Global warming has gotten a lot of "buzz" lately. The cover of Time Magazine told us to "be worried; be very worried." Folks who saw Al Gore's movie, "An Inconvenient Truth," dashed off letters to the editor. Heat waves across the country made us wonder if climate change was the cause.

Do businesses need to respond? The smart money says yes.

It's not a question of if – but when – the carbon-constrained economy starts for real. Some companies, like Timberland and Interface, are already lowering costs by reducing energy use while simultaneously promoting products made with sustainably generated power.

So, what are you doing about global warming? If you're like most marketers I know, the answer is not much. I suspect many marketers think energy issues are the domain of the production department, not the marketing department. What can a marketer do? Plenty. Here are ideas to consider:

• Encourage your operations folks to use less energy in the production of your product or service. Or, design your product to use less energy after it is bought? [I was horrified to learn that my DVD player draws 6 watts of electricity when it is "off" even though it only uses 12 watts when on!]
• Switch to renewable energy. Dwell Creative, a local advertising/PR firm, was featured in the paper for its decision to buy carbon credits (clean energy) as a way to offset the greenhouse gases generated by their office's electricity use. [see www.MaineGreenPower.org for green energy options]
• Give your consumers the option of offsetting green house gas emissions linked to the purchase or use of your product or service. Some airlines and travel agencies give travelers the option of paying a bit more to offset greenhouse gases. The Ford Motor company website lets consumers calculate how much they emit in one year of driving, and then gives them a way to offset those greenhouse gases.
• Encourage your department to buy energy-saving equipment, use power saving features, and turn off equipment when not needed? The California Governor recently asked state offices to turn off nonessential equipment; the electricity use at some offices decreased 25%.
• Be part of a greater effort to educate consumers about climate change and what they can do about it? Green-marketing guru Jacquelyn Ottman encourages firms to educate and empower consumers – the majority of whom care about the environment, but don't fully understand the impact of their actions. For example, Stoneyfield Yogurt's "Flip Your Lid" program provides tips on reducing carbon emissions.

Upcoming blog entries will offer additional ideas on how marketers can reduce greenhouse gas emissions.

Next up: reducing emissions resulting from junk mail, ah, I mean direct mail.

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