WordUp by Chad Gramling

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I admit it. I have been slow to latch onto the whole “green” movement that seems to be sweeping the social conscious as of late. I about gagged when I watched all of Hollywood’s most prominent thespians literally kiss Al Gore’s rear at whatever awards show it was.

But, truth be told, I have always been somewhat cognizant of personal social responsibility and even agree that we all must do our part to reduce waste and eliminate unnecessary excesses. But that’s more of a Jesus thing than a global warming fear or guilt ridden need to ride on someone’s coattails or bandwagon.

I freely admit that it’s stupid that I complain of not having enough space for all my “stuff” and openly acknowledge that I am utterly corrupt by the ways of this world and often long to escape from the “stuff” that I am trying to maintain in my little house.

I also know that I eat poorly and don’t exercise enough. I blame my parents, our social conveniences of instant and fast-food everything and my own personal lack of will to change. I even go as far to blame my role as a member of a family as a reason for my lack of inertia to change. My contention is that it wouldn’t be fair to make them change due to my personal morals, but I cannot do it on my own while within the family schema.

So, what’s my point? Good question. Not sure that I know.

What I do know is that I think we are at a point in our society where there is going to be a monumental shift in thinking and it will change business and consumer behavior for a long time to come. I say this – not because “green marketing” is the buzz word being crammed down my professional throat every other day – rather I say this because the market is demanding it.

The reason it is a buzz word (or phrase) is because the gurus that so many look to have realized there is a generation out there who is highly coveted – yet that generation covets social responsibility.

So I therefore envision a day when manufacturers will become greater contributors to social innovations for the greater good of the individuals they serve – not necessarily the planet. We’ll see products made with fewer toxins and more natural and organic ingredients. We’ll see mass production and excessive practices to “increase margins” fall by the wayside in favor of finding a better way of producing. We’ll see individuals enjoy fewer diseases and illnesses. We’ll see a whole new industry of “good for you goods” emerge and change the entire consumer foods industry.

But it won’t be the old industry companies who were supposedly “built to last” that will make it reality. Few of those companies have core values that meet with this mission. It will be a new kind of organization that emerges from the ruins of the old world ways. It will be one with a social responsibility as their singular core value that develops the ambition and drive to find a better way.

Old world companies who try to fool the masses by raising their hands and shouting “Look at us, we’re green too!!!” will be quickly identified as impersonators and violators of trust among this new generation of connected yet grounded folks.

I envision this day, and I hope it isn’t that far off.

[tags]vision, innovation, green, marketing, social responsibility[/tags]