Today there is a network of organizations or business entities manufacturing, or even marketing green products in an attempt to indicate safe environment concern. Green marketing involves the trading of products that are considered to be safe for the ecosystem or the environment. Activities incorporated in this process do not cause harm to the environment. Such activities may involve modification of advertisement, changes in packaging, production process, and product modification. However, the definition results in contradiction due to meanings intersections. Holistically, the nature of green indicates that in addition to retailers and suppliers, new stakeholders should be included. Such stakeholders include organizations such as NGOs, educators, community members, or regulators. Issues of the environment should equalize the principal requirements of the client. Green marketing has gained its popularity with time since there is an increasing trend in environmental appeals and the attractiveness of green products.
In green marketing, consumers are classified as true greens, symbolizing regular or frequent consumers of green products. Light green consumers purchase green products occasionally. Examples of green marketing products are Philips lights. This product emulated difficulties in delivering its sales until a new launch of its brand-named marathon was implemented. Its superfluous long-life standpoint was evident in that it would save energy up to 26 dollars within 5 years. Similarly, in fuel savings, vehicle sharing services have played a major role. Green marketing, therefore, involves a full-serviced strategy for marketing and the development of a brand. The process ensures eco-sustainability or the development of a market for those products that are socially responsible and are sustainable. Preferential in green marketing is normally allocated to environmental benefits other than the other activities which avail customer’s satisfaction such as price, availability, quality, or performance.
In its attempt to safeguard the environment, green marketing has a great range of activities such as production process changes, product modification, changes in packaging, and modification of advertising. Conflicts arise in their varied meanings due to changing environmental, retail, and social issues. The term evolved from a workshop held by the renowned American Marketing Association, where the first book was published on green marketing. The process is faced with a great challenge to provide standards on what constitutes green marketing. Any company making green marketing claims has no definition as to what extent a product is good. As a result, few firms have been associating themselves with green product manufacturing yet, market leaders have not been so vigilant in enhancing its sustainability. This thereby has resulted in a slow growth rate of green products.
Kyoto Protocol for example has developed a Clean Development Mechanism which allows trade to take place between Developing Countries and industries. This forms a basis for capital flows to environmentally friendly operations. For example in countries the such U.S, although they have not adopted the Kyoto Protocol, the country has availed programs enabling companies to carry out transactions voluntarily and as well in ways that can be regulated. The reduction of greenhouse gas has established promising ways in sourcing finances for sustainable development. However, the market has been inaccessible to a large number of projects which are small-scale, remote, or less developed localities. To increase benefits and participation, market awareness between prospective participants and stakeholders needs to be upheld. Overcoming the constraints to green housing will result in upholding the support of activities benefiting the lives of people and the environment. Green marketing has revealed that effectiveness and appeals to the environment are actually increasing at a high rate. For example, the energy star label has appeared in 11000 varied companies now. There are 38 categories of products from light bulbs and washing machines to homes and skyscrapers. The recent research report has revealed a growing trend in green products
Green marketing has enhanced fuel savings, reduced traffic, and parking problems through car-sharing services. This has been an up-grade to the environment since more open space is created and greenhouse gases are reduced. For example, an individual driving less than 7500 miles per annum and who does not drive to work may have enormous savings by simply joining services such as flex car, hour car, or even zip car considered to be environmentally safe. Additionally, the sector of electronics provides space for green marketing thereby pulling new customers. For instance, Hewlett-Packard Company expressed its plans to avail energy-efficient items and services worldwide below levels of 2005. Also, due to the high increase in pollution within New Delhi, India’s Supreme Court ordered a shift to alternative fuels. The court gave a directive to the systems of public transport for a total adoption of CNG to stop pollution. Nevertheless, for green marketing to attract more customers, thereby increasing the company’s income, several things need to be done. Effectiveness is actually achieved through increasing awareness to customers, being genuine, and creating a conducive environment for participation. Being genuine involves truthfulness to a company’s claims. Other business policies must be consistent with environmental friendliness. Creating awareness involves both letting the customers know your intentions in environmental protection and also allowing them to know the significance. Allowing for participation revolves around personalizing the gains of protecting the environment. In an attempt to market various green products, firms such as Wal-Mart have joined the move towards creating a safe environment by trading in merchandise that is considered to be environmentally safe and rouse sustaining. For example, a company may decide to be environmentally friendly by deliberately encouraging or popularizing non-plastic bags. Normally, when a green claim is taken to be false by consumers, this may result in a company seriously damaging its brands and sales. Also, this can happen if the competing company’s products or practices are revealed to be contradicting. For example, firm’s such as Marketing Green Incl, established in 2000 has been relentlessly offering various green marketing strategies consultations to a number of organizations practicing under manufacturing industry in the U.S.
In addition, there are a variety of cars manufactured under modern technologies by popular market leaders in an attempt to observe green marketing strategy. The recent strategy taken by automakers such as Toyota, Ford, and Honda supports the move toward green marketing. Environmental friendly vehicles include Mercury Mariner Hybrid, Toyota, Ford Escape Hybrid, and Lexus RX400h. Trucks, pick-ups, and minivans are said to pollute the environment. In the list above, the only luxurious vehicles are the Lexus RX400h and Acura RSX. There’s an increased consumer appeal in flexible fuels and hybrids. This is because the consumers are becoming more familiar with powertrain technology alternatives and the perceived drive by high gas prices. For example, increasing premiums on prices in hybrid vehicles encourage consideration for alternative hybrid by customers. The premiums can move from 3000 dollars to 10000 dollars. This does not happen with vehicles that are not hybrid. Vehicles with alternative fuels such as diesel and E85 are also in increasing demand. Predictions show that consumers below 25 percent considerations in the future would only be on gasoline-powered vehicles. One of the main challenges in the use of powertrains as alternatives is their unrealistic expectations of fuel-saving capability. Hybrids especially do not always live as far as the EPA estimate of the vehicle. Therefore there’s need for a continuous education to the consumers on the technology and the benefits thereof. Control of acceptance within the consumers can be highly instrumental through consumer premiums and management of consumer expectations.
In conclusion, it’s important to note that the green marketing operation goes a long way in satisfying the consumer’s desires, as well as the perceived diverse needs. Evaluation has also reflected the importance of the process in preserving and conserving the environment. The process normally manipulates promotion, price, distribution as well as the product, thereby offering superior environmental gains through an increase in energy savings, reduction of waste, and decreased toxic emissions to the ecosystem. Improved consumption of green products results from the environmental campaigns through the high level of public awareness. As drawn from the discussion above, the proponents of green marketing are mainly aiming to integrate green products into the overall lifestyles of consumers. The traditional objective in business has been the maximization of profits by application of integrity in the natural environment. Environmental concerns have however proved to be are constraints or limitations on business operations. Green marketing has also served in enhancing environmental responsibility to our ecosystem by offering various products that conform to various requirements defined under safe environmental products. This arises from the possibilities to capitalize on opportunities emerging from sales of environmentally friendly products and services. As such the discussion above indicates that, while few organizations claim to be going green, the impact brought about by the green practicing firm has a positive impact on our environment in terms of reducing pollution to our ecosystem.