As someone who works day to day for a business sustainability consulting and research company with its finger on the pulse of consumer perceptions and behaviors around green and sustainable issues, I naturally tend to view my own life as well as friends and family through this same lens.
On July 28, 2010 my second son, Liam Mason was born, and the whole eco-green thing suddenly became much more personal. Along with the countless nights without sleep and droves of family members parading in, through and out of our home, I become an EcoAware Dad!
After about two weeks…I realized…I was taking a completely filled trash bag out to the big black city barrel at least once a day. Even worse, it was jammed full. Those sporty Flintstone tires would be getting a workout this week!
How can a family use that much trash in one day? Diapers, paper plates, toiletries, empty boxes…and my one major pet peeve – my wife’s Zephyr Hills Spring water bottles. Of course this was not “life as usual” but I began thinking about which things could and should be recycled, and what really belonged in the trash. And about what different product choices we could be making to cut back on this disposable avalanche.
Other thoughts also started popping up. As I played “you turn the water off – I’ll turn it back on” with my 18 month son as we brushed our teeth, I thought…someone would have LOVED to have been given that wasted water as a cool and refreshing drink. I think I just heard my Mothers’ voice from the past…”Someone is starving in India and you want to throw those delicious lima beans away?”
What I realized of course is that it’s easy to talk about being green and eco-conscious, but that as a parent it ‘s part of my job to make sure my boys grow up with a clear and concise picture of what a good citizenship of this Earth should be. Time to walk the talk and make sure I am using my awareness to discover and create teaching moments.
Bill Roth, founder of Earth 2017 interviews Linda Gilbert, President of EcoFocus Worldwide on the emerging EcoAware Mom and EcoAware dad who is shaping their procurement decisions to align with wellness and sustainability.
This theme was clearly in focus at the Sustainable Brands Conference in Monterey CA earlier this month (June 7-11, 2010.) Many leaders gathered to discuss these issues and tell or hear stories of successfully deploying change throughout their organizations. These changes will have positive impact on the environment, the employees and most importantly – their customers who really “Get it!”
One clear picture that kept resonating was the fact that consumers are changing the way they purchase goods and services. They are using all the information available to them to make better and more ecologically friendly choices. Correctly, the companies engaging with these consumers are winning, ahead of the curve, and stand to benefit enormously. The game is changing.
“Radical Innovation,” was also a big discussion topic at Sustainable Brands. “Radical” is the ability to re-think the status quo for how a business operates and its impact on the environment. Current thinking, which focuses on lowering usage and reducing consumption, may be be too little, too late. One of many examples of “blue” thinking, was Starbucks Ben Packard, VP Global Responsibility presented “Recycling the Cup: Systems Thinking and the Importance of Getting the Questions Right” along with Peter Senge from the MIT Sloan School of Management.
It showcased a major issue, questions and thought process to redesign the entire ecosystem to radically think of a solution outside of the norm. This presentation was typical of the advanced and yet challenging thinking that is transpiring all around us. It is clearly the beginning of an important paradigm shift. A successful makeover or innovation strategy requires a long term vision…this is where green is being replaced with blue.
Mainstream consumers associate brighter colors with healthier environments, bluer skies and sparkling water with less pollution, and more beautiful living and recreational spaces with less garbage.
What’s Blue and Bigger than Green? This is a question that marketers and brand managers need to start asking themselves as new research from EcoFocus Worldwide is released. While marketers may be envisioning a “green” future for their brands, Americans are coloring the future with “blue”. The 2010 Trend Survey by EcoFocus Worldwide shows that being “green” is just a first step on the way to a more ambitious and sustainable “blue” for consumers. The research shows that for consumers green is here and now. It is often associated with compromise or being on a mission. Sustainability on the other hand, is enduring and associated with enjoying a bluer, brighter world. Mainstream consumers associate brighter colors with healthier environments, bluer skies and sparkling water with less pollution, and more beautiful living and recreational spaces with less garbage.
According to the Trend Survey, 84% of Americans agree that whether you believe in global warming or not, reducing waste and pollution is just common sense. In fact, over two thirds (69%) of Americans say they are ready to make their lifestyles more eco-friendly. They are very pragmatic and economically minded, with small steps and moderate changes being the common approaches for 53% of Americans.
Ironically, the worries of climate change or social responsibility hardly enter into this conversation for mainstream consumers. Consumers are not looking to brands for inspiration, they are looking for practical solutions. Marketers should not confuse responsible and ethical consumerism with mainstream consumer trends because for mainstream consumers the focus is on managing the consequences of consumerism. Brand managers need to:
• Look for ways to marry economic concerns with environmental interests
• Make it effortless (or at least easier) for the mainstream consumer to identify eco-friendly choices
• Focus on pollution and waste, more than climate change
• Focus on family first, and then the greater good.
The EcoFocus research reports that four out of five Americans surveyed agree that “a cleaner planet starts at home”. This means brand managers have to think about innovation that reaches beyond green and the goal of having as little impact as possible to the more ambitious goal of having a positive impact. Messages, products and packaging need to reflect Restore, Renew and Replenish (blue thinking) rather than just Recycle, Reduce, and Reuse (green thinking).
Marketing to Mainstream Trends
EcoFocus Worldwide answers your questions about targeting consumer trends in sustainability. Our recommendations are specific to your business and supported by ongoing consumer research and trends data conducted in the US and EU.
We are your authorities on mainstream trends in green and sustainability choices.
