Category Archives: Green

Earth Day Promotions that Help Save the Planet

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promotional water bottleHappy Earth Day! So Earth Day promotions focus on how they are made of recycled material. That’s great. But wouldn’t it be great if your promotional products actually helped save the planet? Here’s one that really does…

Water bottles.

Water bottles are becoming an even more essential promotion as time goes on. Why? We have a whole generation of earth conscious consumers influencing the economy. Need proof? As reported in promotional product journals Advantages and Counselor published by the Advertising Specialty Institute (March 2013), the University of Vermont has become the largest public institution in the United States to ban sales of single-use plastic water bottles. In their place, the college has converted many of the campus’ water fountains into water refilling stations. Yay, UVM!

I’ve seen this trend recently, too, at a smaller suburban campus here in the Chicago area. And these schools are not alone. The articles also report that across the nation 22 private schools have enacted similar single-use water bottle bans.

Eco Friendly Promotional Product Guide by Heidi ThorneThink about it. We’re going to have a whole generation of folks entering the workforce that will be trained to refill water bottles instead of buying a bottle. The implications for facilities, food service and events are huge. If these people are in the habit of refilling, they’ll be looking for refill stations and bottles to refill.

This is good news for marketers who want to use water bottles to promote their businesses. And it’s good news for the planet since there will be less plastic floating about (and sometimes it’s floating in oceans, rivers and lakes) and the huge carbon footprint needed to ship water which is super heavy is reduced or even eliminated.

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Heidi Thorne Writes Book on Eco Friendly Promotional Products

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Promotional products marketing expert, author and speaker, Heidi Thorne, of Thorne Communications LLC, has published a book on eco friendly marketing titled, Eco Friendly Promotional Product Guide: A Green Marketing Handbook for Small Business. The book is available in paperback and e-book format through Amazon.

Watch EcoFriendly Promotional Product Guide Intro on YouTube

“Some of my small business clients certainly wanted to go green with their marketing. But they were having difficulty deciding what to buy and often were not buying environmentally friendly items at all due to cost,” says Heidi. “So I collected many of my green promotional buying tips into a quick, easy to read guide book to help them make more effective and cost effective decisions.”

Unlike other books on promotional products, there are no photos of example products in the book. “This is by design and not default,” Heidi explains. “Product offerings change rapidly in this industry. And because making earth friendly choices is more about having the right mindset and values, once those are in place, making buying decisions gets a whole lot easier.” Also included in the book is a sample of the Green Promo Score Sheet which helps determine how eco friendly and socially responsible a product is.

For more information on the book and links to order, visit EcoFriendlyPromotionalProductGuide.com.

About Heidi Thorne

Heidi Thorne has been selling promotional products since 1999 and has over 25 years experience in sales, marketing, advertising and public relations. Her company, Thorne Communications LLC, has been offering eco friendly promotional products since 2008. In addition to being founder and editor of the Promo With Purpose Today blog, Heidi is the author of two other books, SWAG: How to Choose and Use Promotional Products for Marketing Your Business and Business Competitive Advantage: A Handbook for Small Business Owners, Entrepreneurs and Consultants.

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Reusable Bags | When They are Not Green

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We all know that using reusable bags for shopping, events or trade shows are a great idea for the environment because it reduces or eliminates the need for single-use plastic bags. But we’re fast approaching a time when their green value may have peaked. See why in this video:

Click Here to Watch Reusable Bag Glut on YouTube

Eco Friendly Promotional Product Guide by Heidi ThorneSo how do you know if you should buy or bypass providing reusable promotional bags for your event? Ask yourself these questions:

  • Will conference attendees naturally be bringing their own briefcases and backpacks? Bypass. Important Note: If you do decide to ditch the distribution of reusable promotional bags at your event, alert attendees in advance so they know to bring their own.
  • Do you have a lot of small items that need to be distributed to attendees? Buy. It will speed the distribution process at registration and eliminate the need for multiple small bags.
  • Does the bag design allow for use in multiple scenarios, i.e. shopping, conferences, work? Buy. Look for those with longer handles that allow over-the-shoulder or hand carry use. Also look for those with sturdy fabrics for longer wear.

Got another idea for ditching promotional tote bags at events? Share with us in Comments below.

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How to Green Up Promotional T Shirts Buying with Life Cycle Assessment

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Think promotional T shirts are just T shirts? Boy, do you need to read this eye-opening book, The Travels of a T-Shirt in the Global Economy: An Economist Examines the Markets, Power, and Politics of World Trade, by Pietra Rivoli. You’d be surprised at how much of the economy, both here and abroad, is affected by this ubiquitous and lowly apparel staple. Every step in the production process reveals a new, complicated market structure. And the political battles? Let’s just say that some presidents may be in office thanks to T shirt related interests.

For example, did you realize that the largest supply of cotton for T shirts is actually grown here in the States (mainly Texas)? Yet, a huge percentage of T shirt manufacturing is done in Asia. Seems a little counterintuitive and counterproductive, right? But the economic scenario says otherwise. And before you naturally start thinking “sweatshops” and “child labor,” you need to read this book for an in-depth look at the situation. I appreciated the academically researched assessment of the overseas labor and economic landscape.

What you’ll also come to understand are the harsh realities of organic cotton. You will never again wonder why organic is much more expensive than standard cotton. And you’ll appreciate how difficult this transition to environmentally friendly organics really is.

Ever wonder where your 5K Fun Run T shirt ended up after you pitched it into the Salvation Army bin? One of the most unsettling, but also encouraging, segments of the book was the thorough discussion of the “mitumba” markets in Africa for used clothing. Another hugely complex market structure! Shipping containers, such as the kind that you see on freight trains and on ocean shipping docks, arrive full of American castoffs. Through legit, and in some cases not so legit, distribution, the castoffs make their way to the bazaar-like mitumba markets where the best ones, usually generically decorated (those with non-threatening images and no text) or not imprinted, are sold. Those that don’t make the cut can sell for as little at two for a penny when all is said and done. That being said, the mitumba markets do provide a second life for used clothing, thereby delaying a trip to the landfill.

Another avenue, even before the mitumba market circuit, for that 5K  T shirt is in the used textile recycling business. Here, charities sell tons of castoffs to professional pickers who assess its post-5K life. Is it undecorated and/or can it be cut apart for rags for industry? Should it be shredded for fiber use? Or is it good enough to sell as used clothing (which might make its way to the mitumba markets)? This actually is a very competitive market. Should demand for recycled fiber shirts continue to increase, this could become an even hotter and more competitive marketplace. As well, in challenging economic times, used clothing stores like Savers, could be another avenue. To me, this is all good news.

Eco Friendly Promotional Product Guide by Heidi ThorneKnowing the life cycle (and afterlife) of that promotional T shirt project you’re planning is key to making a greener purchase. Specifically, you need to assess:

  • Potential Lifetime – How long, in terms of months or years, would you expect recipients to wear it? Will they wear it at the event and send it directly to the Salvation Army bin? Some of this can be determined by the quality of the shirt you choose. Higher quality or very comfortable ones, regardless of  imprint, can become favorites. I’ve received some at athletic events that I immediately sent to the donation pile. The fabrics were cheap, itchy, wrinkly, had an imprint that used so much ink I thought I was wearing a plastic bag, or, in the case of a “tech” fabric, so hot I sweat in them instantly. Goodbye! Also, to help extend the shirt’s life post-donation, opt for limiting imprint areas to expand the useful fabric area. Imprinted areas are often unusable except for scrap fiber.
  • Your Recipients – Are your recipients T shirt wearers? I’ve done a lot of running events and I’ve observed that a lot of the runners are very unlikely to wear the event shirt at the race. Very competitive runners or athletes do NOT typically wear them on race day. They wear their training gear or, what I call, “good luck wear.” They may wear the event shirt after the event, but typically not for training. Really the only ones they want are those for high profile competitive running events such as marathons. It becomes a badge of honor they’ll be proud to display! But for fun runs and community type events, maybe not so much (a box of free Clif bars might be more appreciated). By contrast, at a fun run/walk, you may have a lot of families where a wearable freebie might help stretch the clothing budget for kids. Plus, kids might want to show off that they were cool enough to participate. So, yes, they want them.
  • Collectible Potential – How much do you think you could get on eBay for a vintage Rolling Stones concert T shirt? Probably a good buck! Is the promotional shirt you’re buying going to promote a once-in-a-lifetime experience? Does it commemorate an up-and-coming artist that could make it valuable in the future? This may be difficult to assess. Generally, though, the higher profile the event, performer, or place visited, the more collectible market value the shirt may have down the road.
  • Extended Promotional Value – Shirts which promote a continuing effort, such as awareness campaigns, may have an extended life after an initial event. In this case you would be well advised to select a wear-worthy choice that is comfortable and better quality to foster continued post-event wear.
  • Supply Chain – Sometimes this is tricky. Most promotional online vendors rarely, if ever, identify the country of origin for promotional T shirts. It can vary widely from product to product. As well, in the case of overseas production, source country could change rapidly should the manufacturer move operations to circumvent quota issues (another segment of the Travels book you would not believe). If fair trade issues are a concern, stick with USA-made T-shirts (yep, I got ‘em in the USAandUnionMadePromoShop.com collection). Should you be more concerned about a greener fabric content–for example, you don’t want cotton made with pesticides or herbicides–then stick with organics (yep, got those, too, at BrandingWear.com). To be labeled organic, it must pass certification testing.

Whew! That was quite a journey. Bottom line? You need to think outside the event when purchasing.

Got more ideas for greening up the life of  promotional T shirts? Share them with us in comments.

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Fairies Exist… Green Recycling Ones, I Mean

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Heidi Thorne and Shawna Coronado during filming of The Green Fairy videos.

Heidi Thorne and green expert Shawna Coronado during filming of The Green Fairy videos which encourage businesses to go green.

While at a totally unrelated meeting with my friend, motivational speaker and networking expert Tom Gosche, at a Starbucks (where else?), Tom introduced me to green & gardening expert and social media maven, Shawna Coronado, who just “happened” to be there for another meeting, too. Funny how the universe works. Since then I have gotten to know Shawna as a friend and following her adventures always makes me smile.

Heidi Thorne and Roxie the Dog during filming of The Green Fairy videos.

Heidi gets a friendly greeting from The Green Fairy video starlet, Roxie the Dog.

Earlier this year, I had the opportunity to participate in one of her green adventures. She was making some videos to encourage businesses to go greener at the office. Business-y looking folks were needed for extras and, thus, my career in film was launched (*snickers*).

I hope you’ll enjoy watching… and pass it along to any businesses or events that might be interested in doing some fun instructional videos on green topics. What I like about using videos to drive home important points is that it does it in an engaging and entertaining way without bludgeoning viewers with facts and scare tactics. How could you drive home a green topic for your organization, event or cause with a fun video?

Eco Friendly Promotional Product Guide by Heidi ThorneI know videos work! I’ve used them myself on our PromoWithPurposeTV Channel to discuss the greener promotional products that we offer on PromoWithPurposeShop.com.

Subscribe to Shawna’s YouTube Channel “The Casual Gardener” and check out her “Gardening Nude” blog and book (absolutely LOVE that title!). Thanks, Shawna, for letting me be a part of your green mission!

The Green Fairy Recycles a Corporate Break Room Video

Green Fairy Races Recycled Office Supplies to a Meeting with Her Dog Roxie

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Guest Post: Quick Tips to Reduce Your Emissions Whilst Exhibiting

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Editor’s Note: Many thanks to banner manufacturer Marler Haley (UK) for sharing this helpful information with us! – Heidi Thorne

As we know, exhibiting is a big, global business. With the number of exhibitions, conferences and trade shows growing, it is only going to get bigger. That inevitably means that the impact on the environment is going to get bigger too. As the infographic below, courtesy of pull up banners manufacturers Marler Haley shows, exhibitions created 640,460 tons of carbon dioxide emissions.

With this in mind here are few simple tips that anybody who is looking to attend an exhibition can do to minimise their affect on the planet.

  • Transport – Obviously to exhibit or attend an event you need to get there. However we aren’t suggesting only attend those events that are in walking distance, or cycle to the event towing your stand. Instead of this try to use group transport where possible, for example a minibus to take all your delegates in rather than driving in cars. Alternatively use public transport, and organizers could have incentives for people doing so.
  • Energy Saving Facilities – Anybody at an exhibition should be made aware of any eco-friendly practices on site. This could involve minimising lighting, heating or even air-conditioning. Where possible use low-wattage lighting such as CFLs and LEDs. Finally ensure there are plenty of recycling bins at hand.
  • Use an environmentally friendly banner display provider – Your banner display company should be ISO14001 recognised, which is an internationally accepted Environmental Standard. Ensure that they use recycled materials, and that they don’t burn any used products in to the atmosphere.
  • Measure your impact and set goals – How much affect can these small changes actually have? Well calculate your Carbon Footprint using the many online tools available, and then try and think how you can have a smaller impact at your next event. By constantly trying to make small gains one event at a time you will soon find that these all add up and equate to a large reduction in your carbon emissions.

Reduce Carbon Emissions at Exhibitions Infographic

Earth Day | How Green Are Promotional Products Now?

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Globe in hand graphic

Hard to believe that it’s been over 40 years since the very first Earth Day in 1970. So as we get ready to celebrate again this year, where do I see the green movement, especially as it relates to promotional products and marketing?

Green Dollar Values Still Trump Green Values – I still see lots of people choosing green dollar values over green values. What’s interesting is that even when times were better, people weren’t hopping onto the green bandwagon in droves. Unless it’s a huge deal for the company, such as if they are working on achieving a certain environmental standard, it’s a nice to do, not a have to do, effort for promotional products. As well, prices are still higher for many more ecofriendly products, although some are getting closer to their standard petroleum based cousins.

Small Efforts Are Gaining Some Ground – Maybe it’s just choosing a reusable product over a disposable one. These small, easy to do efforts do seem to be gaining a foothold. Seeing lots more reusable bags at tradeshows and stores. In fact, last year I sold more reusable bags for events than ever. Some reusable drinkware use, but less so than bags.

Eco Friendly Promotional Product Guide by Heidi ThorneThe Green Excuse for Not Marketing – This is hilarious. Sometimes when I’m soliciting promo business, I get the “we’re going green so we’re not buying anything” excuse. Yes, excuse. Please, people, don’t be afraid to admit your running low on the other green (cash) while painting your non-activity as going green. Be authentic!

Digital Marketing is Seen as a Panacea, But There’s a Catch – Event and tradeshow people are flocking to digital marketing strategies such as those that use QR codes or mobile apps. But there’s a big catch: You’ve got to get people to buy in. At a number of recent events I’ve done, I’ve included a big QR code in my booth. I can probably count on one hand the people who understood what it was or how to use it. Many times, I’d have to show them how to download a scanning app. And I really, really hate wasting my selling time showing someone how to use their own Blackberry or Android, sometimes iPhone, but rarely (not saying because I’m an iPhone snob either). Often what I hear is “I just bought this phone and I have no idea how to use it.” So I use these tools sparingly and cautiously, tailoring it to the anticipated audience. (BTW, I’m exhibiting at The Business Ledger/Suburban Business Newsmaker Forum on Digital Marketing where I’ll be introducing our new PWP Mobile Marketing services that do not require a smartphone to use.

Promotional USB Drives Will Continue to Lose Favor – On a related digital marketing note, promotional USB drives will continue to lose favor as mobile apps and more powerful smartphones saturate the market.

Green Yuck – While many people are willing to reuse containers, clothing, and more at home, they are not so willing to share or reuse items at events. The post I did on the challenges of reusing tradeshow lanyards generated quite a discussion and some interesting ideas! So what should you do? Check out some of the ideas and comments in the Green Yuck post.

Green marketing continues to evolve. Wonder what we’ll see happening on the 50th anniversary of Earth Day in 2020. Got a prediction? Share it in comments.

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Yuck! A Dark Side of Going Green at Events

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Lanyards from PromoWithPurposeShop.com

One of the greatest things I get out of participating in the Event Camp conferences is the opportunity to talk with event pros on what issues are bugging them. So at lunch the one day during the 2011 Event Camp National Conference, I was chatting with Adrian Segar, Mitchell Beer, Jill Drury, Andrea Sullivan, and Brandt Krueger about greener meetings. I mentioned the idea of collecting and recycling lanyards at future events. Jill responded that one of her challenges, even though that idea in theory sounds good, is that people might be uncomfortable with reusing someone else’s lanyard. Makeup, oils, personal products and more can accumulate on them making some give pause to using a recycled lanyard. Also, washing them is either not possible or practical. Truly a dark side to going green for this particular item at meetings.

Guess that scenario really never crossed my mind, probably because I’m not too much of a germaphobe (I have two big always-a-mess dogs). But I have to realize that there are others not so inclined.

So now what? Are we going to have to continue to buy new lanyards for every event, only to have them pitched into the garbage after maybe 10-20 hours of wear? Hmm… what to do?

Eco Friendly Promotional Product Guide by Heidi ThorneHere are some thoughts…

  • Still Collect and Recycle, But Offer New – I’m going to guess that some people are like me and using a recycled lanyard doesn’t phase them. What event and tradeshow planners can do is still collect the lanyards and offer a recycled one to attendees, but also have a stash of brand new ones for those who are more sensitive on this issue or those who collect them as souvenirs (see my other post on tradeshow lanyard recycling for that discussion).
  • B.Y.O.B.L. – No, not Bring Your Own Booze & Liquor (although some might). How about Bring Your Own Badge/Lanyard? No doubt, if you have a gathering of regular conference goers, they have quite a stockpile of these little-used gizmos. Many may also use them every day on the job. Give them a bit of a discount or a freebie (like a free cookie as my pal Judy Kucharuk from Footprint Management Systems suggests) if they agree to bring and use their own badge and lanyard. Less cost for you and the planet.

At our Event Camp lunch discussion, we also mentioned the use of electronic badges that one would have on a smartphone. Great for use on the tradeshow floor for gathering leads. Not so great for networking since it would be awkward and ineffective in a reception or other social setting.

You got any better suggestions for the yucky green lanyard situation? Share them in comments.
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Promotional Product Catalogs | Why I Don’t Use Them

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“Can you just send me a few promotional product catalogs?” My answer? No. Here’s why…

Click to Watch Why I Don’t Use Promotional Product Catalogs Video on YouTube

Eco Friendly Promotional Product Guide by Heidi ThorneOn top of that, I’ve found that when I get these requests, it usually means the customer isn’t really interested. So why should I waste the earth’s resources and mine to accommodate them?

I was reminded of the huge amount of waste when I was cleaning house recently and realized that I had maybe 20 pounds or more of catalogs collected at last summer’s Advertising Specialty Institute (ASI) Show in Chicago. That show was in July and I hadn’t touched them by the end of October.

And what people often don’t realize is that there’s are real dollar costs to handling and storing paper for labor, space, and disposal. I had this clearly pointed out to me when I was working with my CPA on a records management guide for her clients. When I took the advice and started shifting as much as possible to e-records and electronic money handling, I was able to save hours and dollars every month.

Do you use catalogs or other printed materials for your business? Why or why not? Discuss here with a comment.

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Green Tradeshow Ideas | 3 Exit Strategies

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Recycle BinAh, the irony! While a presentation drones on about the evils of plastic water bottles and what should be done about it, attendees at a green new product showcase search for a place to pitch their now empty plastic water bottles. A showcase host replies, “You know, we hadn’t thought about that. Just throw them in the regular trash.”

In case you’re wondering, yes, this really happened.

Making your tradeshow or event greener is a start-to-finish affair. What we’ll be looking at here are green tradeshow ideas that are “exit strategies” you can use to make sure your green efforts don’t go walking out the door when your event ends.

Eco Friendly Promotional Product Guide by Heidi Thorne1. Bins for Used Lanyards and Name Badges at Exit – Unless the lanyard is super-cool or your event is attended by those who need them for their security badges, it is unlikely that event attendees will ever use them again in the future. Same goes for the plastic badge holders. Why not collect them at the event exit and reuse them for next time? This will not only help the earth, but will save you money since you can buy less for the next event.

2. Bins for Plastic, Paper, and Aluminum Waste at Exit – The amount of these waste materials generated at events can be huge. With still low recycling rates at the individual level, chances are the pile of paper, plastic containers, and cans will promptly be pitched into the straight-to-landfill waste stream in a hurry once they leave the building. Tap in to people’s desire to unload unnecessary weight at the end of an event and provide separated recycling bins at the exit. Unless you plan to haul it away yourself, this effort will have to be coordinated with the event facility for pick-up.

3. Recycle or Ship Back Show Materials – It’s the last few hours of an event and what do you see? Booth personnel scrambling to get rid of show materials so they don’t have to pack, ship or drag them back home. What a waste on multiple levels! If you are stuffing brochures or promotional products into the hands of unwilling show visitors, where do you think those items will end up? Of course, in the trash, likely as soon as they leave the show. These materials will also likely end up in the landfill-bound trash, not recycling bin. If you unnecessarily hand out show materials, you will probably have to reorder or reprint them for another event. So you have increased costs for the earth and your marketing budget. Plan in advance how you will handle the return or recycling of unused show materials and advise your booth personnel of procedures.