Stars go green, you can too!

         Today I was watching TV and some interesting commercials came on that I thought were worth noting. The television show Scrubs proposed going green in a funny manner sticking to the reality of the show. The Disney Channel is attempting to aim going green at a younger audience by suggesting friends team up together to change the world. And IBM looked at going green from a business stand point in which saving money attracts the “People upstairs.”

Scrubs go Green commercial – Save energy whenever you can
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rwS5Gb2L00c

Disney – Kids coming together to make big changes
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NT6XkP27sU8
       The website mentioned in the video:
           www.Disney.com/friendsforchange

IBM – Go green to save money
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VSNFE6eUjfY

        So with all of these advertisements to all sorts of people, is there a change in the way Americans consume and use products?
        Statistics point to yes! The USA Today recently reported that “more than eight in 10 said a company’s environmental record should be an important factor in deciding whether to buy its products. And 78% thought spending several thousand dollars to make their homes more energy-efficient is a good idea.” (To see the full article click http://www.usatoday.com/printedition/news/20070419/1a_cover19_dom.art.htm).  So IBM is doing a good job at appealing to people who think going green is a good idea, and to those who think that saving money is a good idea, even if it means going green.
       However, the article mentioned that most Americans want to go green, but that old habits die hard. What a cliché, but it is true. “Only about half of those polled thought they do a good job personally of protecting the environment. Less than 10% rate their efforts as ‘excellent.’” (USAToday).
       So if people don’t want to be inconvienced or get rid of old habits, what can they do to go green? Well start with Clorox Greenworks. These cleaners, used in homes, are everywhere other Clorox products are sold and are just as easy to use. Also with a programmable thermostat, it can be programmed to an energy-efficient setting and then it can be forgotten. And if it is time to buy a new appliance for the kitchen, just buy an energy star appliance. These appliances are exactly like the appliances people are used to, but they run much more efficiently.


       Claire