Last week, I ran across the following quote from John Muir, naturalist and Sierra Club founder, which gave me pause:
"Thousands of tired, nerve-shaken, over-civilized people are
beginning to find out that going to the mountains is going home; that wilderness is a necessity; and that mountain parks and reservations are useful not only as fountains of timber and irrigating
rivers, but as fountains of life."
Fast-forward 100 years and similar thoughts echo in my day-to-day interactions among friends, colleagues, other parents or entrepreneurs.
Maybe not the timber reference ... but definitely a longing to spend more quality time outdoors and the value of open green spaces in tempering our frenetic lifestyle.
Benefits of outdoor
recreation are as clear to us today as they were to those with the foresight to preserve our country's natural resources. Theodore Roosevelt, Abraham Lincoln, John Muir, Frederick Law Olmsted, and
many, many others ... thank you.
Now it's up to us to continue the legacy they built. Corporate America is in the unique position to lend a hand and support what they started. As marketers
and people who care about the environment and green spaces, we can help shepherd good environmental stewardship into the mainstream through meaningful public-private partnerships.
This
Earth Month, many companies are giving a nod to the simple lessons inherited from our ancestors who had such an influence on public grounds and keeping them in mind when practicing the marketing
principles of today. Lessons of simplicity, value and doing good for the community always have a place in environmental programs and even more so now with the post-recession consumer.
- Simplicity Scaled back and pared back is the mantra of the post-recession consumer. People realize small gestures and individual behaviors can make a positive impact on the
environment, whether it's part of a well-coordinated campaign like Earth Hour 2010 or individually recycling one aluminum can, which saves enough energy to power a computer for three hours.
Dasani water breaks it down really well in its 30 Days/30 Ways Challenge in April whereby consumers activate a $1 donation to state parks every time they share simple tips
from its Web site.
- Value More than just a good price, the new value mindset combines frugality with an
emotional connection. Budgets have tightened, and consumers are more selective, so honing in on the psychographics of your target audience will help build a meaningful program.
A product launched by Odwalla last week, Haiti Hope Mango Lime-Aid, donates 100% of profits to help mango farmers in Haiti develop long-term sustainable mango farms. The
shift from "What's in it for me?" to "How can we all benefit?" brings value to the forefront.
- Community The helping hand of a neighbor goes a long way.
I've found that when companies focus on an acute local cause, there's a groundswell of support and response from consumers.
With state parks in California under budget
constraints since last year, Coca-Cola and Stater Bros. Markets helped replant a wildfire-scarred state park in San Diego last year and this year aims to raise $600,000 in its "Care For Our Coast"
campaign for beach clean-up, dune restoration and recycling programs that have been deferred for a decade -- a win-win situation for the public, state parks and private business.
I'd like to think that our ancestors might be green with envy if they could see some of the good work taking place today.