Eco-Friendly Digital Marketing Internship

The 2010 Honda Insight will be a catalyst that has the potential to make owning a hybrid an affordable option for Main Street, with price tags below $20,000. The past two years at the North American International Auto Show in Detroit is exemplary of  the green trend, all of the auto companies presented new models on a green platform, only Honda has been able to make it affordable, for now at least.

There are three elements consistent in hybrid engine design that contributes to better fuel economy.

1) Having both an electric engine and gasoline engine that shuts down during peak power usage.

2)A battery capable of storing large amounts of energy

3) The ability to recapture energy during braking

These are the staples for hybrid design that the automobile industry is working towards as a whole to make the most efficient and affordable. But what about those potential hybrid consumers on a budget? More importantly, what about those consumers that are about to get pink slipped? What options do they have to drive a fuel efficient vehicle while not falling into debt?

There are a variety of options to change transportation behavior: buy a hybrid, carpool, ride a bike, ride a bus, teleconference, all of which require a change in behavior. Aftermarket computer chips are an option that does not require any change whatsoever. A variety of companies offer performance grade computer chips that are installed on the electronic control unit(ECU) of an engine and will optimize an engine’s performance to create higher horsepower and torque and can be utilized for higher fuel efficieny, up to 5 mpg. Once installed, the programmer’s smart system immediately recognizes vital information of the vehicle’s engine, powertrain and transmission, and can be adjusted without having a deep understanding of computer programming. Hypertech offers a Max Energy E-con Programmer, specifically designed to imporve fuel economy, it retails at $329.99 and is available on 22 different car models.

The question is: why are you only able to find these on automobile supply websites, trade publications, and AutoZone? Why aren’t these things at Meijers’, Sears and Target? Buying a performance chip is less expensive with a little les R-O-MPG in the long-term. So when are after-marker computer chips going to break out of the gearhead market and into the green market?

The decline in auto sales over the past few years creates even more opportunity for such a product to thrive in the market. Aftermarket companies such as Hypertech could reach those consumers who want to go green but can’t afford a $26,000 or even a $20,000 hybrid. Sure, ponying up for the Hybrid is the most eco-friendly and will give you more eco-bragging ammo, but let’s face it, people are strapped for cash and not in the new car market, sales volumes over the past few years have shown that. Spending $3,000-$4,000 more for a hybrid, that gets 10-12 more mpg, whereas an E-con Programmer is 1/10 the price increase opposed to buying a hybrid and saves 1/2 as much in fuel economy. Cheaper short-term, comprable long-term.

However, there are some barriers to entry dependant on the success of aftermarket chips. Installing a computer chip is in violation of most car’s warranties that disqualifies an eligibility for engine repair. This is a contractual agreement with the auto companies that aftermarket companies will struggle to overcome, given that the auto companies have tenfold the bargaining power.

So, maybe that is why aftermarket chips are not part of the mass market, there could be other reasons. They could just be slouches for marketers. Regardless, there is an opportunity for a company to introduce a product into the market that is aligned with current trends and nothing is being done about it. Tsk Tsk.

Our Human brains tend to operate in dichotomies: good and bad, man and woman, Obama and McCain and… nature and technology?! Humanity, or more specifically our advances in technology, have largely been responsible for the degradation of ecosystems, exhaustion of resources and extinction of species. Technology is therefore intrinsically in opposition to nature… or is it?

Ok, so our societal advancements have not always treaded lightly on our Mother Earth. It cannot be denied that we have done some irreversible damage. That being said, we are still a part of these integral ecosystems and what is done has been done. It is then, perhaps the most beneficial to utilize our technological advancements to help preserve, conserve and reduce what damage has been done (when possible). Yes, this is a rather large task, and one may ask simply how can you even begin to approach this? Well…

With the advent and ubiquity (literally) of the internet, solutions may be as simple as running a Google search. I recently stumbled upon a website boasting the ‘30 Best Eco Sites.’ As is turns out I hit the green goldmine of eco-sites! This site features a list of some of the best green internet resources. These top 30 sites include everything from environmental blogging, eco-clothing and products and day-to-day living tips. Each and every site serves as an excellent educational green resource, and I highly recommend that you check it out.

On site on this list that caught my eye in particular was EcoGeek. EcoGeek focuses on the connection between nature and technology and aims to prove that green gadgets can be good. Ah ha! Just what I was looking for- people are actually synthesizing these two concepts that until recently (and I mean recently) were definitively at odds. Maybe, just maybe, we can use this internet thing as a platform for a universal green movement…? Sure, technology has been bad for our planet. But it’s time to realize that technology may also have the power to begin to heal the environment. Shunning or ignoring the omnipresence of modern day technology will do nothing to save the planet. We must accept the reality of this situation and begin to use the tools we have at hand to begin to work towards a more sustainable future.

In the past several years, the hideous truth about plastic bags has been gaining more and more media attention. People are beginning to realize what these bags are made from (petroleum) and how long it takes them to disintegrate in landfills (a long time, should they make it there). 

I began to realize this anti-plastic bag mass movement has trickled down to a variety of large chain stores in the local Ann Arbor area. Although perhaps this is an attempt to tap into the ‘green niche’ rather than operating out of eco-consciousness, I feel optimistic none-the-less that environmental stewardship is beginning to be addressed on a larger scale level.

Last night I was shopping for various toiletries at my local Rite-Aid. I noticed that even they carried cloth bags emblazoned with their logo! I was a initially a little shocked, and proceeded to the cash register where I told the clerk that I didn’t need a plastic bag. He seemed amazed at my ability to carry my three items by hand out to my car. He proceeded to let me know that some of his regular patrons will ask to double bag unnecessary items (such as a gallon of milk).

Wasteful behavior such as this makes me feel fortunate that many stores are beginning to add additional taxes when you use plastic bags. Additionally, many cities and states are beginning to propose an all-together ban on plastic bags. Both measures have proven to be very successful. In fact, China’s ban on plastic bags will save an estimated 37 million barrels of oil! This ban extends to the free bags distributed to customers. 

Unfortunately, not everyone is willing to ban plastic bags or even to tax them. The city of Dallas’s local council recently stated that banning plastic bags and food containers would have a “negative impact on the local environment, the economy and the school system.” They went on to say they believe in educating people about what is responsible behavior and simply “not to litter…” a preventative measure that works oh so well…

All in all I am totally in favor of bans or taxes on plastic bags. I think that this is absolutely a step in the right direction; if people are more aware of their conspicuous consumption, then they are forced to take a step back and reevaluate their behavior. This increase in environmental awareness in recent years has spurred many programs that adress the urgent need for stewardship and sustainability. 

Recently, Ingenex has begun to research Michigan State University’s Be Spartan Green program. As discussed in my recent blog post, we hope to bring our eco-friendly internship program to help bring digital and environmental education to East Lansing. It is through awareness and education made possible largely due to digital technologies that we can work and strive towards a more sustainable future.

As a recent college grad, I have rapidly gained a wealth of knowledge regarding digital media and the beneficial (and not so beneficial ways) to utilize these various forms of technology. Most job seekers these days begin and end their search online. With wildly popular sites such as Craigslist, Career Builder and Idealist, it’s hard for the broke twenty-something not periodically check them out. Whether you are pursuing grad school, or prefer to enter the professional world as soon as possible, there is no doubt that there are resources to help to you do so and they’re only a mouse-click away.

Generally speaking, I’ve found mixed messages about working towards the ‘next step’ in cyberspace. In career resource guides, such as What Color is Your Parachute, warn in the dangers of being too heavily reliant on websites. Statistically speaking, this is far from the top of the list in terms of job-search success rates. But personally, I would beg to differ with this. I currently hold a job at the Ann Arbor Hands on Museum, an internship with Green Market Fundraising and of course serve as a member of the Eco-Friendly Internship team at Ingenex Digital Marketing. All three of these employment experiences I just so happened to stumble upon during several late night job-search sessions. 

Although I realize that I may an exception to this supposed rule, this raises several questions has to how one should approach the job search from such a plethora of digital listings and how to present yourself additionally. Personally, I would recommend to know yourself going into the search. It sounds stupidly simply, right? But take a moment to consider: What are you good at? What do you like doing? Where do you want to be? Are you interested in working for a non-profit for a for-profit organization? By asking yourself questions such as these, you can target sources of media that cater to what you really want. Approaching these utilities with an idealized outcome definitely proves to have advantages in terms of potential outcome.

Job search websites barely even scratch the surface of digital media’s usefulness for a young professional. As I discussed in my most recent blog post, social networking sites are a great way to make legitimate contacts and help get your presence known among an online community. LinkedIn, for instance, acts not only as a social utility that connects you to peers and superiors in any given industry, but allows you to actively search the United States for current job openings.

Many professionals, both young and old, may have difficulty creating a profile that is appropriate- whether their constraints be caused by lack of time, lack of experience or unfamiliarity with the given interface. Ingenex Digital Marketing‘s newest product, Social Harbor, offers a solution to this. Social Harbor offers professional online profile management- for a fee, they will create an online presence for you on a variety of social networking sites, create inbound links to your sites and create maximum SEO efficiency. This resource is entirely unique and offers a service unlike any other profile building agency on the web. If you’re interested in creating a legitimate, presentable profile online, I highly suggest you check it out!

Of course, these are very few examples of available online digital media resources relevant to recent college grads or those on the job hunt. These types of resources are ubiquitous; the ones you choose to use and how you choose to use them is entirely up to you. It is indeed important to present your self as you, but it is important to do so with considerable thought.

While scanning several years’ worth of blog posts to Edward Vielmetti’s Vacuum, I gained a new respect for blogging and its impact on the information age. Born in 2003, Vacuum chronicles the experiences and thoughts of the author over the last five years, on topics such as productivity, farmers’ markets, wikis, and spiders (see here for a summary of sorts). The dedication of Vielmetti to this blog show that with time and hard work, a blog can yield very rewarding results – for readers as well as for bloggers.

Vacuum is most definitely unique, and offers up an interesting perspective on living, working, and raising a family in Ann Arbor, as well as documenting Vielmetti’s ongoing quest for increased productivity. I appreciate that any advice offered is based from personal experiences, including home recipes, exploring new web apps, and raising his children. This blog is true to life, helps give a sense of Ann Arbor, and also features some niche information that could definitely prove helpful. Vacuum doesn’t strive to be overly reader-oriented; Vielmetti lives his life, writes about it, and readers can glean what they may from his experiences.

My favorite entry thus far? Right here, in which Vielmetti proves to be not only a fascinating source on a variety of topics, but also a compelling writer. As someone who is not an expert in any of Vielmetti’s most mentioned themes, I have a lot to learn from reading his blog. Vacuum’s range continues to amaze me, and I’m looking forward to keeping up with its evolution.