Shades of Green

Over the recent holiday season I had the pleasant opportunity to catch up with friends and family that I do not have a chance to see on a regular basis. As I am sure it is with most people, one of the main topics of conversation is "what have you been up to". It was in responding to this question that I was frequently caught in 'green speak' - using terms or phrases that are common in the green space, but not necessarily in other areas.

Perhaps the most prevalent example of this, and probably the most fundamental to understanding the current state of the environmental movement, is the concept of shades of green.

If you think of a colour spectrum going from light green to deep forest green, these are the different shades of green that are now encompassed in the ever growing number of consumers that are 'green'. The more effort or expense a person is willing to commit when taking an action or making a purchase, the greener they are.

For example, someone who recycles their bottles and newspapers, but drives a gas guzzling vehicle to the corner store would be light green. On the other end of the spectrum, someone who lives in a straw bale house, powered exclusively by renewable energy and grows all their own food would be a much deeper shade.

One of the reasons that green is becoming more main stream is because green options that appeal to the lighter green market segment are now becoming available. The key is for the darker green folks to continue to welcome the lighter folks. Even a little bit of green is better then none at all!