next president should tell us who they are going to use for their cabinet before we vote.  But I am sure that will not happen.  Regardless, we need to take this job seriously if we are to really make a change.