Balancing business and sustainability.

Corporate environmental responsibility, known to the consumer as “going green”, is rapidly becoming a required aspect of a successful business. Purchases based on minimizing environmental impacts rise annually, from the growth of hybrid and other low emission vehicles to increased concerns regarding a company’s sustainability ideals. As a result, businesses large and small alike are striving to market themselves as environmentally responsible. However, many do not realize that going green (both in marketing and practice), as with any other business strategy, requires proper guidance and comprehensive planning. Otherwise, the effort can produce costly and unimpressive results with only minor, if any, benefits to their consumers. As a result, efforts may be abandoned due to an inability to procure appropriate procedures or supplies. When only minor (if any) changes are made, yet the business begins to market an incomplete or false green image, they are considered to be engaging in greenwashing. This can be either an unintentional or deliberate form of mis-/disinformation to the consumer that serves to confuse the true meaning of green practices. Such acts threaten to damage the entire market by potentially producing a negative connotation of any environmental claims. This internship addresses the difficulty of many businesses in implementing a comprehensive green campaign. It is among the goals of the internship to help eliminate greenwashing and expand the adoption of environmentally friendly products and practices through the creation of an environmental consulting business