Commentary

A Green Christmas?

About a year ago, Marketing:Green reported on missed ROI based on companies being "green-shy." This trend seems to be exacerbated during the holidays. Admittedly, Christmas does seem at odds with just about everything green: carbon-fueled trips to the mall; tons of disposable wrapping paper; wasteful purchases (admit it: that office colleague wants that particular gift from you about as much as you want to buy it); general over-consumption; and even -- gasp -- cutting down trees!!! The holidays represent temporary abandon from the things (the environment, our waistlines) we normally care about.

Despite this, the holidays are also a time of general warmth, consideration, optimism and hope. The mass consumerism of the holiday season is actually symptomatic of a positive spirit, rather than the negative consumer epidemic incanted by various naysayers. Yes, people are buying. But, they are buying gifts for loved ones. Yes, people are over-spending, but it's because they feel they will have the means to pay it off eventually. In one way, it's not surprising that brands and companies choose to ignore green marketing for this consumptive time of year. On the other hand, could they be missing out on a time of year when people are most focused on positive change and spiritual depth?

A sector that truly understands consumers' sensitivities to the environment is the Christmas tree industry.

At first glance it may appear that Christmas tree commerce is a medium-sized seasonal industry. As it turns out, however, 100,000 people make a living in this industry in the U.S. where over 35 million trees are sold annually. These trees are grown on one of 23,000 farms across the U.S. With prices in some markets of over $250 per tree, there is considerable cash on the table for this sizeable niche industry.

Of all the unique excesses of the holidays, Christmas trees certainly spark a lot of the conversation: cut versus potted, real versus fake, disposal, decorations, transportation, and lighting. Do a little research, and you'll quickly find that it's a multibillion-dollar, hyperbole-filled debate, centered entirely on "who's greener." There's enough green of the other kind at stake, in fact, that the debate between "cut versus artificial" has turned into all-out online marketing and communication warfare.

If I weren't researching an article for a reputed publication, I would have completely glossed over the fact that the American Christmas Tree Association (ACTA) is not actually an organization supporting all Christmas tree growers and manufacturers. I would have also missed that it is distinct from the National Christmas Tree Association (NCTA), which offers myriad reasons for purchasing a cut or "real" tree. According to both organizations, the debate is clearly decided. The NCTA offers a comparison chart, demonstrating that "Real Christmas Trees are the best environmental choice." Meanwhile, the ACTA has funded its own study that clearly demonstrates "...that a consumer using an average artificial Christmas tree has a significantly smaller carbon footprint than a consumer using average farm-grown Christmas trees.

Without getting into this murky debate (which was my original intention for the article), what's so interesting about this situation is the incredible focus on environmental stewardship by all interested parties. The folks in that business seem to know something that other marketers may be ignoring during the holidays. Neither side will concede that the other is a greener option, because -- according to it -- this is the central focus of consumers' attention.

The Christmas tree lobby fights tooth and nail over the greenness of its respective industries. Does anyone else get a sense that "green" is the last thing on marketer's minds over the holidays? If so, they certainly might be missing something that other marketers' have seemed to notice: consumers do in fact want a green Christmas.

Happy holidays.

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