Why green is catching on

With this my third column on all things green, I can hardly keep up with the greening of America.

Ironic that green is growing so quickly in a troubled economy, especially when green products are usually, but not always, more costly. Here is why I think green is growing.

Added value. The price of everything is going up. You can’t turn around today and not pay more, so in a climate when consumers are looking at every dollar they spend, it figures that value is increasingly becoming an important part of the purchasing equation. The old adage “You get what you pay for” is true now more than ever before. Let’s not forget that supply and demand still drive the competitive marketplace and green is growing because people are seeing the added value.

Green products may appear to be out of step when cost is high on the consumer punch list, but smart shoppers are buying quality and buying less. “Let’s buy quality and it will last longer” has always been true, and now green is becoming synonymous with quality. Looking back at what we could hand down from child to child, (my wife Mary and I have six children ages 10-19), the quality purchases stood the test of time.

Quality has always been a better buy than price in the long run. So here we have a win-win situation for buyers and suppliers. Suppliers are going greener with their quality goods, understanding that this adds value to their products. And buyers, who are shopping for value, meaning quality, are also getting green products in the bargain.

Prius is a best selling car, not because of its price, but because it is a bargain when you factor in the social, political and personal values of Americans who are awake to the reality that their choices, when it comes to how they spend their money, say a lot in a consumer-driven society.

Those who supply the marketplace are always watching to see where consumers are spending their greenbacks. What they are seeing is a quickly growing interest in socially responsible, eco- and people-friendly products and services. Buying organic cotton sheets, an organic mattress and a crib and changing table made from sustainably-harvested lumber is good for your baby now and into the future.

That’s all for now. Hope this finds you Greening Up.