Ms. Ong, Your exhortations to conservation and green "efficiency" are no doubt earnest, but you''re surely aware that ride-sharing and recycling programs have been going on within corporations for decades and I rather doubt that green becoming "the new black" will change their participation levels one whit. I''ll give you an ugly example: a cable executive of my acquaintance works in New York City and lives within steps of a subway station that would drop him within easy walking distance of his office. Yet he *drives into the city* every day. When I asked him why, he just shrugged and said he wanted the freedom of his own vehicle -- even for all the hassle. I seriously doubt any example-setting or corporate culture-changing will alter his behavior. Rather, employees will become "greener" when they see *real* incentives that truly affect *how they live and work*. In my experience these incentives come from bottom-up groundbreaking inventions and market technologies that bear little resemblence to corporate and government slogans, however well-intended.

I think that it is refreshing to see large corporations engaging in "green" programs. I disagree with the comment above from valjean. In a large part corporations (after large amounts of market research) are the cultural leaders in society. Media companies, especially, dictate societal attitudes and opinions. While some individuals will never change their egregious habits, many will jump on the bandwagon if "green" is perceived as cool, or as Ms. Ong said, "the new black." Kudos to Nat Geo and any other company that implements employee incentives encouraging energy conservation.

Green becoming the new black can only be a good thing. Individuals are often selfish with their environmental choices and thus, having large corporations make environmentally conscious decisions is key to making significant changes in energy consumption and carbon dioxide production. Companies who use more energy-efficient bulbs and machines, recycled papers, etc. will force individuals who wouldn't make the effort otherwise to be green. As individuals become surrounded by green practices in schools, at work and in their communities, it is likely that they will be more conscientious about efforts at home. We cannot rely solely on 'ground-breaking inventions and technologies' to save us from our lazy and selfish habits that are destroying our planet. The obvious 'real' incentive is being able to live on our planet to a similar degree of comfort that we do today. As Ms. Ong has pointed out, although it takes some effort, being 'green' is good for business and for our planet. So is there a need to debate conservation efforts? Whether it's corporate, government slogans or pop-culture trends, going 'green' is a must for our survival. To create the greatest impact, it seems that we need a top down approach. Government and companies have the largest obligation, and they in turn can evoke the most change through their constituents. We need to raise the bar in every arena--government, corporate and individual standards can always be improved. For now, we should all just turn to ourselves and ask how can we live more ‘green’ and take the steps to do so.

Levi, liu, Respectfully noted, thank you. Quite obviously we disagree about the successful extent to which a corporation or other authority can "dictate societal attitudes and opinions." So be it -- a debate for another day. My larger point was about how this green nirvana can be effectively enforced--*especially* regarding our colleagues (we, of course, have no "lazy and selfish habits that are destroying our planet")

(follow on, sorry): thus my snarky words about "slogans" and the like. What *would* you do with my NYC executive who steadfastly refuses to get with the program? (I assure you he has worked many years for a very progressive company.) Give him more incentives? Fine him? Fire him?

www.nativeenergy.com This is an interesting site that allows you to calculate your own carbon dioxide emissions, then provides a means to offset your carbon count, in order to become carbon neutral by purchasing offsets to support the building of new clean energy resources. This is not to encourage one to pollute and then just offset, however still offers way for someone, like the exec you describe, to still do something positive.