http://edition.cnn.com/2006/BUSINESS/12/14/environment/index.html
This article discusses how companies now are slowly changing their vehicles from being environmentally harmful to environmentally safe. Other big industries are changing their methods to suit up to the "going green" idea for economic profits also. They have realized by "going green", they not only do it for the society, but also because they save money also.
Some interesting statements in this article are:
"The return on the company's investment appears to be high: Last year, GE's "Ecomagination" line of products generated $10 billion in revenues in 2005, and is on track to eclipse $20 billion by 2010."
"Companies are increasingly considering their environmental costs as a way to bolster their brand name and consumer confidence in their product."
"Paying attention to the environment saves money."
""The positive impact we see with our employees is eye-opening -- they are engaged, excited and generating real ideas on new technologies in areas we can improve (greenhouse gas emissions) and energy consumption," he says."
I find it interesting how in support of Daphnee's idea that "green" is becoming popular, that it is also becoming a win-win situation for companies. Not only do they get to help the environment, but they are also saving a lot of money also. But I have to wonder that if it was actually not a money-saving technique, would they have gone the environment-friendly path?
Additionally, this has become an example of the domino effect. As one company starts to acknowledge the importance of greenhouse gases and pollution and the effects of peak oil, other companies begin to operate the same way.
Also, I find it amazing how much effect the media has on the world's beliefs. Through magazines, newspapers, reports, and news stories on their television shows, now "green" has become an essential part of the time period we live in. Through the media "green" has become a part of our popular culture.
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2 comments:
I think that it is really great that companies are "going green," and while I would prefer for their motives to be entirely just and full of integrity, I understand that that really is not a possibility. I never knew that being eco-friendly was cheaper for businesses; I thought it was more expensive. I guess that in the long run, it must be cheaper; with all of the legislation forcing companies to manage their toxic waste and all of the fines they receive for not doing so, it must be easier to just not produce the wastes in the first place.
I think it is highly likely that companies are going green for the money. Not only does this effort save money in terms of production, but it also increases revenue, as being green is a very fashionable thing to do these days. However, even if the companies' motives aren't morally sound, the job is still getting done. I am happy to know that a change is occuring, no matter what the motives are.
The only issue that could potentially undermine this effort would be if being eco-friendly stopped being cheaper. If this happens, or is true already, then companies will no longer have the incentive to be eco-friendly, since their main interest was in the money.
One perspective not mentioned in these articles is how it is our prodcution and consumption that is in the end the issue. A green car like a hybrid will never compare to no car. Organic food- considered by most to be green- isn't all that green if it is shipped from California, Chile, or New Zealand.
The enthusiasm felt by many could partially be due to the fact that we all know what we are doing is not sustainable and when a leader- either political or at the workplace, offers green options or tells their employees that their company is going gree, it allows for them to put their minds at ease.
I wonder how the trickle affect works for green choices- ie if a company decides to start buying wind power and educates their employees as to their option to choose green power at home, how many will actually take action? If a cpomany puts compact flourescent lightbulbs in at the office, will the employees see that the light is quite similar and make the switch at home?
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