(Mercer Island, WA – January 8, 2009) Across the country, American manufacturers are moving forward with green products and now, they are beginning to use green messaging to promote their products and sustainable company policies. By reviewing all media buys – print and digital, broadcast and web – corporate America is finding there are savings in green media methods.  As AdAge.com noted recently, "Sustainability is an issue that marketers, ad agencies and media companies can no longer ignore. Some marketers, like Wal-Mart, have made massive changes within the last year to incorporate sustainability as an actual marketing strategy for growth."

This subject and others pertaining to green media, will be discussed in-depth at the upcoming "The Business of Green Media Conference," taking place January 22nd at Cal Poly University in San Luis Obispo, CA. The conference takes place at Cal Poly's Performing Arts Center and is hosted by the Graphic Communication Institute at Cal Poly and produced by SustainCommWorld.

The afternoon keynote speaker, Christina Page, Director of Climate and Energy for Yahoo! will speak on sustainability as a strategy for stakeholder engagement, business growth and innovation. Since the graphic arts industry is one of the top five energy users in the country, the printers and equipment suppliers must focus on the energy consumption, waste management and water resources.

DON CARLI, EVP SUSTAINCOMMWORLD AND SENIOR RESEARCH FELLOW, INSTITUTE FOR SUSTAINABLE COMMUNICATIONS
"Sustainability is a strategy for growth that more and more major companies are embracing. It's a lens through which to make all meaningful business decisions. Wal-Mart sees it as a method for buyers, suppliers and associates to look through the sustainability lens.  When you do, you see opportunities for innovation.  You can see risks or costs that can be attached and eliminated.  It's a context for understanding the business value of Sustainability with specific tools, methods and best practices that can be effective as factors to eliminate waste."

To hear more of Mr. Carli's thoughts, view his interview of January 6 on the Advertising Age 3 Minute Video website.
http://adage.com/brightcove/lineup.php?lineup=1266084202

HARVEY LEVENSON, DEPARTMENT HEAD OF GRAPHIC COMMUNICATION, CAL POLY
"Sustainability is a bottom line issue. Print buyers increasingly want to work only with printers who are addressing sustainability and they want their printers to work only with equipment manufacturers and vendors that are supporting the issue. Hence, it is a revenue stream and profitability matter for the graphic arts industry."

"Because of the need to assist the graphic communication industry to 'reinvent' itself and grow in light of economic cutbacks, The Business of Green Media Conference will focus on 'Being Lean Green and Profitable in a Shrinking Economy.' "

A "Sustainability Banquet" at the Embassy Suites in San Luis Obispo will follow the conference. Roger Ynostroza, former longtime executive editor of Graphic Arts Monthly and present editor of Gravure Magazine, will be one of the featured banquet speakers.

For more details about The Business of Green Media Conference, visit http://www.businessofgreenmedia.com/ or contact Kathleen Kaiser at 805-524-6970, [email protected].