Courtesy : marketingtutor.net
Green product
What if we tell you that humans in the last five decades have used more resources than at any other time in history? Intrigued?
Also, on top of that, every 9 out of 10 people inhale poor quality air globally.
So, why is there a need for green products to begin with?
- Every year up to one trillion plastic bags wind up in oceans and landfills.
- The average use of a plastic shopping bag is only 12 minutes and 100 years to decompose.
- Every year 4.2 million people die due to exposure to air pollution (outdoor).
Increased usage of plastic bags has caused several environmental problems because of their resistance to biodegradation.
That’s why manufacturing industries are now investing in research and development and opting for ways to produce lightweight, cost-effective, and harmless to the environment products.
Also, according to a research report, around 73% of people are ready to pay extra for green and biodegradable products.
Hence, the green generation is always inclined toward green products since going green helps reduce environmental pollutants and air pollution.
Hence, it becomes critical for businesses and entrepreneurs to understand more about green products, their perks, and how to produce them. So, this blog post is all you need to explore the ins and outs of green products.
What Is Green Product?
A product that possesses any of the following qualities will be termed a green product:
- Protects the environment.
- Maximizes resource efficiency.
- Energy and water-efficient.
- Toxin-free.
A green product is a sustainable product designed to reduce the environmental impact over its entire life cycle.
They are created with harmless components and eco-friendly techniques. Also, sustainable products are accredited by reputable organizations, such as Forest Stewardship Council, Energy Star, etc.
Characteristics of Green Products
Don’t know what goes into the quest of making green products? Here’s a comprehensive list of some of the characteristics that a green product possesses:
- Recyclable and biodegradable.
- Manufactured under hygienic conditions and without the use of toxic chemicals.
- Eco-efficient.
- Also, it uses the minimum amount of resources.
- It has minimum carbon and plastic footprint.
Plus, green marketing is usually used by the brands that produce green products to promote their business value to the consumers.
Major Benefits of Green Products
Not sure if green products can actually help save the world we are living in? Let’s take a look at some of the perks that come with green products and how they contribute to saving the Mother Nature:
- Low Maintenance. Green products usually have low maintenance costs if they are maintained and operated responsibly. For example, eco-friendly buildings require little maintenance because of their reduced operation.
- That’s because an environmentally friendly building makes use of large windows to increase natural lighting. This, in turn, reduces the usage of artificial lighting as well as energy consumption.
- Save Energy & Bills. Perhaps the biggest plus, eco-friendly products last longer than conventional products. Also, green products are meant to use the least amount of resources and consume less energy.
- For instance, solar panels generate power from the sun. They can be used for power generation instead of fossil fuels. Also, solar panels are non-renewable, meaning they don’t use fossil fuels, such as gas, oil, or coal.
- Better Quality of Life. Eco-friendly products are meant to be free of chemicals and harmful components that improve both mental and physical health. For instance, in eco-friendly buildings, large windows are installed that provide fresh air and reduce the usage of artificial lighting.
- Positive Public Image. When businesses do something good for society or nature/environment, their brand value boosts instantly. That’s because people acknowledge good practices.
- Easy Entrance to Eco-friendly Markets. Creating sustainable products offers up a whole market of green users who exclusively purchase sustainable items and are willing to pay extra for them. Also, opting for green strategies gives brands a competitive edge in the market.
- Decreases the Usage of Resources. Eco-friendly products also lower the threat of excessive usage of fossil fuels and other resources and promote power generation from natural resources.
Challenges of Green Products
Going green comes with challenges, and by no means are we saying it is not doable; it’s a long road and surely pays off in the end. Take environment investments as investments for the future; don’t expect immediate results; instead, businesses must persevere through difficulties because the long-run benefits will greatly pay off.
Following are some of the challenges that businesses might face when first starting with the production of green products:
- Green Myopia. Did you know that almost 75% to 95% of businesses fail because of marketing myopia? That’s because they focus on short-term selling factors rather than seeing the bigger picture. Let me ask you one thing, why do you buy products? Perhaps, it benefits you, right? I mean, obviously, if you are going to buy green products, you need to be sure whether the products are environmentally friendly or otherwise. So, even if the product possesses some of the characteristics of green products and isn’t environment friendly, the consumer will not be satisfied, and the business will probably lose its credibility. This, in turn, leads to what you call green myopia.
- Need Standardization. According to some studies, only 5% of the marketing campaigns that claim to be all green are telling the truth; there are simply not enough standards to verify the claims. Also, there is no way to establish that the product is actually organic/green since there is no standard quality control organization or board. However, there are certain policies that are helping us get closer to green standardization.
- Investment. Albeit it seems easy to manufacture eco-friendly products, doing so requires technological innovation. This will necessitate a significant amount of expenditure on R&D (research and development). Not every startup business/company can sustain such a massive expenditure.
Examples of Green Products
Green fever has been sweeping through general consumer markets, and the credit goes to its ability to enhance the efficiency of the products while reducing the carbon footprint.
Every month, a slew of ecologically friendly products hits store shelves as businesses around the globe strive to incorporate a green mindset into their brand value.
Here’s a list of a few green products:
Eco-Friendly Paper Shredders
The requirement to dispose of documents having confidential information has given birth to a paper shredder industry. Hand-powered shredders have turned out to be a popular eco-friendly solution that only requires a simple hand twist to start the whole shredding process.
These environment-friendly shredders are lightweight, easy to use, and offer a solution to help save electricity.
Solar Dishwasher
Did you know that the consumption of water and energy of an eco-friendly dishwasher is half that of the standard dishwasher?
This environment-friendly device utilizes less than 240 kWh/year and 3.2 gallons each cycle, saving both money and the environment.
Electric Cars
Even in today’s era, the automotive industry couldn’t do much to lower its carbon footprint. Nonetheless, Tesla emerged as one of the top leading examples of the electric cars revolution. Yes, these electric cars tend to come with electric motors that aren’t just efficient but operate on clean energy.
Tesla has a devoted customer base and holds a market share of almost 2% in the automotive industry in the US. Although Tesla’s electric car is a sustainable product, demand greatly outnumbers supply.
Solar Speakers
Solar panels not only power electronic devices but also assists the technology to become self-sufficient. For instance, wireless speakers by Eton Rukus speakers demonstrate this innovation, a compact, contemporary sound system with premium quality audio power that is usually fuelled by the sunlight.
Also, the solar panels are seamlessly placed on the top of the device for the optimum absorption of light.