“Going Green” is a popular tactic businesses are taking these days to draw people to them and their products despite the fact that recent polls show anywhere between half and three quarters (such as shown in this poll here and this one here) of people do not believe in manmade Global Warming. The belief is that “going green” will increase their reputation among potential customers and the “Green Movement” certainly has a lot of momentum among its adherents.As both and Eagle Scout and also someone that has a Masters of Science degree in Environmental Engineering, I am certainly not a person that believes in polluting our environment to the point where we can no longer benefit from and live in it. But I am certainly not a member of the more radical elements of the populist Green movement either which believes we are all going to die tomorrow if we don’t stop using oil and coal and immediately put solar panels on our rooftops and start riding bicycles to work. The politics of the issue aside, I do not care one hoot about how “green” a company is as defined by the modern definition (buying “carbon credits”, etc.) beyond the fact that I do not want to see them actually doing damage to the environment; real damage – not imagined.

But a lot of companies are instituting policies to “Green” themselves up. Some of these are companies that I do business with and I get emails from them every now and again telling me the latest “Green” thing they have done. Well whoop-de-doo! Unfortunately, what I am most interested in is more or less how does this new thing that you are doing impacting my bottom line as an entrepreneur.

A prime example of what I am talking about is my bank, which will remain nameless. Their branch offices are littered with references to how “green” they are. Their website also makes sure to promote the “greenness” of the company. But meanwhile the interest rate on Certificates of Deposit for this particular bank are dead last in the interest rate they are offering if I invest my money in that way with them. Hey, being “green” is nice and thank you for making sure that everyone in the world and their mother knows it, but explain to me why I should give you my money to earn a paltry 1.75% interest on a one year CD while other institutions are offering me 3.00% or more? Sorry, but the fact that you are “Green” does not cut it.

Great, you’re “green”. But you won’t be seeing much of my “green” until you fix that problem of your interest rates being in the dumper.

The whole claim of “going green” is becoming nothing more than an advertising ploy in my most humble of opinion. While I am sure that there are some people out there that will forgo a better interest rate that is almost double what you are offering because you have “gone green” most people I do not believe will.

If you want to “Save the Planet” then save the planet from threats both real and imagined. But do it. The second you start advertising that you are doing it to try and gain customers you are just joining the already crowded bandwagon.

If you cannot make me money, I do not care how “Green” you are.