Green is definitely the hip color these days and most companies are eagerly searching for green solutions. Nobody can argue that this is a very positive trend. However, even the most earnest companies may come to find some validity in the words of good 'ole Kermit the Frog: "It's not easy being green."
The trouble many companies are running into is eco-friendly solutions can be very cost prohibitive, which is particularly frustrating in a down economy. For instance, offering FSC certified wood requires a lot of set-up work, risk and much money. Same thing with going green in packing materials. This of course greatly impacts the cost to the consumer.
So the pivotal part of the equation becomes the value the consumer will place on the knowledge that their purchase supports the green initiative. Once a customer takes a lamp out of the packaging, they are looking at the same lamp regardless of how much they have paid for it. At what point does the price become greater than good will?
Just how much extra money are people willing to spend to be eco-friendly? Please let us know what you think.