Pentagon Joins PR War for Environmentalism
A poll conducted earlier this year showed that only 70 percent of Americans believe climate change is real. Another survey showed that whether people believed it was real or not, only 40 percent of Americans believe climate change is a serious threat. This is compared to 88 percent of British people who believe the climate is changing.
In fact, one study showed that of all the countries in the world, Americans seem most likely to debate about whether or not climate change is real, while other cultures are more accepting. This makes combating climate change in America a difficult task.
Green Companies in America
As a result, environmentalists have gone from purely educational approaches to marketing climate change through advertising, partnerships, social media, grassroots movements, and good public relations.
In addition to this, the more companies take on ‘green’ goals, the better it is for the environment, but the arguments for climate change. Over the years, many companies have gone ‘green’. Some of the top organizations include Google, Amazon, Wal-Mart, Facebook, Ikea, and Microsoft.
Second only to Google, the Pentagon also became one of the top consumers of green energy in America. Of all the twenty most common consumers of green energy, however, it uses far more solar power than anyone else – even Google.
Pentagon PR for Environmentalism
Associating a ‘brand’ such as the Pentagon with green energy alternatives certainly speaks volumes about the viability of alternative energy, and a commitment to environmental goals. After all, if it’s good enough for the Pentagon, then it must be good enough for the rest of America.
Considered one of the top producers and users of innovative technology as the head of American security, this gives more credence to alternative energy and the causes supporting its use.
In addition to this, the Navy and the Air Force lead among other armed services in commissioning projects for clean or alternative energy sources. The secretary for energy and a Retired Navy Vice Admiral Dennis McGinn insists people cannot consider economic security without the effects on energy and the environment, and vice versa.
There are other benefits to clean energy in the military as well. For instance, it lightens the load soldiers carry into combat. This helps reduce exhaustion, helping to save American lives.
Intermingling with Corporate Responsibility
As green energy alternatives become more intermingled with corporate responsibility and sustainability for the economy, this puts green energy in a bid to fight climate change in a powerful light. After all, for people who do not trust the government, if companies like Hewlett-Packard and Target are also getting involved, there must be something to it.
Surely, companies and government organizations like the California Water Resources Department would not spend money on services they did not think were superior and beneficial. This is especially true in places where clean energy is not necessarily cheaper, or when it comes with extremely high startup costs.
This approach to branding climate change as something the public can get behind in America may very well soon move America out of the position as the country who uses so much of the world’s natural resources and fossil fuels, but takes such little responsibility for the effects on the environment.
