On this beautiful weekend, a stunning summer day in the third week of Autumn. As a consumer it was a great day for walking with the family in town, a real crisp dry and sunny day, refreshing weather to help clear my head for the upcoming week. However for a member of the business community that works with businesses on building their brand awareness through their printing and marketing efforts, I was almost scared at just how warm it was.
Unfortunately, it has taken quite a bit of public relations, Hollywood, Al Gore, and the News media to make most of us aware of the fact that Global Warming is not a theory, and not a passing buzz word. it is a real issue, and the only way that we as consumers can make a difference, is to buy from green companies and shop at retailers that offer green solutions. As residents of our communities we can do a lot more, but here we can focus on what consumer behavior can do.
So, my message to retailers is simple, give the buying public products and solutions that do not harm our environment, or retailers that have winter coats on the rack in October, when it is 80 degrees outside, you will be out of business unless you happen to keep inventory for all four seasons at all times. Things are changing, and your retail business that depends on seasons, holidays, natural resources, raw materials and marketing materials to communicate to your audience with direct mail, catalogs, and signage…you may want to rethink your business practices and take your corporate responsibilities seriously.
I was in a kids clothing store today, and they told us about how they use organic cotton, and had all their decorations using bamboo and all the other good things they do, including donating funds to women in South Africa, however their printing, shopping bags, and tags on their products were not environmentally friendly. it bothered me that they did not even see any problem with that. I explained that their responsibility does not end with their product, its not what they do, it is how they do it that matters and that they needed to set an example, and needed to walk the walk, not just talk the talk.
I was excited to find this clothing store doing what I thought was a ground breaking retail business, however I was disappointed when they fell short on the delivery of their promise, I hope they come around and make a change to print more responsibly.
Unfortunately, it has taken quite a bit of public relations, Hollywood, Al Gore, and the News media to make most of us aware of the fact that Global Warming is not a theory, and not a passing buzz word. it is a real issue, and the only way that we as consumers can make a difference, is to buy from green companies and shop at retailers that offer green solutions. As residents of our communities we can do a lot more, but here we can focus on what consumer behavior can do.
So, my message to retailers is simple, give the buying public products and solutions that do not harm our environment, or retailers that have winter coats on the rack in October, when it is 80 degrees outside, you will be out of business unless you happen to keep inventory for all four seasons at all times. Things are changing, and your retail business that depends on seasons, holidays, natural resources, raw materials and marketing materials to communicate to your audience with direct mail, catalogs, and signage…you may want to rethink your business practices and take your corporate responsibilities seriously.
I was in a kids clothing store today, and they told us about how they use organic cotton, and had all their decorations using bamboo and all the other good things they do, including donating funds to women in South Africa, however their printing, shopping bags, and tags on their products were not environmentally friendly. it bothered me that they did not even see any problem with that. I explained that their responsibility does not end with their product, its not what they do, it is how they do it that matters and that they needed to set an example, and needed to walk the walk, not just talk the talk.
I was excited to find this clothing store doing what I thought was a ground breaking retail business, however I was disappointed when they fell short on the delivery of their promise, I hope they come around and make a change to print more responsibly.
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