Marketing Sustainably

It's no secret that the beef industry emits vast amounts of gas emissions into the atmosphere, and is known to be one of the leading causes of global warming. Not to mention the impact these plants have on wildlife habitat and fresh water supply in the surrounding areas. While the severity is apparent, the rise of beef demand still continues to increase exponentially, linear to population growth. But how can we reduce the negative effects beef production has on the environment? Let's start with the core circulation of the industry: supply chain. Studies showed that there are specific phases in the supply chain that we can directly examine to find possible 'green' alternatives in the process. For example, sustainable efforts have included the focus on feedlot phases and feed production among the cattle. Some key findings and recommendations found: While the feed production and feedlot phases are important to make 'green,' due to excess runoff, attentio...

This week we discussed the topic of true pricing and costs of products. When consumers are truly aware of these, they are better able to measure and monetize their impact on the environment. Creating transparency between businesses and consumers allows for trust and builds a strong relationship among them. I read an interesting article about the hidden costs behind the paper industry. Many people are aware that there is a need to recycle paper or "save the trees," but often times the one publicizing these arguments are among the paper industry themselves: publishers. It's somewhat contradicting to see companies like Times and In Style to write about the greenhouse emissions' impact on the environment, when they are a big part of increase in CO2. Paper mills not only increase deforestation, but also emit chemicals into the atmosphere via their massive plants and structures.   Hearst Corporation recently did a study on their own implications for their magaz...