Going green to make green

I wrote this morning in iMediaConnection about ways companies big and small can “green” their brands. The core idea behind the column was that all of us – no matter the product, service industry or audience – can do things throughout our companies to lessen our impact on the world we live in.

What’s interesting to me is the debate this story has generated about global warming – specifically whether or not it’s happen, and whether or not we caused it (and therefore should do things to reverse that impact).

To me, the idea of greening our companies and brands is indifferent to that conversation. Whether or not you believe in global warming and our role in causing it doesn’t actually matter.

The idea of greening your business and brand simply makes business sense. Short-term, there’s no reason why companies can’t leverage consumer interest in sustainability to focus on authentic, meaningful business practices that align with those consumer interests. As long as the initiatives created and promoted are pure and authentic, then it represents no more than a company or brand aligning its product and marketing strategy with what their customers also care about.

Long-term, however, the current froth about “being green” will subside. What will likely remain is an organic (no pun intended) interest in lessening our footprint and impact on the world around us, and in doing so save ourselves (and our businesses) money by changing our business practices.

Green business practices that end up costing a company money won’t be around very long. Practices that reduce a company’s footprint and either make it more money, or save it money on the bottom line, will themselves be sustainable.

Read more here (and, as always, thank you to iMedia for the opportunity).