Kevin Baldeosingh

Running head: ENVIRONMENTALLY FRIENDLY PRODUCTS 1 What is the reason for the shift towards more environmentally friendly cleaning products? Kevin Baldeosingh Freelance Writer Author Note This is the first page of requested essay test, with a total word count of 295 words. ENVIRONMENTALLY FRIENDLY PRODUCTS 2 Over the past two decades, a new marketing label has appeared on more and more products: green. As fears about global warming become widespread and governments pass laws to reduce greenhouse gases, many more people are trying to do whatever they can to help protect the environment. The combination of government regulations, environmental activism, and corporate profits have created a market niche for environmentally friendly cleaning products. In one global survey, 66 percent of people said they would pay more for products and services from companies committed to protecting the environment, up from 50 percent in 2013[ CITATION Nie15 \l 2057 ]. The roots of this trend go back to the 1970s, when the first Earth Day demonstrations drew a surprising 20-million person turnout in the United States. This showed politicians that environmental regulation was an issue that could win votes[ CITATION Smi14 \l 2057 ]. By first targeting chemical companies, governments forced innovations which often led to reduced manufacturing costs in addition to less pollution (Porter, 2008). ENVIRONMENTALLY FRIENDLY PRODUCTS 3 Many of the people who were concerned about the state of the planet back then would have had children, who themselves entered adulthood by the beginning of the 21st century, starting households of their own. By then, climate change was an official policy concern for most Western nations and, according to a study headed by Vladas Griskevicius, had become a key issue for signalling social conscience (2010, as cited in Simler & Hanson, 2018, p. 171). It is therefore not surprising that almost three-quarters of millennials are willing to pay extra for green products, with Generation Z (15- to 20-year-olds) at about the same ratio (Nielsen, 2018). Millennials are a key demographic for companies which make cleaning products, since members of this cohort are now getting their own apartments or homes. References Nielsen. (2015, May 11). Green Generation: Millennials Say Sustainability Is a Shopping Priority. Insights, pp. Retrieved from https://www.nielsen.com/us/en/insights/article/2015/green-generation-millennials-say-sustainability-is-a-shopping-priority/. Nielsen. (2018, April 19). Canadian Retailers Sweep Up Nearly $2.3B in Household Product Sales Each Year. Insights, pp. Retrieved from https://www.nielsen.com/ca/en/insights/article/2018/canadian-retailers-sweep-up-nearly-2-3b-in-household-product-sales/. Porter, M. (2008). On Competition. London: Harvard Business School Publishing Corporation. Simler, K., & Hanson, R. (2018). The Elephant in the Brain. New York: Oxford University Press. Smith, A., & Yandle, B. (2014). Bootleggers & Baptists. Washington: Cato Institute.