Positives of Going Green

The phrase "going green," like environmentalism, is concerned with reducing or eliminating human activities that are harmful to the environment. The Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change's 2007 Synthesis Report noted "increases in global average air and ocean temperatures, widespread melting of snow and ice and rising global average sea level." A "going green" movement that extends from the individual consumer to the highest echelons of government encourages much needed changes.

Cost Savings

• Whether as an individual consumer or a major corporation, "going green" can result in significant cost savings. Jim Goodnight, CEO of SAS, a company providing business analytics software, is committed to sustainability practices. The company's building in Toronto, Canada, is certified by the U.S. Green Building Council; the facility collects rainwater from the room in basement cisterns, admits a lot of natural light and enhances air circulation. This has resulted in significant cost savings on energy bills and reduced employee absenteeism. Recycling paper and moving to electronic paystubs is another way for businesses to go green and achieve cost savings in the process. At home, swapping out older bulbs with energy-saving bulbs and turning off lights and electrical equipment when not in use can also result in significant cost savings.

Environmental Preservation

• The more individuals and corporations recognize how certain activities negatively impact the environment, the more steps they can take to curb these activities. One of Honda's goals is to be the world's cleanest and most efficient vehicle manufacturer. The company pledged to reduce CO2 emissions from its factories and vehicles by 5 percent between 2005 and 2010. As an individual, simply sending an electronic fax or email to major corporations and government officials, encouraging them to be more sensitive to environmental issues, can result in greater steps being taken to protect our planet.

Awareness

• When disasters like the BP oil spill in the gulf coast or the Exxon Valdez oil spill in Alaska occur, it not only makes the public angry, but also creates a deeper awareness on how human negligence can have disastrous consequences. Exxon Valdez' lack of cleanup, oversight and prevention measures resulted in the death of billions of salmon and herring eggs, 250,000 seabirds, 4,000 sea otters, 22 orcas and 250 bald eagles. Going green forces companies to put environmental conservation and preservation on the agenda so disasters like this can be prevented in future. When individual consumers understand the benefits of going green, they will encourage their political representatives and companies they do business with to do the same.

Renewable Sources of Energy

• When gas prices skyrocket, the public cries out. Freedom from dependence on oil and adoption of renewable sources of energy means consumers can "go green" and save money simultaneously. Brazil is weaning itself off oil and using sugar cane-based ethanol in its vehicles. Jose Sergio Gabrielli is the CEO of Petrobras, Brazil's state-run oil company, and says Ethanol usage is growing due to consumer decisions.