In Response to Elizabeth S post

Why haven't more companies gone green?
I feel that the reason most companies haven't gone green is due to the costs. Most environmentally friendly equiptment and supplies are expensive. This is most likely due to the fact that it is not in high demand and they haven't been able to look into cheaper ways to become environmentally friendly. If there was more of a demand for more companies to go green I feel as if the companies promoting going green would look for cheaper ways to make everyone become a part of the cause.
I also feel like the cost is important when it comes to companies trying to transition into becoming green. They would have to change either their products that were not earth friendly to being earth friendly. They would also have to change thie facilities and officies, vehicles they list could be endless. This is would generate a large cost and with the way the economy is going most companies can't afford to do all of this. Also, by going green they aren't generating a profit. They are just helping the environment. This can have an affect because they are changing their product for the good of the environment, not for a monetary gain.
Do you think that if the government were to provide companies with an incentive to go green, this would cause more companies to take action?

"Is Environmentalism more of a threat or an opportunity for marketers?"

I feel that environmentalism is more of an opportunity for marketers. I idea of "going green" has been on the minds of many people in the United States for the past few years. It is definitely something more and more people are looking into and becoming more interested in. The fact that the current generations are destroying the environment is impossible to ignore when it is being publicized around every corner. Since it is becoming such an issue, there have been so many people looking to buy products that are environmentally friendly.

It is would be to a company's benefit to market products that are environmentally friendly. It would give that company a competitive advantage because they would hit a new forming target market. For example, the companies that make household cleaning products now have to compete with a new upcoming company known as Seventh Generation. They have an advertising campaign on television which publicizes their new products that are environmentally friendly and aren't damaging to the human body when inhaled. Marketing their new environmentalist approach is going to work in their benefit.

Another industry that is benefiting from environmentalism is the automobile industry. Although more and more companies are able to manufacture environmentally when the concern about environmentalism first came about Toyota came out with the first hybrid vehicle. The marketing they did for this vehicle is what caused them to benefit so much from environmentalism. The other car manufacturing companies saw how beneficial their new product and marketing efforts had been for them, they jumped on the bandwagon and began creating their own hybrids.

It seems that pretty soon almost all companies will begin looking into ways to have their organizations work more environmentally friendly. Do you think the costs of becoming environmentally friendly will hold any companies back if all other companies in their industry are getting on board?