• by Terri Bennett , April 28, 2010

Geena Mazor's recent Marketing:Green blog, "Consumers Do Want To Be Green, But They Are Also Lazy," is only partially accurate in a glass half-full perspective.

To be sure, there is irony and some truth in the fact that "most people want to ... be green" but are "lazy, opting to throw out (heck, even recycling) a plastic bottle rather than washing a stainless steel water bottle.

" Although Mazor's point was to know your market's sustainability threshold to successfully navigate the launch of a new green product, it got me thinking about the "lazy" segment of the population.

There is no doubt that people want to do their part to reduce their eco-footprint. Today, people are smarter and greener shoppers, and they'll generally buy green if they feel smart and informed when doing it. Educating them on the green benefits of a product or practice, and letting them know that many times the green choices are less-expensive options, will help pave the way to make them much more receptive prospective customers.

Consumers will only embrace sustainable solutions that make sense for them based on their specific needs, experiences, and preferences. The litmus test for determining an acceptable eco-solution is that they are practical, inexpensive and transparent.

She may not rinse out her water bottle, but she is careful to use the coffee grounds she collected over the past month to fertilize her garden, and uses half a can of hubby's unfinished beer to solve the slug problem. And don't even think about asking her to dump the SUV for a more eco-friendly solution. Where will she put her three kids and your two darlings when its time to hit the movies?

But she is sure to maximize its mileage by keeping it well maintained and the tires properly inflated, driving it until the wheels fall off. This is also the most inexpensive solution, when you factor in the total cost of disposing and replacing vehicles. Any residual SUV guilt that she may have has been dulled by the knowledge that she is doing several small things that add up to something truly significant.

These small steps are what we call "everyday green living solutions," and they are the building blocks for introducing and incorporating specific sustainable practices into everyday routines. Certainly, there is "more" everyone can do. But not following through on every conceivable green solution doesn't make her lazy -- as she now has choices regarding what solutions best fit her lifestyle. The more she knows, the more she'll incorporate into her daily routine.

People will buy from those marketers whom they trust. At the same time, due to the amount of green-washing and misinformation that is available in media, consumers feel that brands and retailers can't be trusted to make truthful green marketing claims and provide information that is credible, straightforward, and useful. More and more, green-washing camouflaged as sustainability initiatives from stellar brands ring hollow.

Product marketers need to be sure that in order to resonate with consumers, especially the household manager who controls 85% of household spending, they need to respect the customer's intelligence and skepticism when they promote their eco-friendly initiatives. Keep it simple, practical and inexpensive.