Going Green

[manevilus]

MODS: I apologize for putting this in the wrong forum, I am at work and read debate, i just realized I put it in the wrong forum forgive me please :/

Thank you in advance.

 

 

Here is my question: More and more everyday you see companies going "green", you see nickelodeon and other stations touting the benefits of going green, but are people doing it because they care about the environment or are they doing it because they were told to and they want to follow everyone else?

 

My thoughts on the subject, and how I see it is this: SOME people are doing it because they care about the environment, people who know what trouble it can cause, who have seen the effects, fish stuck in plastic coke bottle holders and other such things. Companies however MOST of them do it for the profit, for the publicity. They think HEY Im being seen as green therefore I get more customers. As soon as it stops being profitable they wont continue..Some would argue, "Why is this a bad thing?" Mainly because not caring, and doing something can sometimes cause more harm, because people ask you why you are doing it and you dont have a clear reason why...so they dismiss it as a habit that doesnt really need to be persued.

 

What do YOU think on this subject?

[imnotgeorge]

Businesses generally do things for one (or more) of two reasons:

 

The action will reduce costs or increase margins, thereby increasing profits

 

Or the action proves to be strategically sound and works to either maintain or create a competitive advantage for the firm.

 

Depending on the specific actions, going green falls under both categories. Government grants and subsidies and rebates often make "going green" more economically profitable for businesses in the long run, and that's why many companies undertake large-scale renovations, etc to make their business greener. Sometimes greenifying a company's processes also make the company run more efficiently or opens up new markets for the company, serving to increase their profit margins.

 

Going green is also sometimes a strategic move, resulting in better customer relations, employee satisfaction, corporate branding, etc.

 

However, implying that, because businesses go green for these reasons and not from an inherent desire to save the world, is like saying that because cops get paid, the work they do to protect people isn't worth anything (because, yenno, they obviously just do it for the money).

[manevilus]

However, implying that, because businesses go green for these reasons and not from an inherent desire to save the world, is like saying that because cops get paid, the work they do to protect people isn't worth anything (because, yenno, they obviously just do it for the money).

 

Well, in my earlier post, I expressed that it was SOME and definately not all. As far as your example with police officers, there are some who DO do it just for other reasons besides protecting people, and I suppose you could say there are corruptions everywhere. I think I am skirting around my point, which is this: To me doing something for an alternate reason besides the honourable one, or the reason in this case of "saving the world" is just polluting the original cause. There isnt going to be as much effort as if it was a cause you were passionate about.

[Kex]

It may be, but I should think that slightly green in order to increase good PR and maybe see a raise in profits is better than not going green at all. You shouldn't have to be "passionate" about the environment to make an effort, however small or insincere. When the world goes green, it won't be because everyone suddenly becomes obsessed with making sure the planet stays healthy. The way to get people to go green is to make going green cheaper, more efficient, and more rewarding. If a hydrogen-powered car costs twice as much money to buy and breaks down more often, I'm sorry, but I'll be keeping my sedan until those problems are fixed and buying one for myself becomes practical.

 

Edit: ...I sound very belligerent in this post. D: That's not my intention, I promise.

[Cassie]

I believe that going green in some cases is a good thing. But I agree with Kex when I say that going green shouldn't cost more than not being green. Businesses can afford to go green, but the general public might not be able to. I think you can go green simply by being aware of what you are throwing away and what you are recycling. By not littering and by tailgating those who do while beeping your horn

[Kex]

I think you can go green simply by being aware of what you are throwing away and what you are recycling. By not littering and by tailgating those who do while beeping your horn

 

I approve of this plan. Just be sure to have your windows up and be driving 55mph to maximize your fuel efficiency.

[waltrub]

There's nothing wrong with a company making itself more commercially appealing. Fortunatally for humanity, they are at least supporting a good cause.

 

I've never been too fond of 'going green' being a fad. I think it's wonderful that people are now more aware than ever before, and I have nothing against recycling and whatnot.

 

However, I feel that if you are going to advertize a cause on your shirts and bags, you should at least do some research. Believe it or not, global warming is the subject of many heated debates among reverable scientists, but this is a fact that many teenagers are blissfully unaware of. All that they really know is that they like the indie, layed-back style of the writing on thier newest T-Shirt. If goin green was not popular, rest assured that many people who are self-proclaimed environmentalists would otherwise not be.

[Noog]

Going green can save the Earth. I suggest that everyone do it. I can type a full page rant on the subject, but I'll just leave things short and sweet.

[Skoffin]

A lot of the hype and companies going 'green' is because, like the general population, companies will hop on bandwagons and latest fads in order to cash in on it. Certain people will hop on a trendy topic (such as the 'going green' thing) and use it to boost themselves, companies are more than happy to label things with their own 'going green' nonsense in order to get those trendy people to buy the products. The trendy people get to use it as an example in their proclaiming themselves to be superior to others, and the company gets their profits.

 

However, less concern should be put into why companies are hopping on board and more about exactly what they are doing in order to 'be green'.

A lot of companies decide for themselves what it means, or do things that make them appear to be green but are in fact give the same population output or worse.

There are quite a number of companies out there who have one branch of the company masquerading as environmentally and ethically friendly while another branch does the very things we are trying to stop.

 

Just two examples: Caged eggs are from horrifically treated hens, but are cheaper and produces more eggs. Free range eggs are much more expensive and those in favour of proper treatment of animals are trying to move onto them and so companies will try to take advantage of this. Thing is, many companies own both caged hens and free range. So all the noble work is still supporting companies using cruelty.

Other companies will show off their Plants that are more efficient and produce less pollution, meanwhile they'll build more heavily polluting Plants in countries like Africa where most people will not notice.

[kathleen_a_b]

to answer the original question, I'd guess that at least half of the companies do, to some extent, genuinely care about the environment. However I will not deny that a large number do not and only want to increase profits. I think that going green actually is more cost efficient, though, so if it helps the world and the company, it's kind of a win for everyone.

[Girl at the Rock Show]

I think in the long term it won't matter why businesses turn "green", just the fact that they do.

If they make the decision to turn "green" it won't be an easy move. For a huge corporation to change all their policies and plans is a big operation. I think once they make that change, it will take a lot for them to change back. I don't think it can just be a "fad" as such with sizeable corporations.

 

 

And on a smaller scale, half the new "green" fads are crap because they use up resources to create the things in the first place. It's attitude rather than following the fad. A hydrogen car is all good and well, but you've still got to make effort. Carpooling in a petrol car is better than driving a H-car all by yourself!

[Patch]

another reason that companies are going green is because it saves them money, although most of this savings only comes with recycling scraps and being more energy efficient.

[Sully]

Well.

I know a lot of companies do it just for more business.

For example, this dry cleaner just opened up in my area.

It's supposed to be a "green" dry cleaner and good for the environment, only use organic materials etc.

Now, the cleaners that isn't too far from the one that just opened up has been open for years and years. About a few weeks after this "green" dry cleaner opened up the dry cleaner that had been opened before started to cover their window display with "Eco-Friendly/Green Dry Cleaning" signs.

 

;)

[Roxi]

Heh, well according to Jesse Vontura, Global Warming is all just a ploy used by the government to get people to spend more money. The only "green" is the color of money. Do I believe this? No, I think the earth is warming. Do I think industries are cashing in on it? Oh yeah.

 

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