It’s not easy to find a bright side to America’s current economic downturn, but the environment may be one beneficiary. “The recession is only going to accelerate the trend toward environmental consumerism,” said Jacquelyn Ottman, a New York City-based environmental marketing consultant. “Many environmental business issues deal with managing resources more efficiently. If a company [...]

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It’s possible to save money while saving the environment — that’s the message the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) is promoting through its innovative Green Lights program. By encouraging U.S. corporations to install state-of-the-art lighting in their facilities, the EPA is promoting both energy efficiency and pollution prevention. Companies that join the program will profit by [...]

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Incorporating such diverse items as coffee filters, old tires and plastic left over from the production of disposable diapers, an Oregon company has created a walking shoe made entirely of recycled materials. Julie Lewis, founder of DejaShoes, says the shoe meets all the technical qualifications of a good walking shoe, including a beveled heel, arch [...]

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The first ever “tree clause” in a book contract allows environmentally minded authors to symbolically replace the trees used in the printing of their works. Harper & Row in San Francisco developed the clause at the request of Mickey Hart, drummer for the Grateful Dead music group, for his book, Drumming at the Edge of [...]

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If you keep the environment in mind while shopping, your efforts are making a difference. The Food Marketing Institute (FMI) recently tracked several environmental issues on behalf of the supermarket industry and found that consumers are changing their purchasing habits to help the environment. These findings should help change the way the industry does business. [...]

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Plenty of products these days claim to be environmentally friendly, recyclable or biodegradable. And the list of buzzwords for environmental marketing claims continues to grow. But how many of these claims stretch the truth just to sell more product? By creating a set of regulations, Hubert Humphrey III says he hopes to stop what he [...]

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Salmon meat is enjoyed by millions of people around the world. And now a natural by-product of the fish is becoming a big hit. Anyone need a fishskin wallet? By taking salmon skins ordinarily dumped on the ocean floor and turning them into striking leather products, an Alaska company is both helping the environment and [...]

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A potato that produces natural plastic may soon be a reality. But unlike the original plastic potato, Mr. Potato Head, this new plant will have profound impacts on the nature of plastic and its ability to exist in harmony with the environment. Scientists now are perfecting a system of growing organic plastics rather than manufacturing [...]

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Two terms that for too long have been at opposite ends of the spectrum — commerce and conscience — are coming together. Act Now, an upstart coalition of 18 environmentally aware corporations, is giving its roughly 15 million customers a chance to carry political clout through a partnership aimed at promoting environmental and social change. [...]

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If you’re still using the same old marketing strategies that everyone else is using, then you are all missing out on a large number of customers. That’s the bottom line. You could have the best product in the world, but if it’s not marketed effectively, you’re dead in the water. Ecological Niche Marketing is a [...]

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