No, it is not a villain from the latest installment of the Batman film series. The green virus is what marketing and branding expert Michal Ann Strahilevitz, PhD, calls the eco-friendly epidemic that has started to overtake parts of the world. The San Francisco-based Golden Gate University professor’s research suggests that “green is contagious! And, right now, parts of the world are in the midst of a growing healthy epidemic. Unlike other epidemics we worry will spread too fast, we need to worry about this one not spreading fast enough."

 

Living green is no longer the fringe lifestyle that it was years ago. Today caring about the environment is expected, and the weirdos are the ones who don’t recycle. Eco-conscious products are at the storefront, not buried on the back shelf. Famously caustic household cleaner Clorox has responded to the clamor for eco-friendly products, and the ginormous Yukon SUV is coming out in a hybrid, making the vehicle slightly less obnoxious. Yes, from cleansers to cars, everything is coming up green, making it easier than ever to be eco-friendly, and eliminating excuses for waste and sloth. "Even some mainstream brands are catching the bug," Strahilevitz says.

 

That means the peer pressure is on among both consumers and marketers. You are a total tool if you don’t consider some sort of effort to go green, and don’t expect to make any friends on your pathetic slide down the social echelon.

 

“If you move from a light green city or neighborhood to a dark green city or neighborhood, you yourself are likely to become a darker shade of green,” Strahilevitz says. “However, the reverse appears to be far less common. In other words, if a person who is concerned about sustainability moves to a not-so-green neighborhood he or she will likely remain concerned about how his or her choices affect the earth. If person who is not particularly focused on sustainability moves to a very environmentally conscious neighborhood, they will likely become 'a darker shade of green' themselves.”

 

Yes, there do tend to be strong regional differences, with some areas of the country practicing eco-conscious habits more than others, though consciousness is spreading. “In many parts of [Northern California’s] Bay Area, if you are seen throwing recyclable paper in a trash can, you will get the same looks you might get for picking your nose in public. It just is not done,” Strahilevitz says. “As one adapts to doing the right thing in public, it becomes a habit that carries forth into one’s private consumption (and disposal) life.”

 

Consumers are gaining support from corporate America. “Shades of green do not just apply to consumers. Interestingly, companies also come in different shades of green,” Strahilevitz points out. “Dark green companies, such as Google and Microsoft, are investing huge amounts of money and brainpower towards helping the environment. Others, like Clorox and Ford, have made huge strides in the last year or two in getting greener. Still others, (which will remain unnamed), are a very light shade of green, if they are green at all.”

 

So, depending on where you work, you better recycle that paper, and park your gas guzzling monster SUV down the block. But take heart—research shows that these lifestyle changes may be good for your own well-being, not just for the earth.

 

It turns out going green is potentially good for your self-esteem, says Strahilevitz, and that “doing the right thing,” including making conscientious consumption choices, can make consumers feel better about themselves. "This is a good sign," she says, "as that suggests that green consumers will continue to stay green, because doing the right thing feels good, and doing the wrong thing makes them feel guilty."

 

“It does not just work for green. Charitable giving, choosing ethical brands, volunteering or supporting sustainable business practices can all lead to all consumers feeling happier,” Strahilevitz says. “Choosing to consume consciously can make consumers feel better about themselves, reduce guilt about frivolous indulgences, help consumers feel more connected to their community, and can even give them what is referred to in the literature as the ‘warm glow’ that comes from making the world a better place. With positive reinforcement like that, this epidemic is far more likely to continue spreading than it is to fade.”