Suddenly the old cliche, there are no problems only opportunities, sounds downright brilliant to me. The dire problem of climate change has created perhaps the biggest business opportunity of the 21st century. Like it or not, the Green Revolution is upon us creating a surprisingly sustainable win-win scenario for businesses and the world we share.
The evidence for the Green Revolution is everywhere. GE announced it generated $12 billion in sales of green related technologies and expects to increase that $20 billion in just three years. Hybrid cars, though still a tiny fraction of the automotive industry, are gaining traction as every automaker rolls out is latest iteration (and not so coincidentally it looks like Hummer2 is going off-road for good). Architects everywhere are rolling out blueprints for greener homes and buildings (witness New York Times Magazine article on eco-tecture). Wal-Mart is working with all its suppliers to reduce packaging waste forcing companies like P&G and Unilever to concentrate on concentrate. VC’s and investment banks are gathering up mounds of funds to fuel the revolution and make more green along the way. For example, JP Morgan is setting up an alternative energy investment banking unit. Cities like San Jose and Austin are fighting to prove they have the best infrastructure to support green businesses. Designers in New York (o2NYC.org) and around the world (o2.org) are gathering to do their part.
No government, non-profit or business enterprise can afford to ignore the problem and many are clamoring to be the first with solutions. Ambitious politicians like NYC’s Bloomberg and California’s Schwarzenegger are gaining political capital by announcing ambitious green agendas. Non-profits supporting various green causes are sprouting daily and existing ones are looking for ways to make their operations greener. Public companies can expect shareholders to ask about their green plans and can count on the media to play watchdog as the plans unfold. In many rapidly growing service sectors like management consulting and web production, a strong green push will help curry favor with customers and help attract the best and brightest recruits. College grads across the country are now signing a “sustainability pledge†(hopefully on recycled paper) and undoubtedly will align themselves with enlightened green employers.
Marketing for Good is prepared to champion anyone who makes green by being green themselves or helping others to be green. We have a lot to do in short period of time and perhaps the same free market that caused this mess can be the means to cleaning it up. For example, the Wall Street Journal article recently reported that the southern oceans are losing their ability to absorb carbon dioxide which is a big problem since they currently absorb about 15% of the world’s excess CO2. If the oceans stop absorbing extra CO2, global warming will accelerate even faster. Entrepreneurs to the rescue? According to a June Business 2.0 article a couple of enterprising start-ups, Climos and Planktos, are attacking this problem directly by enabling carbon-sucking algae to bloom and fueling their growth by trading carbon credits. I’ll let the scientist debate the merits of this approach and simply offer it as one of many examples of how saving the world could be the biggest business opportunity of all time.
Let there be no doubt that the Green Revolution is upon us. According to a Corporate Social Responsibility Manager at HP, some companies are even contemplating the creation of a Chief Environmental Officer to champion green initiatives. Soon, being green will simply be the price of entry in just about every category. Soon. Until then, you have a little time to get your corporate green house in order for the good of your company, your employees, your shareholders and last but not least, the world we share.