NativeEnergy creates innovative partnership with Method

NativeEnergy, an international marketer of high quality carbon offsets, announced today an innovative partnership with Method Products, Inc., a manufacturer of non-toxic, biodegradable cleaning and personal care products. Sharing the idea that business has the greatest opportunity to create solutions to the climate crisis, Method’s partnership enables the company to mitigate its carbon footprint by directly supporting new renewable energy projects on American family farms.  Method is pioneering a carbon offset model with NativeEnergy by giving priority to projects that reduce carbon emissions in the company’s supply chain. Together, NativeEnergy and Method are offering financial incentives for Method’s third-party manufacturing partners to reduce their carbon intensity. “NativeEnergy helps Method to build upon our sustainability portfolio, and we want to encourage our partners to do the same,” said Adam Lowry, Method’s chief greenskeeper and co-founder. “This allows us to catalyze positive environmental change outside our own operations.” NativeEnergy calculates and offsets the carbon emissions from Method’s energy use activities, including domestic and international manufacturing facilities, staff commuting, and corporate travel for both 2008 and 2009. Method’s offsets purchase will directly help build and support three of NativeEnergy’s new family dairy farm methane energy projects. These truly additional anaerobic digester projects are: Brubaker Family Farm, Penn England Family Farm, and Hillcrest-Saylor Family Farm, all located in Pennsylvania. “All of us at NativeEnergy are thrilled to partner with Method,” says Tom Boucher, NativeEnergy president & CEO.  “By purchasing high quality carbon offsets, Method is demonstrating its commitment to sustainability by contributing directly to projects that are dependent on the additional revenue from the carbon offsets. Method’s leadership and progressive achievements will motivate others to take action for a cleaner energy future.” 

Study shows luxury consumers looking for some green

Research and Markets has announced the addition of the Green Marketing and the Luxury Consumer report to their offering.  According to latest trend report on luxury, Green Marketing and the Luxury Consumer, luxury consumers are concerned about the environmental issues that hit closest to home, citing fuel and energy shortages and the use of renewable energy sources as top concerns. “With gas prices at $4 a gallon – and this might be the summer low — even the affluent find it hard to ignore the impact of filling your tank a couple of times a week,” says Pam Danziger, author of Shopping: Why We Love It and How Retailers Can Create the Ultimate Customer Experience.  However, luxury consumers are also looking beyond their pocketbooks to larger issues, like protecting the environment, global warming and avoiding water and air pollution. And the leaders on these issues are affluent women. Danziger explains, “In all of the green issues that’s studied, women popped as being much more concerned than men. This is an important signal for luxury marketers to sit up and take notice, as women are often the major shoppers for a family, making the primary decisions about the products and services the family will purchase. For luxury consumers, an increasing number are looking to a company’s environmental practices before making a purchase.” “A lot of marketers are skeptical about the green trend. They don’t know whether it has legs or is just a fad of the moment. I am convinced that this issue is only going to gain momentum in the future, with the affluent consumers in particular taking the lead as early adopters of green living. So the call is for luxury brands to connect with their customers who are increasingly green aware and eco-conscious by making green marketing a part of their strategy. Luxury marketers can learn by studying trend-setters who are creating a dedicated following among green- living luxury consumers,” says Danziger.

College grads looking for green careers

College students and recent college grads would prefer to work for more environmentally-friendly companies and buy greener products, according to a survey conducted by Experience, Inc., the nation’s leading provider of career services for college students and alumni. The poll of 2,774 college students and recent grads from across the nation reveals an enormous benefit for hiring managers who tout their environmental commitments to Gen Y.  Some of the survey findings include:

• 81% say it is important to work for a green company
• 79% report that they would be more likely to accept a job offer at a green company over another company, when evaluating two similar offers
• 16% currently work or intern at a green company

“Millennials are the new face of today’s workforce,” explains Jenny Floren, founder and CEO of Experience. “Companies should clearly communicate their environmental commitments and socially responsible practices throughout all recruiting programs to attract the best talent.”  Experience Green is an online community for college students and recent grads who are committed to the green movement. Sponsored by Chevrolet Fuel Solutions, Experience Green educates and inspires its members by offering internships and career options for those who want their job to complement their eco-friendly lifestyle.