Climate Change - Fad?

Contents

At first the “Go Green” initiative almost seemed like a trend. As though you had a choice. Spike heels one day and wedges the next.

As consensus grows towards a correlation between human behavior and the earth’s resources and climate, “going green” is labeled socially responsible. It is nearly politically incorrect to say you don’t believe in climate change (the tempered phrase for global warming). In fact, it’s more politically correct to say you don’t believe in God.

But to deny climate change is akin to littering. How many years of public service campaigns did it take for litterers to be shunned by the general populous. What would our roadsides and cities and neighborhoods look like if we continued to litter liberally?

We are now littering our atmosphere. And as opposed to being able to scoop up the cigarette butts, diapers and empty soda cans from the edges of the freeway system, carbon dioxide remains in the earth’s atmosphere for some 200 years.

We are encouraged to consider carefully every metric pound of carbon dioxide we emit into the cumulative that is approaching the tipping point with unmeasureable speed.

There are six primary greenhouse gases (GHG), and carbon dioxide has taken center stage as the gas that can be measured and reduced for the best chance of mitigating climate change.

So, what role does advertising play in this imperative that will very soon be mandated? The most important role of all. As the industry of reduction and offsets emerges, enterprise operations that officiate the measuring of emissions and reductions as well as entities that register and certify offsets are popping up over night. The broker system that steps up to mediate the exchange system is well in place.

Millions of dollars are changing hands. And what either follows or leads the way for any given utility, corporation or manufacturer is the articulation of the respective sustainable initiative—voluntary, mandated or both.

It goes beyond just doing the right thing. There are interesting forces moving things along—competitive advantage, talent acquisition and actual savings of capital operating expense.
Now exists one of the most powerful opportunities for branding, advertising and marketing partners to step into place and craft powerful, individual sustainability initiatives that align with a brand. This work is real and it belongs on the books of our extraordinary and creative industry.