Global Warming

Kyle Yergenson

Article Overview• Article described benefits of “going green” for a business• “Going green” is the act of making more environmentally

friendly decisions• Helps protect the environment and improve a company’s

bottom line• Companies that emphasize they are environmentally

friendly gain public relations with customers• Companies that focus on reducing energy consumption

help the environment and reduce costs by lowering energy bills

Article Overview (Continued)• Companies that promote a healthier workplace report a 20

percent decrease in the number of sick days used by employees, allowing companies to spend less on medical benefits

• Tax credits are earned by companies that use environmentally friendly business practices

• Consumers are demanding more “green” products and services, as a result “green” products are expanding in a variety of industries

• Companies that offer more “green” products and services earn more profits than those that don’t

Climate Change (Theory)• According to the text book Organizational Communication:

Approaches and Processes by Katherine Miller:• Climate Change is a real issue that must be addressed by

governments, businesses, and individuals• Scientific data shows an upward shift in global temperature, rising

sea levels, and extreme weather events• Scientists agree that this phenomenon known as global warming is

linked with the activities of individuals and organizations• Scientists have observed sea levels rising, glaciers shrinking, and

permafrost melting• Climate change affects ecosystems, plant life, and animal life,

threatening the survival of them

Climate Change (Theory) (Cont.)• Human contribution to climate change date back to the

Industrial Revolution with our systems of energy production, factory manufacturing, and petroleum-fueled transportation

• Organizational communication is important in dealing with many of the effects of global warming, such as the increased incidence of forest fires and extreme weather events

• If we do not change our ways we could see worsening results of global warming that could ruin plant and animal life, along with our own lives

Statistics of Global Warming• Earth’s average temperature has risen by 1.4 degrees

Fahrenheit over the past century, is projected to rise another 2 to 11.5 degrees over next hundred years

• In his essay, “Global Warming Heats Up,” Jeffrey Kluger explains that, “If global warming continues, there will be no polar ice by 2060 and somewhere in that time the polar bear will be extinct since they live on the ice and they cannot swim forever. The more global warming attacks the Earth’s environments, the more animals and species will die and become extinct. It is not known for sure but humans could very well die due to effects of global warming as well.

Statistics (Cont.)

• Of the 20 hottest years on record, 19 occurred in the 1980s or later

• If glacial melting rates do not decrease, sea levels will rise as much as twenty feet at the end of the century. The Greenland ice sheet would be enough to raise global sea levels 23 feet, covering parts of Florida and most of Bangladesh

Climate Change Affects OrganizationsPublic Relations• Organizations are more focused on

“going green” than ever as mentioned in the article and our text

• The article stated that an organization can gain more customers by marketing green changes they’ve made like using recycled products

Climate Change Affects Organizations

Cost Savings• Companies that focus on reducing

energy consumption help the environment and reduce their energy bills

• According to the article, Dupont saved over $3 billion over two decades by reducing carbon emissions

Climate Change Affects Organizations

Tax Credits• Tax credits are available to companies

that utilize environmentally friendly business practices, such as switching to renewable energy sources like solar power, for example, according to the article

Climate Change Affects Organizations

Consumer Demand• As environmental consciousness grows,

consumers are demanding more green products and services

• Due to this, the market share for green products has continued to expand in a variety of industries according to the article

Going Green• Many organizations have drastically

changed to “going green” and many new organizations are “green” in the way that they make their products and do their business

• Even twenty or thirty years ago there was not nearly as much emphasis on “going green” in organizations as there is today

Companies that are “Going Green”

• Bank of America reduced paper use by 32% from 2000-2005 and gained 24% customer growth

• They also have a recycling program that recycles 30,000 tons of paper each year, saving 200,000 trees per year

Companies that are “Going Green”• Dupont reduced

greenhouse emissions during the 90’s by 63%

• Dupont has also appointed an ex-Greenpeace head as an adviser to the board

Companies that are “Going Green”

• McDonald’s turned from ravaging natural habitats of animals to working closely with the PETA to be more humane and friendly to the environment they operate in

Companies that are “Going Green”

• Anheuser-Busch saves 21 million pounds of metal per year by trimming an eighth of an inch off the diameter of its beer cans while the volume of beer in each can stays the same!

Companies that are “Going Green”

• Tesla Motors is in the works of creating a 100% electrically powered car that goes from 0-60 in 3.9 seconds, equaling 256 MPG, which is only 2 cents per mile!

Companies that are “Going Green”

• Coca-Cola has improved their water stewardship, sustainable packaging, and climate & energy protection. They have involved themselves in community recycling programs and have redesigned their packaging to save trees

Companies that are “Going Green”

• Toyota is famous for releasing the first mass-market hybrid vehicle, the Prius, which gets 48 MPG and is the most fuel efficient car available to purchase in the U.S.

Questions for Future Research• How can organizations make changes to reduce their

contribution to global warming?• Is it important for organizations to “go green” to reach

their consumers?• Should government officials set restrictions on

organizations in order to lessen the affects of climate change due to human activity?

• How can organizations make individuals aware of the differences they can make to influence climate change?

Works Cited• Miller, Katherine. "Chapter 1." Organizational Communication:

Approaches and Processes. Belmont, CA: Wadsworth Pub., 2015. 7-8. Print.

• Joseph, Chris. "What Are the Benefits of Going Green for a Business?" Small Business. Chron, n.d. Web. 19 Sept. 2016. http://smallbusiness.chron.com/benefits-going-green-business-3225.html.

• Kluger, Jeffrey. “Global Warming Heats Up” What Matters in America. 2nd ed. Ed. Gary Goshgarian. New York: Pearson, 2010. 268-276. Print.

• "25 Big Companies That Are Going Green." Business Pundit. N.p., 31 Oct. 2015. Web. 19 Sept. 2016. <http://www.businesspundit.com/25-big-companies-that-are-going-green/>.