The "Clean Energy Handbook for Business" was released today by Sustainable Industries Journal. It's full of excellent and informative pieces, and includes an article I wrote on green marketing.

Other articles in the 46-page Handbook explain energy efficiency improvements, cleantech investing, carbon credits, and many other topics.

Consumers perceive themselves as being environmentally responsible. Successful green marketing requires matching a company's brand attributes with its customers' identity as "green." In the article I suggest examining green marketing from the perspective of the 4 P's of marketing -- product, price, placement and promotion -- plus a 5th P, "prove it."

"The Green-e symbol...is just one example of the growing number of independent eco-seals surfacing to help companies prove their sustainability efforts are real and not greenwashing...The U.S. Green Building Council certifies new and upgraded facilities with their Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) standards...Energy Star labeling is available for everything from bulbs to buildings. While more eco-seals emerge for specialized industries (EPEAT for computers; Cradle to Cradle for building materials), the mainstream standards bodies, such as the American National Standards Institute (ANSI) and the International Organization for Standardization (ISO), are joining the chorus."

Related:
"Green Marketing: Whose Job is Trust?" by Denis Du Bois
"How Bad Is Greenwashing, Really?" by Joel Makower
"Greenwashing Is Bad. Really" by Jeffrey Hollender, founder of Seventh Generation

Here are some links for resources mentioned in the article:

U.S. FTC Green Marketing Guides, Part 260
Greener Choices
Responsible Purchasing
Green-e
WRI
U.S. Green Building Council
Energy Star
EPEAT
Cradle to Cradle

The Handbook can be downloaded free; web site registration is required.