For the majority of insured people, illnesses are diagnosed, codified, and approved for treatment through standard medical interventions and insurance protocols.  Since specific illnesses are typically required to qualify most expenses for eligible traditional care benefits, conscious consumers hoping to improve health before illness strikes are often left with few options.

As interest in health living tips employee interest toward complementary and alternative medicine (CAM), the research also suggests that integrative medicine has the potential to improve employee health and meet employee interest. 

Currently, integrative medicine is often paid out of pocket, despite consistent increases in interest and available research to support its effectiveness in preventing and managing whole health.  Surprisingly, even though smoking habits and obesity are linked to the top chronic ailments in the US, only about 9% of employers offer smoking cessation plans and a meager 6% offer weight loss programs within coverage.  To enhance social accountability a trend toward investing in preventive medicine and CAM  is predicted, and already more than 37% of hospitals have some CAM  therapies available.  LOHAS companies, in particular, may start looking for holistic alternatives and seeking socially responsible Investing options that improve employee health and preventive care through CAM  benefit programs.

Written by Renee Hartmann of Hotpot Consulting
US media coverage of China frequently focuses on environmental problems, but rarely investigates how Chinese consumers incorporate environmental concerns, health and nature into their lifestyles.

Chinese consumers crave a sanctuary from daily overdoses of pollution, rampant urbanization, traffic and food safety issues, and are gradually adopting more sustainable lifestyles to cope with the pressure and stress of every day life.

Like Bamboo in the Spring: LOHAS growth bests the West
The convergence of environmental pressures and rising incomes is resulting in a much more rapid ascendance of LOHAS (Lifestyle of Health and Sustainability) in China than occurred in more advanced LOHAS markets such as the United States. 17% of consumers in China’s top five cities -- a combined population of more than 60 million -- describe themselves as LOHAS-focused, versus 19% of American consumers, despite the significant head start of the US market’s LOHAS consciousness.

And China’s LOHAS consumers are not price sensitive – nine out of ten consumers would be willing to pay 20% more on average for sustainable products, and are looking for increased product choices and availability.

Chinese LOHAS consumers are growing in number, are hungry for sustainable products and willing to pay higher prices – so why aren’t all sustainable brands investing like mad in the China market?

Complications
It’s complicated. For some brands, government product approvals and regulations create barriers, for others the lack of existing distribution channels requires exceedingly high levels of investment. Some are concerned with Intellectual Property issues and product quality, while others are just plain intimidated by the China market.

Are these concerns justified? Are they enough to prevent your brand from pursuing the growing China market opportunity, even as opportunities in other countries are shrinking?

The answer is: it depends – on your industry, your product, your positioning and, most of all, your appetite for adventure. 

For example:
- The beauty industry is absolutely booming in China, and has a relatively strong distribution channel already in place. However, government regulations and entry requirements can be onerous.

- Luxury is in. LOHAS products are often associated with luxury in China, which is a good thing for a market that is gobbling up luxury products – both home and abroad. Western tastes like wine and chocolate fall into this category and also take advantage of Chinese customs of gifting and “showing face”.

- Food safety is a huge issue in China. High-income urbanites are actively searching for safe food options that ease anxiety and promote health. Distribution is widespread in this sector, but supply chain issues can often be thorny.

- Children are kings. Literally. Given China’s one child policy, China’s children call the shots, happily emptying the six adult wallets available to them. Toys, bottles, apparel, education, and food – you name it, parents (and grandparents) want the best for their children, and will spend to get it. Chinese shopping habits are ingrained, and will play heavily into your distribution strategy in these industries.

If the brand fits…
Yes, China is complicated. It is a big country, with a widely disparate population going through tremendous changes at a breakneck speed. But, if you play it right, it can be very lucrative for your brand, also providing ample opportunity to give back to the country and enable positive change, which is good for China and good for the world.

How do you navigate all these issues?
HotPot Consulting, Greennovate and The Wellness Works have teamed up to host a LOHAS China Insight Tour this September 20th and 21st to cover issues related to China Market Entry for Sustainable brands. Content will cover legal issues, LOHAS consumer insights, managing supply chain, distribution channels and more. You will hear from experts in many sectors, learn from businesses operating in the market and meet like-minded local distributors and partners. Visit http://goo.gl/bBKz3 for more information or contact renee@hotpotconsulting.com.

The LOHAS China Insight Tour is timed to coincide with China’s largest ECO tradeshow – EcoLifestyles from September 16th – 18th (www.ecolifestyles.cn) which gives sustainable brands an opportunity to meet more than 6,000 business attendees and more than 12,000 LOHAS minded consumers.

www.hotpotconsulting.com
www.greennovate.net
http://www.the-wellness-works.com

The below article is brought to you as part of elephant journal’s ongoing coverage of LOHAS Forum. For our complete coverage, be sure to follow elephant on Twitter and Facebook.

A panel of four, along with a short video, and one semi-Jerry Spring moment, made up the Movement of Coalition Branding presentation highlighting Ecobonus.com.

The video showcased consumers that were “just like us” looking for the right brands, for the right price, and that had the right recommendations.

Even though it bordered on a slightly embarrassing infomercial, the points they made, as consumers, were valid and relatable – though I thought at any moment one of the actors would start banging a tin can on the counter out of frustration with their can-opener, or battling with 20 pieces of tupperware flying from the kitchen cabinet.

One of the main problems that the panel pointed out, as well as the video, was that consumers can’t find the information they’re looking for, or flat out don’t know where to look.

This is where ecobonus.com comes in – launching in the Fall – their website creates a hub of eco-friendly and environmentally sound businesses. The businesses are rated by users and scientists alike to give consumers the most accurate information.

One of the phrases I heard the most at LOHAS – word of mouth. This is one of the key ways to get your business, product, self, whatever, out in the open.

All of this was well and good. It sounded amazing and I would most likely log onto Ecobonus to check out what people were saying about certain businesses. However, my ears didn’t perk up until a business owner in the back raised their hand…

Calling out Good Guide immediately, you could hear the frustration in their voice when they asked why the company only catered to the big brands and not smaller owned businesses – a very valid question she backed with points as the audience applauded her.

As the tension in the room grew, resonating from the back right corner and spilling all over the stage, they continued to voice their frustration.

Good Guide speaker, Josh Dorfman, sympathized as well as he could but insisted that his company simply doesn’t have the man-power just yet.

This little spat went on for a good few minutes as I delighted in all the drama.

This furthered my respect and overall gratitude to be at such an event. Not only one that brings together like-minded people and business owners, but ones who will openly argue in front of you.

Without the disagreements you'll never find the agreements and LOHAS welcomes it all.

by Fred Haberman

What if five percent of the $500 billion in global ad spending was instead
invested in making this a better world.

Each year, companies worldwide spend $500 billion in advertising. Corporations enlist talented advertising agencies and brilliant marketers to present their products as boldly and creatively as possible – often at a cost of tens of thousands of dollars per second.

It’s an astounding amount of money. $1.7 million per 30-second spot for the Academy Awards. $3 billion spent on political ads. $12 billion spent by U.S. tobacco companies. $3 million for a 30-second Super Bowl ad – many of which are violent, degrading, or sexist.

As a marketer and parent, it’s given me pause to ask, what does all this money really do to add to our society?

What if these brands could redirect some of these ad spends for for good causes? Could a fast food brand unleash its best creative marketing minds to raise awareness that many Americans have no access to fresh produce? Why can’t an athletic apparel brand run an entire ad encouraging us to donate shoes to the citizens of Haiti?

It’s not just charity, it’s smart marketing. Research suggests consumers want this type of commitment. According to Cone Communications, 79% of consumers say they would be likely to switch from one brand to another, when price and quality are about equal – if the other brand is associated with a good cause. This means that campaigns that add value to our world can also add value for a brand, resulting in the same (or better) increase in sales that an advertising  campaign may offer. Two iconic examples are Pepsi’s Refresh Project and Dove’s Campaign for Real Beauty.

It’s time to begin a deeper dialogue about where and how the companies whose products and services we support spend their marketing dollars. My company is seeding this conversation with a grassroots program we call “ADD or DELETE” that asks fellow marketers, “Could the $500 billion projected to be spent on advertising in 2011 be put to better use?” We hope that ADD or DELETE inspires chief marketing officers at Fortune 500 companies, creative directors at global advertising agencies, designers toiling at boutique shops and struggling copywriters entering the workforce to consider their legacies: do we want to be known for lavish ad shoots or for creating campaigns that positively impact our world?

We’ve created a website, www.ADDorDELETE.com, to provide a forum for all consumers to identify advertisements that ADD value to society vs. merely being “ads” that consumers would rather DELETE. Our video shows why. Please follow us on Facebook to join the conversation.

Our vision is that consumers will inspire business to leverage at least five percent of their advertising or marketing assets to solve social issues. If all were to agree, that would equate to $25 billion the greatest minds on Madison Avenue and creative shops worldwide could devote to stemming the rise in diabetes, fighting cancer, curbing unwanted teen pregnancies, eradicating food deserts and so much more.

Don’t get me wrong. I love humor in marketing, in the workplace and in life. I love ads. But when customers demand better from the companies they patronize, it’s an opportunity for all of us to use our influence, power and resources to help those in need. So, let’s start ADDing more to society.

When it comes to greening up the household, there’s a bit of a Green Gender Gap in America.  According to our consumer research colleagues Amy Hebard and Wendy Cobrda, formerly of Earthsense, more women (81%) than men (76%) believe that an individual can make a difference when it comes to the environment. But more men (36%) than women (29%) think they personally are doing enough. So when you take those few bits of data and put them into one living environment, what do you get? A recent piece by our video insights friends at Snippies in New York may help bring it to light.

An entry in the Snippies-sponsored “Families Struggling to Go Green” video contest shows a typical American family (mom, dad, two kids) and what they’re doing to reuse, recycle, renew, conserve and consciously consume. What it reveals is a difference in attitude and behavior between husband and wife. Both recognize the enormity of the problem. But he is less convinced that their family’s efforts will make much difference in the overall scheme of things and tends to do less. She, on the other hand, tends to do more. Three things keep her motivated: 1) a desire to make a difference, 2) a desire to instill sustainable behaviors in their children, and 3) good old-fashioned guilt. She, for example, is loathe to let gallons of water run down the drain while waiting for the shower to warm up, while he “turns on the shower, walks away and goes and does who knows what.”

Let’s look at this from another angle. The unique psychometric research being done by John Marshall Roberts indicates that business women in the sustainability arena may well be the most effective change agents going forward.  Of equal note, Roberts’ preliminary consumer research, segmented by gender, also supports the notion that mainstream women may be the more effective change agents in buying green.

So, what’s the take-away from these findings? Whether you’re a manufacturer or marketer with sustainable consumer products to sell or an ad agency advising your clients, you need to:

1)     Recognize the potential of women consumers to boost your products’ market share.

2)     Convert her environmental emotions into buying action. She who recycles is more likely to be she who buys green.

3)     Provide honest, accurate, meaningful and accessible product information. It’s a deal-breaker if you don’t.

4)     Understand and eliminate the barriers to purchase that stand in her way.

5)     Give her authentic reasons to trust your brand. If she feels you are disingenuous or negligent about the safety, health and well-being of her family, she will go elsewhere.

6)     Hire more women! You won’t find a better gauge of female receptivity to your product development, labeling, merchandising, marketing and advertising.

Demographics Are Gross   Lumping people together according to their age, household income, or education level was fine in the heyday of mass marketing. But demographics aren’t a fine-enough filter in our multi-channel media-saturated world. It’s not enough to know, in the broadest of terms, who your target audience is. Now you need to know how they are and, most importantly, why they buy. And if you don’t know, you may be watching your competitors eat your market share for lunch.

Technology Converged    Personal computer plus Internet plus social networks plus mobile phones equals a convergence of technologies into one massive, uncontrolled, 24/7, global communications platform. At least two things happened: it empowered consumers to talk (or talk back) to brands. And it created new inter-connected means for brands and consumers to connect.  Five years ago, we didn’t have to consider how our big branding ad was going to play out as a streamed Internet video linking to a geo-targeted 2-fer coupon accessible via smart phone! The accelerating number of possibilities is enough to keep any savvy marketer awake nights.

Mad Men Meet Joe YouTube   You gotta love Don Draper. After a night of drinking, smoking and fooling around, he can show up for a major campaign presentation, pull a single concept out of his fedora, and have the client eating out of his hand. From the 60s to the 90s, big splashy ad campaigns reigned. Did they work? Sure, many did, especially when advertisers threw a ton of money behind them. Especially the funny ones. But then along came YouTube. Now any bloke with a slightly warped sense of humor, a flip camera and a log-in can generate as much buzz as a multi-million dollar Super Bowl ad. That can give marketers heartburn as they re-think how to allocate their budgets.

Consumers Rule   Marketing used to be easier. You created a product, you advertised, it you sold it. Back then, it didn’t matter much who bought it as long as enough bought it. It didn’t matter how it was made as long as it didn’t break before it got home. It didn’t matter if the means to the end were sustainable as long as the bottom line was. But in today’s world, consumers’ peer-to-peer influence on your top line is unprecedented.  What they don’t like, they don’t buy and they don’t hesitate to yelp their reasons why. And, by the way, most of those consumers controlling the cash are women. Well, three-quarters of it anyway, even when spending is down.

What Now?

The future is now and you can’t afford to wait. Visionary companies are searching for new ways to step up their marketing and engage new consumers using new technology. Here are five things you should consider.    

Consumer Centricity   Make your business revolve around the consumer not the other way around. Your product is not the centerpiece of your brand. Your customer using your product is.

Know Your Consumer Inside and Out   To build your marketing around your consumers, you need reliable, actionable intel. Research tools like Roberts Worldview Assessment, for example, provide psychological insights into various consumers’ values and behaviors and direction on how to engage them.

Total Consumer Engagement   Every consumer touch point becomes part of the brand. From the product itself to the ways the consumer can learn about it and interact with it to the retail or etail service experience.  Your internal and external support teams need to understand that entire experience and make sure every part of it delivers your brand effectively.

Brand Response    Before the Internet, tracking results was a bit sketchy. But with online analytics, the guessing is over. That’s why all advertising roads need to lead to the Internet. We call it Brand Response, the blend of brand ads to get attention, direct response to drive the action and online interactivity to make the sale. Great advertising and accountability ARE possible.

Change the House Rules   Look at your corporate culture. Are there any fresh marketing ideas being generated? If not, a more holistic process and a less silo’d organization can help. Sharing best practices to engage consumers should be a full team effort. 

If you know me you are well aware that I have a bit of a hectic travel schedule and go to a variety of conferences oriented around green business, social enterprises, health and wellness and everything in between. Yes I am an admitted conference junkie. But there is a reason for my addiction and I will try to explain them rationally as any junkie in denial will do. For me, my reasons are to keep on the edge of what is happening in the various spaces that comprise LOHAS. I enjoy attending conferences not so much to hear about what someone is saying on stage but rather what is being said in the hallways. I feel that getting into the candid conversations at dinners or over drinks really gives me an up close and personal view point into various market sectors with various market leaders. The presentations on stage are an added bonus and if I am lucky they are indeed worth listening to. But I am a critique on a variety of levels. My preference is someone who not only provides a picture of the problem but also presents a vision and solutions to it. If I want gloom and doom I can just watch the news. No need to tell me more about it. I think we are all aware that we are all in deep s#!@ and in it for a long while. I want inspiration and something that speaks to me at a deeper level. I also don’t want a sales pitch. I know that corporate presentations tend to have specific parameters on what they can and cannot say. But getting those people off the stage and into a conversation in the hall is great. That is when you can get to the heart of burning questions and have them give you more in depth answers that they can’t when in front of an audience. I also need imagery. I’m a visual person and a visual learner. If someone presents something with multiple bullet points and is reading them off – that immediately sends me to checking my email on my smartphone. Yawn! But is someone has a well thought out presentation and integrates examples and lead ins using images it is magic. Presenters don’t always need to have images behind them on a large screen. They can take the audience on a wild ride just with a compelling story that has colorful detail and elements that the audience can relate to. After all we are a society of storytellers. They also must have that connection with the audience that a few have and others do not. Hard one to teach but when it is there you can feel it. I also run into some of the most interesting people I would not expect and allow myself to do so by being open to whomever or whatever manifests in front of me. By attending various conferences and hearing different thoughts and ideas both on stage and off I begin to weave together trends and similarities I hear repeated in various LOHAS sectors. I also try to integrate new ideas and concepts that may be fresh to LOHAS. This process constantly reminds me of the fable of Stone Soup. The fable goes like this:
Some travellers come to a village, carrying nothing more than an empty cooking pot. Upon their arrival, the villagers are unwilling to share any of their food stores with the hungry travellers. The travellers fill the pot with water, drop a large stone in it, and place it over a fire in the village square. One of the villagers becomes curious and asks what they are doing. The travellers answer that they are making "stone soup", which tastes wonderful, although it still needs a little bit of garnish to improve the flavor, which they are missing. The villager does not mind parting with just a little bit of carrot to help them out, so it gets added to the soup. Another villager walks by, inquiring about the pot, and the travellers again mention their stone soup which has not reached its full potential yet. The villager hands them a little bit of seasoning to help them out. More and more villagers walk by, each adding another ingredient. Finally, a delicious and nourishing pot of soup is enjoyed by all.
This is in essence how the core content of the LOHAS Forum is developed. We then add additional speaker applications into it from those who submit presentations and we adjust a bit here and there but that is how it is contrived. It may not be perfect but the mix is a work in progress and I hope that you are able to enjoy some of the nourishment that the LOHAS soup provides by attending the LOHAS Forum, attending LOHAS regional events, subscribing to our e-newsletter or our various social media groups such as Facebook, Twiiter, LinkedIn and YouTube.

As forms of integrative and alternative medicine become more widely available within mainstream health care, many people may find themselves confused about what the options are and who should be providing them.  If you're looking into finding new options to explore healthy living, you may also be wondering about how to ensure your health care is in appropriate hands.

Training and background varies among health care professionals, including complementary and alternative medicine (CAM) practitioners.  As with any health care, it's important for patients to remember that qualifications matter very much.  You  wouldn't want your neighbor pulling your tooth just because he has a comfortable chair and a set of pliers, and conscious consumers like you probably wouldn't want to entrust the recommendation of herbs or supplements to just anyone either.  

A common misconception about holistic alternative medicine is that because it’s naturally based, it’s without risk.  With any medicinal products there can be interactions with prescriptions, side effects, and contraindications.  Only providers well versed in current research who have in depth education in CAM possess the credible knowledge to offer safe and effective treatments to patients. 

Licensure remains the gold standard for health care professions, even as holistic alternative medicine practitioner licensing varies from state to state.  Licensure ensures  that providers attended accredited education programs and qualifications are in sync with industry standards.  In the U.S., currently, 17 states and the U.S. territories of Puerto Rico and the Virgin Islands license Naturopathic Doctors (NDs), and the vast majority of states have regulations in place for Acupuncturists and Dieticians.  

Whether you are seeking lifestyle counsel, homeopathy, dietary advice, acupuncture, or another service, it is advisable to select licensed providers to help you accomplish your healthy lifestyle goals.  If you hope to garner more than healthy living tips, although unlicensed providers may be appealing (and sometimes more affordable), it’s worth investing a little time into credential checking to ensure the best results.   

LAGUNA BEACH, CA – “FORTUNE Brainstorm Green” is probably the number one environmental business conference in the world. A host of top CEOs, heads of NGOs, and a variety of consultants, private equity investors, venture capitalists and journalists descend upon the spectacular Ritz-Carlton Laguna Niguel each April — this was my third annual event — to examine the state of green biz.

There was still optimism in the room on April 4-6, but with a strong dash of reality check. As in, many of these guys are not making the returns they expected by now, and a lot of them have tens if not hundreds of millions invested in “Greentech” companies. That said, they still seem confident that their investments will ultimately pan out, even without federal energy legislation.

Many of the firms represented are major, well-established corporations who seem to be making sincere and in many cases effective efforts to operate sustainably. It is impressive that more and more major companies are adding the title “Chief Sustainability Officer” to the C-Suite, as CSOs from dozens of firms were on the attendee roster.

Not surprisingly, a dominant underlying theme was that unless they’re good business, sustainable policies won’t pass muster with management or shareholders. “The key is cheaper. Sustainability is nice but it’s not the driver,” observed Bill Joy, a founder of Sun Microsystems, now a partner and leading greentech investor with the ubiquitous Silicon Valley venture capital firm, Kleiner Perkins. This sentiment was echoed throughout the conference by various speakers in sessions ranging from “The Future of Climate Policy,” with Environmental Defense Fund President Fred Krupp and James Rogers, CEO of Duke Energy; to “Sustainable Seafood, It’s Not A Fish Story” featuring Greenpeace USA Executive Director Phil Radford and Bumble Bee Foods CEO Chris Lischewski, among many more over two and a half days of speeches, round table discussions, networking and even entertainment.

None other than the Allman Brothers and Rolling Stones keyboardist Chuck Leavell performed with his band, although he was not just the musical interlude. Leavell has written no less than four significant books about the environment, his latest being Growing A Better America, which examines how we can balance population and business growth with the need to offer everybody clean air, water, plentiful food and adequate natural, open land.

A session of particular interest to me was “Urban Green,” which aired out the tremendous population explosion expected in major cities by 2050 and what we can do to keep some semblance of green in the face of crowding and gridlock. “We expect 80 percent of the world’s population to be city dwellers by 2050,” said legendary architect, urban planner and sustainability expert William McDonough. “Beijing will double in size within five years from 20 to 40 million. How do we provide sewage plants? How do we give everyone the basics of clean air, fresh water and adequate food?”

Laura Turner Seydel, Trustee of the Turner Foundation and yes, daughter of Ted, said Atlanta has become a model of the sustainable city. “It takes a concerted effort from government, business and non-profits. Atlanta received matching funds from Coca-Cola and the Turner Foundation, got Atlanta airport to recycle, now the whole city recycles.” This was echoed by Cindy Ortega, Senior Vice President of Energy and Environmental Services for MGM Resorts, developer of Las Vegas’ City Center, the country’s largest LEED-certified development. “Green is being embraced by corporate America, because waste of natural resources is not good for the bottom line.” The overall thrust was that with skyrocketing urban population growth, only a true partnership of city government, NGOs and local corporations will be able to maintain a sustainable way of life.

Security was tight at this green conference, and rightly so, as luminaries such as Richard Branson, former Siebel Systems founder/CEO Tom Siebel (who is now doing a green startup, C3), Wal-Mart EVP Leslie Dach and NRDC President Frances Beinecke, among many others, appeared as speakers and panelists. Even Theodore Roosevelt IV (yes he does look like his great great grandfather) was on hand, he is Chairman of Barclays Capital Cleantech Initiative.

The conference closed with motivational words from pro surfer, fitness expert and all-around-athlete Laird Hamilton, who is otherwise known as the “Force of Nature,” also the title of his book, which chronicles the way to a truly healthy lifestyle (no you won’t look like Laird even if you follow the diet and exercise plan). When asked how the average person can follow his program and achieve true fitness, Hamilton reminded us that the old tenet, “no pain, no gain” is really the answer. “My food often tastes like crap, the workouts are hard, they hurt. But you have to push yourself to the next level if you want to improve your results. Potato chips in, potato chips out … you need to eat jet fuel to do these workouts.”

Indeed, our path to a truly sustainable future will also follow his edict: no pain, no gain. It won’t be easy, it won’t be cheap, and it will take sacrifice on everyone’s part. The conference left me with a feeling that we do have the talent, capital, entrepreneurship, science and dedication necessary to make our society — and the developing world — a sustainable environment with adequate natural resources and energy to meet the needs of all citizens.

Here’s hoping I’m right…

Childhood obesity is nearly 20% among all children, and it's reached 44% among children living below the poverty line, advancing the national attention on this health epidemic.   Nutrition debates are heating up around the nation as some school administrations try to take hold of the gap between knowledge and action by regulating packed lunches and snacks.  Bans on soft drinks, limits on sweet snacks, and other regulations are popping up in places like Arizona, Alabama,  New York, and Chicago, but some people claim such a regulated approach to healthy living tips the scale too far against parental choice.

Yet others see it as surprising that this is the first time the U.S. is raising standards in cafeteria food, since more than 30 million kids eat those prepared meals every day.  The programs, designed to be socially responsible investments in health promotion, are gathering wide attention.  Supporters and resisters typically agree that the increase of obesity among children requires rethinking some basic assumptions about nutrition. 

The adage we are what we eat, though simple, may prompt plenty of conscious consumers toward more mindful eating habits in response to the growing awareness of childhood obesity.  Integrative Medicine use is also quickly growing for children as parents look for alternatives to growing health concerns among younger populations.  In addition to childhood obesity rates, childhood pharmaceutical use for conditions like anxiety, depression, and other conditions is also on the rise, and these in part can be influenced by diet as well as other factors.  Many holistic alternative medicine practitioners recognize the deep need to move toward healthy and organic living to respond to these health concerns with more natural, preventive approaches.  

Similarly, employers may seek more integrative medicine based options by investing in programs that make integrative alternative medicine providers available to employees.  Moving beyond packaged wellness programs and into health plans that make credentialed integrative medicine providers available, like the options available with CAM PPO of America, Inc., can improve nutrition and general wellness, and help families make lasting healthy lifestyle changes. 

How do consumers know if a business is really green? This age-old question has been nswered by the Green Business Bureau – one of the nation’s fastest growing green certification organizations for SMBs—through the simple use of technology.

In an industry first, GBB has implemented a new, cutting-edge program utilizing Quick Response Code (QRC) technology for its green certified business members. As many mobile phone users have already discovered, the use of QRCs can be fun and educational. Soon, all businesses that carry a green certification through GBB will offer QRCs at the point-of-sale to show consumers just what steps have been taken towards sustainability.

These second generation barcodes, when scanned by a mobile phone, instantly take consumers to a dedicated mobile page. In this case, when the QRC of a GBB member is scanned by a customer, the customer will be introduced to the entire list of sustainability initiatives undertaken by the business, providing increased transparency as to why that business can claim some level of eco-friendliness.

 “Studies show that 40 percent of shoppers want to see more green information at the store level, and 28 percent want to see it displayed prominently on shelves or directly on the menu,” says Marcos Cordero, CEO and co-founder of the GBB.  “The new FTC Green Guides go right along with that by requiring businesses to back up their green claims at the point-of-sale.”

The FTC Green Guide updates, which will go into effect this year, state that it is no longer enough to have a website which outlines green initiatives, but that businesses must now offer information on their green practices in the store and at the register.

 “QRC technology is a perfect fit for the GBB’s existing online platform,” says Cordero.  “It conveys the transparency of our interactive membership website seal and takes it mobile, allowing customers immediate, on-the-spot insight into our members’ green practices.”

The immediacy and accessibility of the QRC technology complements the GBB platform’s real-time updating of green initiatives undertaken by a business. Applications for QRC at the point of sale are endless. QRC can be applied to nearly every conceivable media, including cars and vans, invoices, business cards, entry doors, signage, stickers, menus, hangtags, brochures, hardhats and more.

“The GBB’s platform is built on transparency,” says Cordero. “QRC technology is the next, logical evolution of that goal.”

For more information about the Green Business Bureau QRC program, please visit www.gbb.org/qrc

For companies seeking green business solutions, investing in health care that connects the dots between personal and environmental health embodies ecofriendly consciousness.  To overlook one of the major investments companies make in employees by relying on "default" health care options, a major opportunity to promote healthy living is missed. Like processed foods, health care options are usually pre-packaged and offered "as-is" with conventional medicine industries taking the lead in credentialing and other mainstream practices.
     

     Credentialing is an administrative process that involves reviewing qualifications, training, and practice requirements, with the significant goals of promoting patient safety and establishing consistent standards within a group of providers.  In conventional medicine, the complexity of the credentialing practice is generally offset by the consistent scope of practice and licensure standards in the dominant health care system. Credentialing relies on those industry practice standards to ensure that users of a specific network are seeking care from appropriately qualified providers.    

To some, credentialing in the CAM sector may seem cumbersome or unrealistic, since many CAM providers maintain medical practices outside of standard medical institutions.  CAM PPO of America, Inc., however, offers a unique solution with a proprietary credentialing process that exclusively focuses on integrative and alternative medicine.  Because state licensure varies so widely for CAM fields, the process sets CAM PPO apart from simple lists and online groups that may use the right catch phrases but lack medical expertise and qualifications. 

     Seeking a CAM provider can be confusing for conscious consumers, and few patients may have the time or resources to investigate practitioner qualifications and backgrounds.  Yet, it's an essential ingredient to seeking appropriate care interventions.  CAM PPO credentialing impacts the caliber of every network practitioner, and communicates our commitment to quality to members, prospective providers, and employers.  Integrative alternative medicine providers often offer comprehensive approaches that encourage healthy lifestyle management and naturally based therapies.

     Few would argue with the claim that choosing healthy and organic living is an important step toward empowered personal health that promotes an ecofriendly awareness.  Similarly, for companies seeking a socially responsible investment in health, choosing a credentialed network of integrative medicine providers offers an effective option for improving employee health. 

The 2011 LOHAS Forum is very excited to have the 2010 women’s champion and 4 X-Games halfpipe gold medalist Gretchen Bleiler as a speaker. Why is she a speaker at a business conference like LOHAS? Because she is not only a kick ass boarder but is also a role model for girls and young women wanting to aspire to be successful in athletcis while being conscious of the environment. 

After winning a silver medal in the 2006 Winter Olympics for women’s snowboarding halfpipe, Gretchen decided to use her position as a chance to speak about an issue that is close to her heart - climate change. Gretchen has just kicked off of the “21 Day Reusable Challenge,” an eco-minded call to action asking individuals around the globe to give up single serving disposable plastic water bottles, plastic grocery bags and Styrofoam takeaway containers for 21 days. In addition to wanting to get the public involved, Gretchen has also asked other winter X Games athletes to take the challenge with her going into Winter X Games 15
 
With the idea that it takes 21 days to build a habit, the challenge encourages people to consciously “create a habit” to benefit our habitat. As a speaker at a recent college environmental conference, Gretchen wanted to call students to action. Out of this desire, the 21 Day Reusable Challenge was born.
 
Gretchen says, “Every single one of us has a unique opportunity to create awareness and influence change, so the 21 Day Reusable Challenge is a chance for people to stop using harmful disposable products, and inspire their friends and families to do the same by simply posting videos and photos through their social network.” From there, Gretchen’s Facebook followers vote on the most inspirational stories and the top five individuals with the most liked stories will win products from Gretchen’s sponsors Oakley, K2, Mission Skin Care, ALEX Bottle, and Holga Cameras. 
 
She is also working with sponsors Oakley and K2 Snowboarding to create a signature eco friendly clothing line and products. Gretchen has also started her own sustainable stainless steel reusable water bottle company, ALEX Bottle, with husband and former Oakley Marketing Manager, Chris Hotell.

In collaborating with other industry snowboarders and X Games athletes, Gretchen hopes to spread the message and encourage people to participate in the challenge, incorporating reusable living in their everyday lives while also raising awareness to the amount of disposable waste we are still exposed to on a daily basis. “Our winters depend on how we manage our consumer habits, and since most of these athletes already practice sustainability, this is a chance for them to show it and encourage their fans to do the same” says Gretchen.

It is because of her eco-awareness, creative initiatives with outdoor lifestyle brands and her unique position as a role model for women that we feel she will have a lot of insight into connecting with women. Women comprise a majority of the LOHAS market. Gretchen will be speaking on a panel discussing the growing Sheconomy and ways best to communicate to the female consumers of LOHAS products and services. We look forward to hearing her unique perspective.