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GREEN MARKETING INTRODUCTION It is a fact that the natural environment is the basis of all activity. Natural environment and eco-system services provide us with food, water and materials for living. Since the economic activities directly depend upon the natural resources and the environment, the protection of the natural environment is the duty of all stake holders. We should take utmost care to protect both the renewable and non-renewable energy sources. If we fail to manage the ecosystem and environmental resources in a proper way , the future generations will face severe imbalances in climate and availability of water ,food, good air ,etc. it is needless to say that the major reasons behind the imbalance in the ecosystem is the improper management resources and the population explosion . Hence, the process of selling good s and services in the eco-friendly way is a big issue before the business houses across the globe. Moreover, keeping eco-friendly goods in the hands of the ultimate users in the social responsibility of manufacturer as the role of wealth creators has been more in damaging the eco-system rather than preserving it. MEANING AND DEFINITIONS OF GREEN MARKETING The terms like Green Marketing , Ecological Marketing and Environmental Marketing are getting popular in modern days . The American marketing association (AMA) conducted its first work shop on Ecological Marketing in 1975. The proceedings of the work shop resulted in one of the first books on green marketing entitled Ecological Marketing Green marketing is defined as : green or environmental marketing consist of all actives designed to generate and facilitate any exchanges intended to satisfy human needs or wants, such that the satisfaction of these needs and wants occurs, with minimal detrimental impact on the natural environment . In this regard green marketing accepts a wide range of back and front and activities in marketing of goods and services . Thus, green marketing is the consideration of

environmental /ecological issues in modifications of a product ,changes in production processes , packaging , advertising , transportation and in selling of goods and services . The concept of green marketing is the business practice that considers consumers with regards to preservation and conservation of the natural environment (coddington, 1993) . Green

marketing is identified as a part of the market segment based on the greenness of the consumer (charter etal,.2002: simintrias et al., 1995) THE CONCEPT OF GREEN IN THE INDIAN CONTEXT The concept of keeping the environment clean , using eco- friendly goods and services is not new as for as the Indian context is concerned . India is the home of the gods. Indian have considered land , nature, air , fire water and the environment (prithvi , prakriti , vayu , agni and jal) as the protectors of human beings and since time immemorial , the elements of nature have been sacred for Indian people . Any adverse impact on the environment will affect the life of human beings . However the systematic study on the reasons for ecological imbalance lose of ozone layer started only after the mass production and consumption of goods and services started across the globe .Research on these issues started only after their adverse effects on the environment came to the forefront. Economic theory recognizes for kinds of capital :Human , Financial, Manufactured and Natural.Eco-system services are the equivalent of natural capital(chee,2004). The millennium eco-system assessment (2005) defined natural capital as the benefits people obtain from eco-system. These benefits include food, water, timber, cultural values, etc. And are the outcomes sought through ecosystem management.

What is Green Marketing? Many terms describe this relationship: environmental marketing (Coddington, 1993), ecological marketing (Fisk, 1974; Henion and Kinnear, 1976), green marketing (Peattie, 1995; Ottman, 1992), sustainable marketing (Fuller, 1999) and greener marketing (Charter and Polonsky, 1999). Although the notion of marketing is more expansive, this paper employs the term green marketing to refer to the strategies to promote products by employing environmental claims either about their attributes or about the systems, policies and processes of the firms that manufacture or sell them1. Clearly, green marketing is part and parcel of the overall corporate strategy (Menon and Menon, 1997). Along with manipulating the traditional marketing mix (product, price, place and promotion), it requires an understanding of public policy processes. Green marketing also ties closely with issues of industrial ecology and environmental sustainability such as extended producers liability, life-cycle analysis, material use and resource flows, and eco-efficiency. Thus, the subject of green marketing is vast, having important implications for business strategy and public policy.

According to the American Marketing Association, green marketing is the marketing of products that are presumed to be environmentally safe. Thus green marketing incorporates a broad range of activities, including product modification, changes to the production process, packaging changes, as well as modifying advertising. Yet defining green marketing is not a simple task where several meanings intersect and contradict each other; an example of this will be the existence of varying social, environmental and retail definitions attached to this term Other similar terms used are Environmental Marketing and Ecological Marketing. Green, environmental and eco-marketing are part of the new marketing approaches which do not just refocus, adjust or enhance existing marketing thinking and practice, but seek to challenge those approaches and provide a substantially different perspective. In more detail green, environmental and eco-marketing belong to the group of approaches which seek to address the lack of fit between marketing as it is currently practiced and the ecological and social realities of the wider marketing environment. THE CONCEPT OF GREEN IN THE SERVICE SECTOR As companies are striving to meet the demands of the growing population across the globe, no nations is free from population and ecological imbalance. The firms are putting their efforts in producing greener products and services for the customers. As compared to the manufacturing sector, the services sector, the services sector also need to maintain the green concept in marketing of their products. For example, disposal of waste and its management is big issue before the medical sector. Similarly, adoption of eco-friendly policies is a challenging job in case of marketing of tourism products like eco-tourism, adventure tourism, wilderness tourism, hospitality and catering etc. History of Green Marketing The term Green Marketing came into prominence in the late 1980s and early 1990s. The American Marketing Association (AMA) held the first workshop on "Ecological Marketing" in 1975. The proceedings of this workshop resulted in one of the first books on green marketing entitled "Ecological Marketing". The Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) Reports started with the ice cream seller Ben & Jerry's where the financial report was supplemented by a greater view on the company's environmental impact. In 1987 a document prepared by the World Commission on Environment and Development defined sustainable development as meeting the needs of the present without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their own need, this

became known as the Brundtland Report and was another step towards widespread thinking on sustainability in everyday activity. Two tangible milestones for wave 1 of green marketing came in the form of published books, both of which were called Green Marketing. They were by Ken Peattie (1992) in the United Kingdom and by Jacquelyn Ottman (1993) in the United States of America. According to Jacquelyn Ottman, (author of "The New Rules of Green Marketing: Strategies, Tools, and Inspiration for Sustainable Branding" (Greenleaf Publishing and Berrett-Koehler Publishers, February 2011)) from an organizational standpoint, environmental considerations should be integrated into all aspects of marketing new product development and communications and all points in between. The holistic nature of green also suggests that besides suppliers and retailers new stakeholders be enlisted, including educators, members of the community, regulators, and NGOs. Environmental issues should be balanced with primary customer needs The past decade has shown that harnessing consumer power to effect positive environmental change is far easier said than done. The so-called "green consumer" movements in the U.S. and other countries have struggled to reach critical mass and to remain in the forefront of shoppers' minds. While public opinion polls taken since the late 1980s have shown consistently that a significant percentage of consumers in the U.S. and elsewhere profess a strong willingness to favor environmentally conscious products and companies, consumers' efforts to do so in real life have remained sketchy at best. One of green marketing's challenges is the lack of standards or public consensus about what constitutes "green," according to Joel Makower, a writer on green marketing.] In essence, there is no definition of "how good is good enough" when it comes to a product or company making green marketing claims. This lack of consensusby consumers, marketers, activists, regulators, and influential peoplehas slowed the growth of green products, says Makower, because companies are often reluctant to promote their green attributes, and consumers are often skeptical about claims. Despite these challenges, green marketing has continued to gain adherents, particularly in light of growing global concern about climate change. This concern has led more companies to advertise their commitment to reduce their climate impacts, and the effect this is having on their products and services Features of Green Products

Degradable

A product or package advertised as degradable or biodegradable must completely break down and return to nature in a reasonably short period of time after customary disposal. For example, a trash bag marketed as degradable should completely break down in a landfill where trash bags normally end up after consumer use. It is not sufficient that the bag breaks down when buried in soil. Compostable Product or packaging advertised as compostable must break down into usable compost in a safe and timely manner in a composting facility or in a home compost pile or device. If the material will not break down through typical home composting, the advertiser must qualify the claim to state this fact. Recyclable A product or package can be marketed as recyclable only if it can be collected, separated, or otherwise recovered from the solid waste stream through an established recycling program. If the product is comprised of both recyclable and nonrecyclable components, the advertising claim should make this clear. And you should make clear whether the claim refers to the product, the package, or both. Recyclable claims are only appropriate when the product or packaging is made from materials that are accepted by recycling programs in a substantial majority of communities. Recycled A claim that a product is produced from recycled content is appropriate only where materials have been recovered or otherwise diverted from the solid waste stream, either during the manufacturing process (preconsumer) or after consumer use (postconsumer). If the product or packaging is only partially constructed from recycled material, this must be clear. Where a products content consists of used, reconditioned, or remanufactured components, the recycled claim should be qualified. Refillable A refillable claim is appropriate only where a system is provided for the collection and return of the packaging for refill by consumers. It should not make refillable claims where it is up to the consumer to find new ways to refill the package. Ozone Safe/Friendly It is appropriate to check where the product contains chemicals that contribute to ozone formation at lower levels (smog) even where the product does not harm the upper ozone layer

The Four Ps of Green Marketing Like conventional marketers, green marketers must address the four Ps in innovative ways. Product Entrepreneurs wanting to exploit emerging green markets will either: identify customers environmental needs and develop products to address these needs; or Develop environmentally responsible products to have less impact than competitors. The increasingly wide varieties of products on the market that support sustainable development and are good for the triple bottom line include: Products made from recycled goods, such as QuikN Tuff housing materials made from recycled broccoli boxes. Products that can be recycled or reused. Efficient products, which save water, energy or gasoline, save money and reduce environmental impact. Queenslands only waterless printer, Print point, reduces operating costs by using less water than conventional printers and is able to pass the savings on to customers. Products with environmentally responsible packaging. McDonalds, for example, changed their packaging from polystyrene clamshells to paper. Products with green labels, as long as they offer substantiation. Organic products many consumers are prepared to pay a premium for organic products, which offer promise of quality. Organic butchers, for example, promote the added qualities such as taste and tenderness. A service that rents or loans products such as toy libraries. Certified products, which meet or exceed environmentally responsible criteria. Benefits of Green Marketing Green marketing offers business bottom line incentives and top line growth possibilities. While modification of business or production processes may involve start-up costs, it will save money in the long term. For example the cost of installing solar energy is an investment in future energy cost savings. Companies that develop new and improved products and services with environmental impacts in mind give themselves access to new markets, substantially increase profits

and enjoy competitive advantages over those marketing non-environmentally responsible alternatives. Socially Responsible Investment (SRI) in Australia is no longer a niche investment. Potential investors increasingly look to companies to demonstrate their social and environmental responsibility as well as traditional financial objectives and outcomes. Competitive businesses with an eye to emerging market forces address their triple bottom line performance. For example, to support its aim of being a sustainable business, The Body Shop produces a social and environmental performance report, The New Bottom Line, every two years. Conclusion Our understanding of green marketing is still in its infancy, perhaps due to the multidisciplinary nature of the enterprise. Marketing scholars focus on a host of business strategy and public