Everywhere your turn, there’s talk about the environment and how businesses need to be socially responsible to minimize their impact on the environment. Finally, the earth we take so much from is going to be getting some payback.

So, can a business lower its negative impact, grow and think green all at once?

There’s plenty of skepticism, but there’s also proof that ‘Thinking Green’ in business is not only good for the environment, but for business as well. Here are some easy to implement green marketing ideas your business can embrace:

1. Work from home – allow staff to work from home more often. This will help provide added perks and could improve productivity.
2. Teamwork – boost Company moral by setting a company wide goal of everyone working together to lower the businesses carbon footprint.
3. C02 friendly servers – yes, today, you can reverse the impact of your websites by switching to C02 friendly servers. There are two providers that we know of in this field: one can be found here, another here.
4. Sustainable Packaging – replacing your existing packaging with “green” packaging materials such as biodegradable . Or simply get creative by re-using old magazine pages. Yes it’s possible. There’s a shop in Lisbon, Portugal that is doing this – the wrong shop!
5. Transportation – if your business relies on transportation, look at transitioning to environmental friendly vehicles. This bold move will most likely get the attention of your local or national newspapers.
6. Green Seal – assess the ‘Greenness’ of your products and apply for a green seal. In the US and Canada there are several NGO’s supporting green seal projects. We’re excited to share, a similar effort is starting here in Portugal, and Chama is currently working with a partner to launch the initiative in the Algarve.
7. Get Your Brand out there – help your local community and customers reduce dependency on grocery store plastics. Invest in environmental friendly grocery bags with your brand, and give them away to customers for free…it’s free advertising!
8. Give Local Love. Receive Local Love – if you’re in the food business, look at ways to source local products even if they’re at slightly higher cost. In return, promote your goal of supporting local farmers and reducing your carbon footprint. You can start the transition slowly by having select products that feature seasonal and locally sourced produce.

And one key point; we understand being ‘Green’ is chic these days, but we don’t support the ‘green washing’ of a brand, when there’s no real interest in the issue and it only serves the bottom line. If you’re looking at making your business greener, take a holistic approach and get everyone on board first. Without adoption from the inside, you’re actions will not support your commitment and it can ultimately hurt your brand, in the eyes of your most important stakeholders: your employees and customers.

Since we all learn best through example, I highly recommend you take a look at two of my favorite companies leading the green business movement in their respective industries:

Innocent smoothie – little tasty drinks

ClifBar – makers of delicious nutrition bars

And be sure to read ClifBar’s blog and Innocent Drink’s blog too.

I’d love to hear your green marketing ideas, and what your company is doing to be ‘Green’.

[update] You might also find “8 Green Marketing Ideas for your Business” interesting.

Chama, had the opportunity to present the concept of “Green Marketing” and the advantages businesses and organizations can leverage from being “Green”.

We presented our case by looking at the Algarve and its tourism industry. Our Portuguese readers will know:

Algarve’s economy is largely based on ‘Tourism’, and although lucrative what is its future? How will the region compete with other holiday destinations in the future? What will set the Algarve apart? How will it be sustained and what other opportunities could spill over from tourism?

The Solution: Differentiation + Branding + Sustainability + Green Ideas

{differentiation}

How is Algarve different than other tourist destinations?

• sub-tropical weather
• great quality food
• inexpensive
• and an enviable coast line

But is that enough? Well…no. Not if the Algarve wants to be competitive for a long time to come.

Given that the Algarve depends heavily on British and Irish travelers, it makes good economic and environment sense to position itself to communicate more effectively with these travelers by committing to “Green travel”. This will enable Algarve Tourism to differentiate from other sunny, golf holiday destinations, break through the clutter, receive greater media exposure and word of mouth.

{branding & visibility strategy}

How can the Algarve differentiate? Through a bold vision and statement that captures the attention of the following groups:

1. Tourists
2. Investors
3. Locals

For example, lets fast-forward a year from now – all the news publications around the EU carry the following message:

Algarve announces a bold move to become a “Green Tourism Destination” by the year 2020!

{sustainability}

Social responsibility through programs that educate, excite and support – like other countries who have invested in “Green” initiatives, it’s proven to be good for the economy. Programs that protect the environment, get respect and support for being environmentally conscious. We can take example from others like Curitiba, in Brazil who had every thing going against them but they turned their region completely around, by becoming “Green”. This isn’t a trend or a fad, but a way of life and the future.

{green ideas}

Here are some “Green ideas“ we’d like to see sprouting up in the Algarve:

Diesel Taxis, Car Hires & Tour Buses : changing from diesel and polluting fuels to clean fuels like bio-diesel.

Green Star Hotels: environmentally friend hotels. From sustainable planning and materials, to energy star appliances.

• Sustainable construction using “Green” materials
• Energy star appliances
• Energy from renewable energy sources such as wind, sun and biomass
• Non toxic products for housekeeping
• Restaurant meals prepared from organic and locally sourced ingredients

Green Apartments & Homes: what better way for the summer home market in the Algarve to differentiate. Commit to green building - “the practice of increasing the efficiency with which buildings use resources — energy, water and materials — while reducing building impacts on human health and the environment, through better siting, design, construction … {source: Wikipedia. read more here} “

{Other Initiatives}

The above are just some of the ideas we shared with the attendees. But there’s more that can be done. Not just on the tourism side but taking a green initiative to stimulate the economy in the Algarve too:

{Supporting local farmers & promoting Eat Local}

• New programs to encourage supermarkets to carry more local produce than ones from neighbouring countries like Spain
• Collaboration with NGOs to help the public understand the negative implications of Carbon FootPrint (CO2) when food travels long distances
• Better public awareness of “buying local” to help the environment and local economy
• Example - Label all products grown and produced in the Algarve, with a “Local Pride” seal. Providing clear source information to enable good consumption decisions, but also allowing the customer to feel pride in helping the environment and supporting local farmers.

{Green Markets}
Which municipality in the Algarve will have the first “Green Market” in the region?

{Plastic Movement}
When will plastic bags become socially unacceptable in Portugal as in other EU countries, like in Ireland?

{Carbon Neutral Schools?}
Our friends up north in the UK are committed to this.

The above are just some green marketing ideas that can help the local environment and economy. Fresh ideas invigorate economies and “Green” movements are proven examples of this. The Algarve already has a number of “Green” initiative in the works, so the seeds have been planted, now’s the time to build on this and learn from the successes of other’s. Yesterdays ideas, produce yesterday’s results, but putting a new “Green & Clean” foot forward is the future, and a way to new results.