Easy Being Green

What does it mean to "go green?" A year ago, I couldn't have given you an answer. Following the implementation of a "Green Initiative" at my firm, however, I can now share with others the ways I live a greener lifestyle.

The firm's "Green Initiative" started small: doing away with Styrofoam cups, placing recycling bins in coffee areas and encouraging employees to turn off computers and lights when leaving the office. It now includes relying on motion-sensitive lighting, using recycled paper for marketing items and distributing reusable shopping bags and coffee mugs to all employees.

My commitment to "going green" at work lead me to support this environmental cause in my personal life. In addition to recycling at home, restricting electricity usage and walking to the grocery store and pharmacy rather than driving, I also find myself purchasing "green" products. As Vaidyanathan and Aggarwal (2007) explain, there is, "strong empirical evidence that consumers induced to make small and seemingly harmless active commitments to an environmental cause are more likely to remain consistent with that commitment and have greater intentions to purchase products that support that cause" (p. 244).

I've abandoned some brand loyalties and switched to purchasing "green" dishwasher soap, laundry detergent and light bulbs. I am also buying groceries at stores such as Whole Foods, which support environmentally-friendly shopping, and I am considering the purchase of a hydrid vehicle.

Kermit the Frog claims it isn't easy being green. I would disagree. My dedication to my firm's "Green Initiative" has come easily and has impacted my lifestyle.

How has your own life changed as a result of your commitment to a cause?

Reference: Vaidyanathan, R. & Aggarwal, P. (2005). Using commitments to drive consistency: Enhancing the effectiveness of cause-related marketing communications. Journal of Marketing Communications, 11(4), 231-246.