The Environments Marketing Problem

I am a Twitter guy. I quickly became frustrated with Facebook, from the constant layout changes to the daily updates on pregnancies and children and all the people in the mafia that own farms. Twitter was there in my time of social networking need and I couldn't be happier to have it update my FB status for me so i don't have to endure all the "noise" on there (i can't really shut down my account - all my "friends" would be offended).

Of the many reasons I love Twitter (and there is an ever growing list) one of them is the fact that i can follow a few "fringe" people in our culture and get some insight on popular culture and viewpoints in 140 characters or less. I got a great quote in my feed the other day that really made me think about 2 areas in life that I tend to find myself in conversation about: Recycling and Religion. 

 

"Ruining the environment all week then absolving ourselves by recycling on Monday is as close to religion as some of us get."

 

Soak that in for a second. It doesn't take long to see the connection does it?

Of course most reading this go to thoughts of being a Christian on Sunday and then back to our routine throughout the week. I admittedly did the same at first but then I began to think about why I cannot stand to recycle and why I am always quick to discredit environmentalists an there causes.

I made a list:

1. I am not interested in causes that are popular because of trendiness - even if they are intrinsically good. I tend to fight against that.

2. I am not a fan of the color green.

3. Everytime i go to throw a piece of plastic in the recycling container my wife tells me that it can't go in there because of some random property it contains (ex. frozen cardboard, bottlecaps).

4. The "inconvenient truth" that the environmentalists use natural resources poorly, even in advertising and promoting their cause. Anyone watch "Live Earth"?

Really the list could go on.

Do I think recycling is bad? Of course not! Does the marketing and process by which its accomplished prevent me from buying in. Unfortunately yes. If I observed real people really applying their beliefs with a process in place for me to buy in and be engaged without all the hoops to jump through I'd be inclined to not only buy in but promote the cause.

Now on to The Church...Do i really need to spell it out?

We've got work to do.