This Earth Day, Think Green Degrees!

As we celebrate another Earth Day this April, I have noticed that more and more colleges are starting to offer degrees with a focus on sustainability. Considering this fast-growing industry, it makes sense from a marketing perspective. It also provides an opportunity to sustain a “greener” messaging strategy.

Arizona State University launched the first School of Sustainability, which was featured on NBC Nightly News last year. According to its Website, “The School of Sustainability, together with the Global Institute of Sustainability, provides innovative, interdisciplinary education and research opportunities for undergraduate, graduate, and professional students, to better prepare them to identify and solve sustainability challenges.”

Green Mountain College offers an MBA in sustainability that can be taken 100% online. Hummm . . . no need to drive to class? That certainly helps reduce that carbon footprint!

Degrees in sustainability really aren’t “new”; however, they are more marketable to a wider audience now thanks to a bright spotlight on “green” living and business practices moving into the mainstream.

 Here are some of the unique ways you can get the word out about degrees in sustainability:

• Sponsoring green events in your community/on your campus
• Consider placing signage on local recycling bins in parks and community areas
• Co-sponsor dealer cars that are hybrids (this hybrid vehicle is sponsored by – your degree)
• Plant trees in public parks and ask park officials if you can provide signage and educational info next to each area
• Consider running inexpensive cable TV spots on Discovery Channel’s Planet Green

More Ideas from a prior post:

• Add a section to your Website that keeps tabs on the progress your organization makes. Consider a green blog to follow the progress.
• A great reason to Twitter!
• Find those green ambassadors—people who are excited about the cause and will enthusiastically tell your story to everyone they know.
• Do something unique and get the local press to cover it.