Green is a ‘sounds good‘ word. Ask most people, and they will tell you, ‘Sure, I would love to be green.‘ Then comes the punch line. “But I don’t know how“. Or, “It’s too hard“. Nobody is going to tell it to your face, but the truth is, they don’t really think much of green. One only needs to look at people’s actions to know.
A new word has been slowly creeping up in the environmental discourse, with a much brighter future that its green colleague, I predict. Yes, I am referring to ‘smart‘, as in Smart Car, smart meters, smart grid, smart charging, , Smart Standards, smart home, etc. No more dumbing down, it is time to smart up, folks. Show the world how much you can stretch your dollars, and make a game out of beating the deadly trinity of dwindling economy, peak oil, and global warming.
Really interesting. I never studied the word smart before. It gives me lots to think about.
This could indeed be really big for all things electronic.
I agree whole heartedly! Smart is the new green!!
Yes, Meryn, I think there is a lot to the ‘smart’ concept, from a positioning and communication strategy standpoint for all climate protection efforts. I will explore further in a future post.
Smart is good, its catchy-but not too catchy. I think the downfall with “organic” and “green” is that big companies are putting a false brand on their products to get thier piece of the “green” hype.
Though truly “green” organizations should not stop what they are doing or preaching merely because a buzz word may be getting too much play…
News sites like IzzitGreen.com let users rate and review cafes, bookstores, laundry mats, etc… on how truly “green” or eco friendly they are…not to mention if they are actually good to boot.
Hopefully, when consumers and users take back some of the power, buzz words wont lose the sparkle that made them important in the first place.
Nice concept, Jarreau! I take it you are working for IzzitGreen . . . Hopefully you can get some nice traction.
Made me think of http://greenwashingindex.com, previously reviewed on this blog.
I agree we need new language around sustainable products, but “smart” has a history that isn’t entirely green. For instance, “smart homes” are usually those with a load of high tech features and controls. The Smart Car is a tiny car that gets 10 less MPG than a Prius. The word itself can sound elitist and intellectual while “green” sounds earthbound and welcoming. The problem with “green” isn’t so much its lack of smartness as its overuse. A lot of people seem to be sick and tired of the word, the preachiness of the green movement, and its assumed conflict with economic reality, not helped by the deluge of eco-chic, overpriced, overhyped products.
The most promising development for “green” is $4+ gas. Behavior is finally changing, regardless of political stripe, because of the economy. Green works when it makes economic sense, in the same way that the most persuasive reason for both parties to end the war is that it will help the economy. Eco and economy are blending, as are green with green. This is the real story, not nice feel-good efforts like “we” and 350.org.
I enjoy and applaud your blog, Marguerite. YOU are indeed smart!
In terms of energy, “clean” is the new green. I’ll start compounding that with “smart.” If you want to market anything to do with energy – use clean in the word. Even oxymorons like “clean coal” are being used. When I saw Robert F Kennedy Jr speak earlier this week he was talking a bit about this phenomemon.
-Jason
http://www.screamtobegreen.com
letter to the editor
Chapel Hill (NC) Newspaper
June 11, 2008
Solutions exist if we apply the science.
Humankind is surely experiencing the fulfillment of a Chinese proverb: “We live in interesting times.” Many of our brilliant scientists report that God is a delusion. On the other hand, intuitive and gifted believers regularly tell us that these scientists themselves suffer from a form of delusional atheism. No one knows, I suppose, which of these groups is correct.
I am one of those people who believes the family of humanity can use God’s gift of science to take the measure of any global challenge and find solutions that are consonant with universal values. But, before we can move forward to reasonably address and sensibly overcome a challenge to human wellbeing and environmental health such as global warming, that challenge needs to be openly acknowledged and widely discussed. I suppose it is a function of my life experience to suggest that we accurately “diagnose” whatever the challenge is before proceeding to implement “treatment” options.
If great spiritual and scientific leaders are somehow on the right track when realizing, “The Earth has a human-induced fever and could overheat,” then at least one available treatment option is to carefully and skillfully examine the extant scientific evidence related to global warming and to make necessary changes in human behavior, both individually and collectively.
All of the above serves to set the stage for our consideration of a question. How can politicians and economic powerbrokers in the human community be empowered to muster the “political will” necessary for addressing human-driven climate change as well as for providing the substantial economic incentives and financial capital necessary to overcome this potential global threat to life as we know it and the integrity of Earth?
— Steven Earl Salmony, Chapel Hill
Francesca, I like your point about ‘eco’ and ‘economy’ finally blending. Nice image . . .
Jason, agree on clean for energy. I am thinking of smart more in ‘smart citizen’ terms.
Steven, you are asking an important question.
[…] Marguerite wrote an article recently that really resonated with me. I think she accurately hit on an important factoid about […]
[…] 13, 2008 by lamarguerite Two days ago I wrote about ‘Smart is the New Green‘. This morning, I find a ping from Nature Mom’s Blog linking back to my post with a […]
Excellent observation. This goes for social media as well. The semantic web (Web 3.0) promises to be a smarter web. Smart search and smart news. We already have “the wisdom (smarts) of the crowd”. There may be smart networking that helps you to find others you might like; there are various forms of this already. Artificial intelligence would be considered smart(er) technology because it can learn.
When green smarts and tech smarts meet up, it’s a beautiful thing. That’s why we’re here.
Marguerite — Great positioning — your past life in the ad world is showing. “Smart green” is very appealing.
Agree with you ‘Max’, smart is beautiful.
Franke, yes, positioning is what I had in mind here. Will expand in later post what I mean in greater details.
I like smart. Who doesn’t want to be smart? Conversely, who wants to be dumb? Wasteful? Not I.
This reminds of the George Marshall (of Climate Change Denial) quote that made its rounds several months back:
“A lighter lifestyle is the smart, cool, intelligent and healthy way to live. Don’t be tied to outdated and dangerous 20th century ways of living. Live light because it will make you feel complete and free.
When you choose to live light you are setting the pace for the 21st century. You will see the people all around you trying to catch up. And when they do we can all work together to build a world that is cleaner, fairer and happier and that you will be proud to leave to your children.”
Love the quote. Thanks for sharing !
Yes, indeed. The UK tends to be a few steps ahead of the US on this stuff: http://www.smartplanet.com/
Great site, ‘Max’. Yes the Brits keep popping up in all my green searches. Which brings up the question of why? What is it in their culture? Is it their zaniness? their love of gardening and nature? I don’t have an answer.
[…] Marguerite suggests that Smart is the New Green – time to combine the […]
You’ve got to walk your talk when it comes to being green and smart. People have to realize that every little bit helps.
Agree with you, Cindy. Walking the talk is very powerful indeed, and a lot harder also.
[…] Marguerite wrote an article recently that really resonated with me. I think she accurately hit on an important factoid about […]