Offering green vehicles with better gas mileage isn’t enough, as pointed out in an article by Jim Tankersley, Tribune Newspapers. What’s the answer for hybrids…wait around for higher gas prices to push consumers?

As the article mentions, “’You will not get people to buy more fuel-efficient cars unless gas prices go up,’ said Howard Wial, a fellow at the Brookings Institution in Washington who studies the auto industry.” In order for the Big 3 to capitalize with hybrids, they must expand the market with innovate design and pricing that appeals to the average consumer. This may seem impossible, as American car manufacturers look to lower manufacturing costs for regular car models.

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T-Mobile has a website dedicated to making a difference – together. The program wants a person to set-up a “Green Account” which includes saving paper by switching to paperless billing, upgrading to a Moto W233 Renew cell phone and recycling your old phone.

Reduce

Going paperless is all the rage – as well it should be. Of major companies that I have dealings with, the only company I had a problem going paperless with, was Dell. This was a few months ago and I think they have changed since then – but I attempted to go paperless on my financing and they were unable. Unable?!? For a cutting-edge company like Dell, I was appalled. But alas, it has changed.

Reuse

As Winner of the Green Category of CTIA’s Emerging Technology Awards, the Moto W233 Renew is the “world’s first mobile phone made using plastics comprised of recycled water bottles.” To subsidize energy used in manufacturing the Renew, Motorola made equal investments in renewable energy sources.

Recycle

The handset recycling program plants a tree for every recycled phone. The program accepts all phones, whether T-Mobile or not. T-Mobile donates 100% of the net proceeds to the T-Mobile Huddle Up program and partnership with City Year.

Visit the T-Mobilize website, where they also have a video lounge

I’ve seen these water bottles everywhere.

I’m not 100% sure whether Eco Canteen invented and/or patented the idea, but they certainly trademarked the name, Eco Canteen™.  The point being, these fashionable water bottles are everywhere.  They are trendy & environmentally friendly - in that they are reusable.  In addition, they do not deliver plastic toxins to the body, which happens when a person reuses the same plastic bottle over and over.  Check it out.

(Lil) Green Patch is a Facebook Application that allows its users to build a virtual garden.  Friends exchange various virtual plants and cartoon characters that bring the garden to life.  Oh, and it also saves the rainforest.

One 31-year-old has saved 133 square feet of rainforest to date.  A portion of the ad revenue generate by the game goes to The Nature Conservancy.  But with Facebook apps and social media on the rise, is there a recipe for success.  The (Lil) Green Patch game has generated $162,150 in a little over a year.

Donation Apps have seen varying success on Facebook, but the (Lil) Green Patch game appears to have found a niche – add it to your profile and help Mother Earth.

View the (Lil) Green Patch Facebook App
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An article in B2B Magazine tells of current opportunities to target green consumers – but says be wary of the pitfalls.

Database marketers have began segmenting green consumers, for example, Ruf Strategic Solutions now has a Green Consumer Index, which helps advertisers target environmentally friendly attitudes, by their “behaviors and defines the green consumers by their demographics, geography, psychographics, lifestyle characteristics, buying behaviors and media preferences.”

As you can expect, however, this type of consumer doesn’t respond well to direct mail advertising spouting off about green initiative.  Similar consumer indexes include GreenAware of Experian Simmons and PersonicX segmentation of Acxiom.

CSPNet.com, your #1 spot for Convenience Store / Petroleum news featured an article on an environmentally friendly Kangaroo gas station.  Sounds like an oxymoron and I’m sure some would agree…

The design, native to Knightsville, South Carolina, is the work of architect Christopher Karpus and developer Mark Jordan.  The concrete of the building is partially made from fly ash from coal-fired power plants.  Among other things, openings in the ceilings allow for natural lighting.  We will see if it catches on.