Green meets green

August 12, 2010 11:47 AM

Interested in how businesses can be more environmentally responsible while maintaining profitability? Greenbiz.com is "the leading source for news, opinion, best practices, and other resources on the greening of mainstream business," with sections focusing on climate, buildings, design, and green computing.

Greenbiz is owned by Greener World Media and was founded by Joel Makower, author of Strategies for the Green Economy: Opportunities and Challenges in the New World of Business, among other related books.

[Mentioned previously, on the design of the Starbucks cup.]

posted by albrecht (7 comments total)

I am simply amazed. A post (granted a PepsiBlue-ish post) that has been on the MeFi front page for nearly 2 hours and has not a single comment. I am astounded!
posted by LoopyG at 1:30 PM on August 12, 2010

You wrecked it.
posted by Trochanter at 1:41 PM on August 12, 2010

What's the point? Won't companies that are willing to be environmentally irresponsible quickly drive their competitors out of business?
posted by phrontist at 1:52 PM on August 12, 2010

A post (granted a PepsiBlue-ish post) that has been on the MeFi front page for nearly 2 hours and has not a single comment. I am astounded!

I apologize for the PepsiBlue-ishness, but I can promise I'm not a shill for the website (which is also about 10 years old); I just like reading their newsletters and thought other Mefites might be interested, too. Apparently they're so interested that they're all off reading it now instead of commenting!
posted by albrecht at 2:06 PM on August 12, 2010

What's the point? Won't companies that are willing to be environmentally irresponsible quickly drive their competitors out of business?

Depends on what is included in 'greening' and the wider context.

Green marketing can be used to create competitive advantage where consumers can be persuaded or are willing to pay any extra cost.

There are opportunities for actual cost reduction via reduced use of resources, e.g. energy, packaging, etc.

Where regulation applies, then the company wich responds most rapidly can gain competitive advantage, for example by bringing down emissions most efficiently where a 'cap and trade' mechanism comes into use.

Regulation as well as public demand can also both lead to new opportunites in the environmental sector itself, for new technology, services and management techniques. It has been suggested (though is still contentious) that territories that adopt tougher regulation first may be able to stimulate new and innovative responses to allow companies to meet their obligation, resulting in potential new industries when other territories also adopt tougher regulation.
posted by biffa at 2:51 PM on August 12, 2010

Won't companies that are willing to be environmentally irresponsible quickly drive their competitors out of business?

Many greener measures like reducing energy use or smarter packaging can reduce costs and make greener businesses more competitive. Add to that the premium customers are willing to pay for (sometimes dubious) green credentials - BPA free, not tested on animals, etc. - and greener products and services can be substantially more profitable that non-environmentally friendly alternatives.
posted by bystander at 2:52 PM on August 12, 2010

GREENZO OUT!
posted by Navelgazer at 4:14 PM on August 12, 2010