The printing industry seems to be weary of green topics these days, but here's a point you don't want to miss: consumers aren't. In fact, individual printers' and distributors' disinterest in green may actually be hurting them financially. Why?A recent Capstrat-Public Policy Polling survey found:

• 59% of consumers consider products' environmental sustainability to be very important in their buying decisions.
• 56% noted they would pay “a little” to “significantly” more for a product that was environmentally friendly.

Yet in spite of these numbers . . .

• Nearly half of respondents (47%) said sustainability and environmental friendliness are “rarely” or “never” mentioned in their employers' communications.

That's a pretty big donut hole!Customers want companies to tell their green story, so why aren't companies telling it? What a missed opportunity! Green increases customer loyalty. It decreases price sensitivity. Green is good business.Tell Your StoryGet your green message out there.  Your efforts don't have to be sensational to be significant. For example:

• Do you have an office recycling program?
• Do you participation in a printing waste recovery program?
• Do you offer FSC- and SFI- (or other) certified papers?
• Do you buy carbon offsets?
• Did you recently invest in newer, more energy-efficient equipment?
• Did you recently change out traditional light bulbs for fluorescents?
• Do you encourage employee carpooling to work?

Everybody has a green story. So don't let it go to waste. Your customers want to hear it.