What was the most hypocritical aspect of Live Earth?
The performing star’s private jets?
The thousands of tonnes of pollution and CO2 caused?
Madonna’s support despite the fact her Ray of Light foundation has been linked with Ford Motor Company?
Or the fact Australia, with one of the largest carbon footprints in the world, was involved?
We may be nine hours ahead but when it comes to green issues we’re light years behind. Is the world watched Live Earth we appeared to be part of the biggest movement to arrest global warming but in reality, our day-to-day efforts are doing little to make a difference.
Certainly there have been a growing number of articles in the Australian press discussing green issues, but the commentary on ways business is addressing such issues in clear marketing strategies is rarely audible. When our activities are put up for scrutiny on the international spectrum our green efforts seem at best embryonic.
We’ve barely learnt the language of green marketing, let alone got to grips with how we can put such understandings into practice. In Europe and the US the terms “carbon footprint” and “food miles” have swept into the everyday vernacular thanks to retail giants Tesco, M & S in the UK and Wal-Mart in the US. However, their Australian cousins have not echoed such bold stands about carbon neutrality. None of our retail brands have introduced 100-point manifestos like M & S, nor have they revealed plans for introducing carbon neutral stores. Our expectations of ecological reporting fall well below those of Europe, with corporate communication lacking the comprehensive details found on Sainsbury or Tesco’s websites.
Being green at a supermarket down under starts and ends with the green recycling bag. The omnipresent bags have permeated society, but evidence of extensions beyond this, the most rudimentary of green practices, is few and far between. We’re not establishing green marketing strategies and policies as much as introducing token efforts or paying the subject lip service.
As such Australian supermarkets are missing a huge opportunity. Tesco have given Clubcard points to 4 million consumers, creating a win - win situation for the environment and their brand in terms of sales and consumer loyalty.
Green marketing efforts may generate happy ever afters for the planet but Australia seems to be missing the fact such initiatives also gain unprecedented media coverage. The selling of green products and services adds to the bottom line by commanding a premium prices. Cause related marketing also increases the propensity to switch brands, and even switch retailers. Why are Australian brands continuing to ignore these financial outcomes of environmental altruism?
At present consumers are not demanding greater ecological efforts, nor are the retail giants proactively introducing them. But how much longer this can be the case remains to be seen. As a country we make up less than 0.33 of the world’s population yet we manage to produce 1.43% of its CO2. With a carbon footprint of more than 27 tonnes per capita we’re more than making our mark on the planet. Compare this to Japan’s 10 tonnes or New Zealand’s 13 tonnes per person and the need to raise the volume of the Live Earth message is more pressing.
If the public at home doesn’t insist Australia becomes green, the global community might. We can’t expect to keep generating high emissions and continue to be accepted internationally.
Last year Australia exported nearly $3 billion of wine. We may not want to embrace food miles but it might be forced upon us as importers insist products become environmentally accountable.
The UK’s Waste & Resources Action Programme recently looked at ways the industry could reduce their CO2 emissions. To remain competitive and attractive on the market Australian producers are going to have to reassess their processes and invest in new technology. This includes measures such as bulk exporting and using lighter bottles. Wouldn’t our exports be in a safer position if we lead the changes instead of dragging our heels?
Soon we will be in an era when what is now considered green will be simply standard business practice and a financial necessity. With rising energy prices, growing pollution and resource consumption in Asia and increased demand for political action, the key to innovation has become finding healthier, more efficient and high performance products. Twenty years ago recycling cans was marketed as a strategy to help the planet yet the cost savings today of such measures as opposed to mining new aluminium speak for themselves.
Being a business friend of the earth is undoubtedly fashionable, but in Australia, we’re missing the fact it also makes sound business sense.
With a gaping hole in the ozone layer above our heads, drought and water shortages gripping the country like never before nowhere needs to take heed of the Live Earth message more than us. di Isla Kirby Fonte: http://www.ihaveanidea.org |
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