Guerrilla Marketing Goes Green

November 1, 2010

Guerrilla Marketing Goes Green

Shel Horowitz (Hadley, Mass), author, speaker and entrepreneur. "Winning Strategies to Improve Your Profits and the Planet."

Shel Horowitz is interested in green or environmental based marketing and sees small entrepreneurs and businesses as a way to promote a greener planet.

Sharon asked him what kinds of businesses he has been involved with or promoted and he replied that his group successfully stopped a construction project. He also talked about "voluntary interspecies cooperation."

In his book, he cites a person who started a successful business with a system that saved 50% on energy in office buildings. Sharon then talked about the health problems with forced-air heating and cooling and insulated walls and windows, even though they do save energy. She talked about "sick building syndrome" in which there is not enough air exchange.

Horowitz also talked about a reusable water bottle with a filter. The bottle can be refilled a thousand times (and should probably be washed periodically). It's called the Hydro Bottle and it is not only better for the environment, it is much cheaper than buying a thousand bottles of water.

There are many water saving devices on the market. And paper recycling is also getting big. Horowitz suggests a "duplexing printer" that prints on both sides of the paper.

In Massachusetts, outlet protectors can save energy in winter because they can let in cold air. He also suggests growing edible plants near windows in your house.

Sharon said that there is a move towards buying locally grown foods and that Walmart is attempting to move in that direction. Horowitz noted that Walmart is motivated solely by sales but that the "green" angle seems to be working for them.

"If you ignore nature, it will eventually come back and bite you."

The Japanese have always bee concerned with cleanliness, health, sanitation and proper diet, and their homes reflect this. They have rooftop lawns, miniature gardens, etc.