Whitespace: Get ready for the eco-bounty

Issue 48: April 2009

You could be forgiven for thinking many consumers are suffering from eco-fatigue. That collectively they are too confused or overwhelmed by green issues to care any more. Or that people are refusing to purchase green products or services due to shrinking budgets.

These concerns are, however, largely unfounded the futurists at trendwatching.org argue.

They claim a veritable 'eco-bounty' of possibilities is currently unfolding. Embrace this macro-trend and the opportunities are said to abound, ignore it and suffer a pronounced consumer backlash when our global economies start to grow again.

From bamboo shirts to photosynthetic homes, solar-powered mobile phones to green weddings, this month's Whitespace examines a number of eco-bounty ideas that are currently moving from niche to mainstream.

Home-green-home

The Wall Street Journal recently asked some of America's leading green architects what the future holds for green home construction. The responses were as creative as they were alluring.

The big news is that solar panels as we know them are set for an overhaul. It's claimed ultra-thin photosynthetic films that capture enough sunlight to power homes and heat water will supersede existing solar panels and tanks.

Building exteriors that act like chameleons, turning dark when it's hot to keep homes cool and translucent when it's cool to capture available sunlight, are another possibility, as are self-healing and self-cleaning construction materials.

Amongst the many new ideas contained in the article, all of the architects interviewed agreed on one aspect of future homes: the Western world must get used to living in smaller homes, as rarely used living spaces are an unnecessary contributor to greenhouse gas emissions.

Fashion goes sustainable

The term 'sustainable fashion' may seem like an oxymoron to many. Fashion is all about change, right... an exemplar of form over function.

Well a number of designers are challenging this notion. A recent Sydney Morning Herald article suggests more and more fashionistas are going green in a movement that's more than just a passing fad.

Textiles are the major focus of the rag trade's green repositioning. Organic cottons, recycled fabrics and textiles made from sustainable raw materials like bamboo, seaweed, soy and hemp are all said to be coming to a department store or boutique near you.

Of course fashion isn't just about clothes.

Industrial designers are also tapping into the green zeitgeist with products like Samsung's Blue Earth mobile phone delivering on both sustainability and aesthetics. This innovative solar-powered phone is made from recycled water bottles and designed to look like a smooth blue pebble that you might find at the bottom of a riverbed.

Green on a budget

Where there's chic, there's generally a large price tag. But this is another area that's being challenged.

trendwatching.com claims a number of companies are adopting an 'eco-frugal' mindset by embracing the concept that quality eco-products don't have to be expensive.

The launch earlier this month of an ecologically sound women's shoe range from the Payless Shoe Source chain in the US offers a timely example of this trend. With a mission to 'democratise green fashion', the Payless range balances eco-chic with eco-cheap by selling shoes made from recycled materials for under US$30.

Many innovative services are also providing green savings. Madison claims eco-weddings are in demand, which makes sense when you consider how much waste is generated by these once in a lifetime (ideally) events.

In response, sustainability focused wedding organisers are encouraging brides to use locally grown flowers, buy dresses they can wear again and ensure printed materials have a recycled heritage. All decisions that can save money and carbon emissions.

Tuning into sustainable media

Could green media soon be the message?

Trendspotters claim a growing number of 'eco-vertising' practitioners are setting up shop with a mission to bring advertising messages alive using natural elements.

Curb, a company develops waterfalls that display branding imagery, offers one example. Other sustainability focused media outfits have started carving logos into crops, creating floating signage made from soapy water and helium, or using seawater to create temporary stencils on footpaths.

Heading for greener pastures?

Despite numerous predictions that green issues would be placed on the backburner, consumers are not abandoning sustainability because of the global financial crisis. Instead they are looking for ways they can both save money and embrace products and services with solid environmental credentials.

Responding to these sustainability-focused consumers revolves around concepts that contemporary entrepreneurs should already be embracing: transparency, authenticity and creativity. That's not to say that going green is an easy process. But it's one that in the short term can offer brand differentiation and, quite possibly, an enviable reputation well into the future.

Whitespace is published monthly by the Australian Institute of Management - Qld & NT. Sign up to have a copy sent direct to your mailbox.