It's not easy being green," lamented Kermit the Frog -- but at least he had a song to get the message out.

For businesses looking to tout and market sustainable practices, it can be much harder. Consumer skepticism toward green products and their value still demands respect.

A November 2009 study by GfK Roper Consulting found 60 percent of Americans thought green products are too expensive, up six points from 2006. And the sustainability movement -- which, according to local experts, continues to grow at unprecedented levels -- is still tied to the politically-charged debate over global warming and government subsidies or regulations for green-business practices.

It all adds up to another inconvenient truth: Not everyone's going to love it when a company goes green.

So how to attract eco-conscious clients and customers without alienating green-business skeptics? Companies must be hyper-vigilant about catching any practices that could be viewed as hypocritical, said Amanda Mushrush, a partner at 3PC Media in Wexford.

While sustainability used to be a buzz word but now can be seen as a mandate from the government, Ms. Mushrush said green companies must always look as though they practice what they preach.

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Green Measures

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She helped coordinate a green initiative by Eaton Corp., a Cleveland power management company that has an electrical division headquartered in Moon in a LEED-certified building.

Spurred by the potential of working with clients looking to spend stimulus money, the company began touting products that could help businesses become more energy efficient. The only problem: two tried-and-true methods of getting the word out -- mass mailings and trade show displays -- didn't necessarily come with a low carbon footprint.

"Even if recycled paper is used, it's still a tough sell," Ms. Mushrush said.

Eaton Corp. developed Eaton City, a 3D environment available on the Eaton website that shows its products in action.

Because hauling heavy products to trade shows, besides being "one of the most expensive parts of a show," requires gas-guzzling trucks and jets, the company has replaced paper handouts with electronic displays.

Now, Eaton travels with an LCD flat-screen that has touch-screen applications to display the products and allow user interactivity. It gives interested clients a chance to explore the features extensively, rather than settle for a one-size-fits-all handout.

In less eco-conscious times, handouts were like Valentine's Day cards at a fourth-grade party -- companies had to make sure there were enough for everyone.

"The days of handing that stuff out are over," Ms. Mushrush said. Plus, she said, "The lead is stronger" on lassoing potential clients this way because only very interested parties walk away with the information.

Of course, cutting back on handouts saves trees and the money that doesn't grow on them. The combination of economic and environmental benefits is a repeating refrain among green-business advocates.

But other image strategists warn against green overkill.

Daryl Clemmens, a strategist at Forge Communications in Wexford, said customers have seen terms like "new" and "improved" so often on packaging that it's become routine. "Green" is a term that could go that same route.

Finding the right balance between embracing sustainable practices without overdoing it isn't easy, but some companies have successfully navigated the approach, she said.

Audi recently launched an ad campaign for its fuel-efficient vehicles that focuses on the "Green Police," a squadron of overzealous enviro-cops who target customers with less-than-responsible attitudes toward things like batteries and plastic.

"It's a perfect ad because the people who are true greenies thought it was wonderful," Ms. Clemmens said. "And people who think we've gone a little too far thought it was funny."

Consumer skepticism toward green products can only be assuaged when it makes sense for the company to be touting sustainability, she said.

Her example: an accounting firm doesn't need to make recycling a number-one priority in promotion. "The fact that you recycle your paper is a really nice thing, but that's not going to get an individual to buy your service," she said. "To overstate what you do doesn't necessarily improve bottom line or improve credibility."

Carla Castagnero has been president of AgRecycle Inc., a Cheswick-based composting company, since its founding in 1991. The company separates out the organic portion of waste and converts it into a soil additive.

The company started with a yard-debris clients, but has since grown as government regulations and social movements have fueled the sustainability trend. "Now we do everything from composting at PNC Park to little coffee shops that drop off their coffee grounds," she said.

Even more telling, she said, is that some companies don't treat the practice as a big deal that needs to be part of every promotion or pitch.

Many other states are ahead of Pennsylvania in terms of eco-conscious business practices, she said, but more companies here are jumping on the bandwagon. "When we started, people considered the environment to be a social issue," Ms. Castagnero said. "Now people understand it's a way to conduct business."

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