Green Tipping Point

Promotion of your green business is a challenge – how to convey your green credentials, without appearing to be “green washing” your business just to tap into the mood of the modern consumer? And how do you avoid using more paper, more resources in getting your green message across?

I think we all need to take a good look at our current advertising methods. I have for some years run workshops on Marketing and Sales, and over that time, have adapted these to include extensive use of the internet, of blogs, of providing information and of inviting comment. But is that enough? What is the tipping point, and how to bring clients to your product or service with minimal impact on the planet?

Now this is where we need to reject all the ideas about marketing that large companies throw at you – and also reject the notion that it takes a lot of money and paper products to run a good campaign. I think it comes back to a very simple strategy, - always improve the product or service, design a great image around that product or service, look for key people to use what you offer, make alliances with key partners in promotion, engage discussion about your product or service, and use blogs, online forums, websites, and information evenings. Sounds more like a social event –and that’s what it is, developing and using social networks (offline and online) to make using your product or service an enjoyable experience, and one to share with others.

For one of our online information experiences, see GreenBiz cafe and for more tips on social networking, check out the great site of Matt Freedman click here

Picture Advertising by jamesmellor ex Flickr

Symptoms of Success

Affluenza – it’s something we can catch anytime of year, and it’s easy to see someone who has the disease. Symptoms are an oversized or overpowered car, a home that could you could get lost in, a waistline that displays too many dinners out, clothes and accessories worn only to impress, a mindboggling entertainment schedule, and constant chatter about the latest travel destinations. The other main sign is stress, and a booking in the local Happiness Seminar, as if happiness were something to be added to the list of purchases.

Affluenza is a direct result of our value system, of what we as a society promote as “success” - success being one or all of the above symptoms. I am not by any way rejecting a well thought out moderately comfortable lifestyle, but we all need to think about our values, individually and as a society. How can we aspire to living well and not to excess, how can we each meet our needs and then contribute in a meaningful way?

For everyone, the mix is different, but as a society, we are beginning to hold up new values – those of community, of sharing resources, of moderate consumption, and of entertainment that is based around connection with others. And the major spin off of this mind-shift is happiness, not a few hours of temporary joy, followed by a crashing emptiness, a happiness that is an inner comfort, a feeling good with the world.

Business is about achieving through transactions to supply what others need. If you are thinking about going into business, think about the new values that are emerging in our society. Think about a business that connects people, and helps them re-connect with the world of the future. We stand at the door of a new energy era, one where affluenza will no longer be the driving force in our economy, and small business owners that understand this will position themselves for real success in the next few decade.

Location Location

Real Estate agents have always spruiked the mantra of "location location" when advising you where to buy premises or where to locate your business.  And one of the benefits of a particular location over another used to be the number of available parking places.  But as petrol prices make driving a much more expensive activity, location is going to be important for a different reason and that's access to good public transport.  Check out this video Australia Pumping Empty by ddrinkal

Oil prices - going up -going down - and up again!

Our economy depends on oil, and the recent price hikes in crude oil are sending shock waves around the planet.  Personally, I think the excessively high prices at this time are driven by market speculation, very akin to the tulip frenzy in Holland some centuries ago. But even if there is a correction, over the next few years, the price of crude oil will rise, prompted by the clear evidence that cheap oil is becoming harder to access.  And, although we still have huge supplies of the stuff -  it now often costs more than the market will reasonably pay, to extract oil  from areas that have peaked, and from new dangerous, remote or deep offshore areas.  

At the same time, the increasing use of vehicles adds to the pressure - in 2007, globally we had about 622 million passenger vehicles, well up from about 53 million in 1950 (according to WorldWatch).  Add emerging China and India to that equation and we have a situation of more demand, and this will seriously impact prices. 

 

There is really only one way out of this - and that is to move, with a degree of urgency, to a non-oil based way of personal and business transportation.  I doubt if the local plumber can turn up to your house, with your new toilet and pipes,  using a push bike or via public transport, so there will have to be an alternative for him and for all those who need to move goods and sell services.  

It's time to review your transport - look at optimising your driving and review your next vehicle purchases.  For short distance driving, consider fully electric, and for longer distances, hybrid cars, or converting your existing vehicles to LPG.  In some areas, biodiesel may be the answer.  Look at whether you could change some your business processes, eg quoting or training,  to online. Rethink your location, combine deliveries and find creative ways to share journeys with others in and around your business.  Take time to plan - work out your dependence on the oil habit and find creative ways to kick your oil addiction. 

Picture ex Flickr World of Oil by Unity.Project

Dirty coal goes clean in the budget

It's just over a week since the first budget for the new Australian Government was announced and I must say that the reaction of many small business owners is one of disappointment.  In terms of the renewable industry, we took several steps back with an introduction of an industry crippling means test for eligibility for the Solar PV rebate.  Programs such as the Building Entrepreneurship in Small Business will not be funded in the short term and there appears to be little to encourage entrepreneurship which will drive the changes our society desperately needs.  

There was, however, big dollars for the development of "clean coal technology", and certainly we need to look for this as part of the mix of solutions.  But like oil and gas, coal is an industry in it's sunset era - these energy sources use technologies that served us well, but now belong to the industrial era, not the new energy era that is emerging.  And we could use the high export  profits from these  industries to position Australia for the future.  In my opinion,  the development of sustainable and renewable energy sources and production systems that undercut fossil fuel energy, are this future.  The same amount of money spent instead on new emerging industries such as Geothermal or Wave energy development or Carbon Capture using the Agrichar processes would position our country as a leader in CleanTech  industries, not one hanging on to old habits with band-aid solutions.   

In pre-industrial societies, there was a huge debate about slavery and the feudal system, which provided the energy sources  at that time.  We now view these as totally unacceptable for modern society, and I believe that in 100 years, we will view fossil fuel use with equal disdain.  We will also be proud of those leaders who took the initiative and were the ones who set the course (albeit it painful) for a future using renewable energy sources.

Mining the mobiles

According to Yohohama Metal Co Ltd (Reuters News Service) an average tonne of ore from a gold mine yields about 5 gms of gold, but a tonne of mobile phones being recycled could produce as much as 150 gms.  Add in the silver, copper and tin, and the current high metal prices, then that's a potential metals recovery business.  And it keeps the hazardous phone batteries out of landfill.  So when you update your mobile phone for the next model, think about how the component metals could become part of your next phone, and find a way to turn your junk into treasure.  You may not benefit directly, but in the long term, we all win with this approach. 

See http://recyclingnearyou.com.au or donate it to one of the charities that collect phones, see http://www.arp.net.au/donate.php  

   

Photo ex Flickr Mobile phone evolution by TrueBlueTitan

Market disrupting - and the solar Google?

Google is a smart company and it has invested in what is described as "market disrupting solar thermal power plant technology" from esolar.  Generation is based on smaller 25 MW "power modules" and takes advantage of mass manufacture.  This and other options under development have potential to  create the new economic empires of the next decade, and in the process, to bring the changes that we seek and need to meet future energy demand in sustainable ways.  So where is your money invested?  If your retirement plan is funding industries that are now in sunset mode, then enjoy the last warm rays. - the future lies in new renewable endeavours and I for one will be watching eSolar for their "market disrupting" impact.