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Smart businesses know that people, especially millennials and Gen Z, are increasingly concerned about the environment.<\/p>\n
In fact, a peer-reviewed study<\/a> in The Lancet revealed that pollution continues to be a major global health concern.<\/p>\n In response to this global trend, businesses adopt environmentally-friendly strategies when they design products, product packaging, and marketing their business.<\/p>\n Environmentally friendly strategies not only help the environment but can also help the bottom line.<\/p>\n A recent study revealed<\/a> that 92% of consumers have a more positive image of a company when it supports an environmental cause.<\/p>\n If you’re running an existing business that hasn’t yet adopted sustainable design principles, this is the perfect time to pivot. And if you’re just starting a business<\/a> and looking for ways your go-to-market strategy can differentiate from the competition, consider sustainable design as a differentiator.<\/p>\n Your small business or startup can incorporate sustainable practices to save money and help save the planet. Here’s how…<\/p>\n A sustainable business<\/b>, or a green business<\/b>, is a business that strives to create the smallest amount of impact on the environment possible.<\/p>\n Sustainable design<\/b> is a similar concept. It refers to any design concept that has a minimal negative impact on its environment, community, and economy.<\/p>\n German industrial designer Dieter Rams\u2019 renowned design principles<\/a>\u00a0emphasize that good design should be \u201cenvironmentally friendly\u201d:<\/p>\n Design makes an important contribution to the preservation of the environment. It conserves resources and minimizes physical and visual pollution throughout the lifecycle of the product.<\/p><\/blockquote>\n There are three areas where your business can significantly impact sustainability: product packaging, brand identity, and website design.<\/p>\n These areas are responsible for some of the highest outputs of waste and an increased carbon footprint.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n Method’s clean packaging echoes\u00a0the commitment to eco-friendly cleaning solutions.<\/p><\/div>\n Product packaging<\/a> has a powerful impact on consumers.\u00a0As we recently wrote<\/a>:<\/p>\n There is impressive evidence<\/a> in support of the power of packaging design:<\/p><\/blockquote>\n Attractive packaging triggered more intense activity in areas of the brain associated with impulsivity than neutral packaging.<\/p>\n Unattractive and attractive packaging lead to less<\/i> activity in areas of the brain responsible for reflective thought than neutral packaging.<\/p>\n Attractive packaging triggered reward responses in the brain whereas unattractive packaging triggered areas associated with negative emotion.<\/p><\/blockquote>\n Making your packaging environmentally friendly is an excellent way to make a positive impression on your customers.<\/p>\n For many people, sustainable packaging is also a major influence on purchasing decisions.<\/p>\n According to a recent Nielsen study<\/a>, 3 out of 4 Millennials and 72 percent of Gen Z polled would pay more for a product with sustainable packaging.<\/p>\n Many strategies are available to update your existing packaging with more environmentally-friendly options.<\/p>\n Build a stronger brand with our free guides. Get actionable insights to define your brand\u2019s unique voice, understand your market, and stand out to customers. The guides are concise, actionable, practical, and tailored for the busy entrepreneur.<\/p> Build a stronger brand with our free guides. Get actionable insights to define your brand\u2019s unique voice, understand your market, and stand out to customers. The guides are concise, actionable, practical, and tailored for the busy entrepreneur.<\/p> Build a stronger brand with our free guides. Get actionable insights to define your brand\u2019s unique voice, understand your market, and stand out to customers. The guides are concise, actionable, practical, and tailored for the busy entrepreneur.<\/p> Apple is widely regarded as an industry leader in beautiful, forward-thinking design.<\/p>\n However, one of the significant announcements from Apple’s recent product announcements wasn’t a new fancy phone or laptop. Both of the new machines they announced \u2013 the MacBook Air and Mac Mini \u2013 are made with 100% recycled aluminum. Apple said<\/a>:<\/p>\n Using this custom aluminum alloy helps reduce MacBook Air\u2019s carbon footprint by nearly 50 percent, making it the greenest Mac ever.<\/p><\/blockquote>\n Packages that use green materials like recycled aluminum save energy and reduce landfill waste. This is compelling for environmentally concerned consumers.<\/p>\n Using recycled materials is a great start to creating a sustainable product. You can also consider using biodegradable materials.<\/p>\n Here are some commonly-used materials that are biodegradable or recyclable:<\/p>\n Adopting packaging that can be repurposed later is an excellent strategy for increasing your green factor.<\/p>\n We talked about an example of an innovative packaging design when we recently looked at packaging trends<\/a>:<\/p>\n One Indonesian company has found a way to create packaging that you can eat. Evoware is food packaging made from seaweed that is nutritious if you eat it, and biodegrades if you opt to throw it out.<\/p><\/blockquote>\n Puma spent months finding a way to repurpose their shoeboxes. They ended up eliminating the box and creating the \u201cclever little bag\u201d in its place.<\/p>\nWhat is sustainable design?<\/h2>\n
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Make your product packaging eco-friendly<\/h2>\n
Essential Branding Toolkit for Entrepreneurs<\/h2>
Get your free branding toolkit<\/i><\/a><\/div><\/div><\/div>Essential Branding Toolkit for Entrepreneurs<\/h2>
Get your free branding toolkit<\/i><\/a><\/div><\/div><\/div>Essential Branding Toolkit for Entrepreneurs<\/h2>
Get your free branding toolkit<\/i><\/a><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/p>\nChoose green materials<\/h3>\n
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<\/h3>\nMake it biodegradable or recyclable<\/h3>\n
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Repurpose your packaging<\/h3>\n