There’s a lot of talk these days in marketing circles about “green business” practices and marketing. I spent some time talking about this very thing with Tim Sanders whose upcoming release – Saving the World at Work – dives into the topic in a very smart way. (Look for our chat on the Duct Tape Marketing podcast)

Being green isn’t just about recycling, it’s about nurturing, growing things, instead of just using them. In fact, being green has as much to do with purpose and people as it does plastic and paper.

Companies that want to lean on their greeness as a marketing advantage need to do three things, in this order:
1) Grow and nurture their people – hire people who think green, empower and inspire them to make wise choices
2) Grow and nurture their community – involve the purpose of the business in the local community
3) Grow and nurture their planet – only now does recycling and carbon exchanging make a true difference

The beauty of this somewhat expanded view is that even the smallest business can do this and make a meaningful difference.;