Earth Day = Big Marketing

Happy 40th anniversary, Earth Day. Save-the-earth activities are now commonplace on the marketing agendas of major corporations. Many promote "green" behavior with merchandise such as the books and toys at left.

It's a day of freebies, from "eco" caps at Disney Stores to free admission at attractions operated by the U.S. National Parks Service.

In fact, many business operations and materials are greener today than they were on the first Earth Day. Energy conservation is high on the agenda, packaging waste is down, organic ingredients are going mainstream.

Still, Ad Age reports that some difficult decisions remain ahead. Durable products are still being thrown away in record numbers, creating a landfill problem even after taking recycling into account.

On the other hand, with Avatar set for its DVD release today, this Earth Day is getting special media attention, thanks to James Cameron's interest in the environment.

The next 40 years are sure to bring more green marketing and more green change. Happy Earth Day.