gE Blog Series: Go Green! Part 1 - Going Green is the New Trend!

In the past decade "going green" has been a popular word among businesses. Many have changed a plethora of their methods to be more environmentally friendly. The business green movement has evolved from the global green movement in other areas.

Going green and being conscious of the environment is something that dates back to the ancient Greeks and Romans. In the middle of severe fuel shortages, they began building cities and houses with windows facing the sun in the wintertime to make use of solar energy. A more recent example is the idea of sustainable development, meeting human needs while preserving the environment. This idea emerged in a series of meetings during the 1970s and 1980s. In 1972, the UN Stockholm Conference on the Human Environment was the first great international meeting to address how human activities are harming the environment. However, action plans were not drawn until the UN Conference on Environment and Development in Rio de Janeiro in 1992.

Even though businesses have been talking about greening their methods of production for years, a real push was not made until the past few years when companies started actively seeking new methods of becoming more environmentally friendly. For example, in 2007 major UK companies such as BT, Tesco, and British Airways met to collaborate on ways to deal with climate change and to help the environment.

Going green makes sense for businesses especially as natural resources are becoming more scarce and costly. Also, customers are becoming more environmentally conscious and they admire business practices that strive for going green. Furthermore, such practices can strengthen a business's reputation. The following are some reasons why more and more businesses are choosing to go green:
1. It is the right thing to do
2. Cuts costs and increases performance
3. Attracts and retains customers
4. Inspires employees
5. Improves reputation and brand value

Businesses now have no choice but to abide by certain environmental standards as it has become a 21st-century must. Economic development cannot stop, however, it must change its course to fit the planet's limits. Businesses are an important part of these changes.