"Go Green" movement in the west
Business at macro and micro level: In the western world "Go Green" is becoming an important part of the corporate agenda. Companies are now also under increasing pressure from institutional shareholders, insurance companies, pressure groups, the government and the media, to demonstrate their environmental responsibility by reporting their carbon offsetting activities. The companies also started to respond accordingly. It is very hard to find any company not publishing their carbon offsetting projects along with the corporate financial report. They are doing this in the sustainability report. Till now most of the companies taking carbon offsetting activities voluntarily but in countries such as Australia and UK all the listed companies are bound to put their sustainability report in the corporate website. Companies like Rio Tinto, BHP Billiton, Nike, and M&S announcing their responsibility for the green world. Virgin airlines(Virgin Blue Airlines Australia) boss Richard Branson has pledged about $6 billion to developing bio-fuel for his airline fleet and promises that his limousine company will become carbon neutral. Skybus, the company that takes passengers to and from Melbourne Airport, was the first Australian public transport operator to become carbon neutral by planting 5488 native trees to offset carbon emissions from its bus fleet.

Other companies to take action to measure and reduce to net zero their unavoidable emissions include Mazda, Avis, and the United Nations itself (certain key meetings went CarbonNeutral).

Rock and pop culture: "Go green" movement is growing at such fast rate that even the pop and rock musicians are announcing their responsibility for the environment. The legendary U2 and Bono announced its latest album carbon neutral. The heavy metal band Pearl Jam announced the creation of its Carbon Portfolio Strategy on 07/11/2006. The centrepiece of the strategy is a total donation of $100,000 to nine different non-profit "doing innovative work around climate change, renewable energy, and the environment," including the American Solar Energy Society, the Bonneville Environmental Foundation, and the Cascade Land Conservancy. Other contemporary bands like Dave Matthews Band, Alanis Morissette, and Sting already announced their projects for carbon offsetting. This is very important because these bands have enormous influence in the western culture. Like movie stars, rock stars also influence heavily everyday life style of teenagers and middle aged generations.

Cold Play while launching its breakthrough album, A Cold Rush of Blood to the Head, said it would offset energy use and carbon emissions by planting 10,000 mango trees in the dry Indian state of Karnataka.

Games and sports: Sports and game activities are also responsible for Co2 emissions as thousands of people drive to watch a game, international teams fly to a venue and thus generate extra CO2. Australian Football League (AFL) declared that it would offset its CO2 and all the AFL venue will be carbon neutral by 2009. The AFL chief Andrew Demetriou says that by 2009, the AFL will be carbon neutral by offsetting its greenhouse emissions through investment in renewable energy and energy efficiency industries such as solar and wind power. The Winter Olympics in Salt Lake City was climate neutral.

The grocery shoppers: The grocery shoppers' recent behaviour in the western countries also shifted towards "go green". According to Hong Kong Trade development council green consumers who actively seek out and buy green products are on the rise, accounting for more than 20 percent of the US and the UK populations, and some 50 percent in western Germany. Grocery chains like Coles express, Safeway of Woolworth's stores introduced green recyclable shopping bags in their premises. Till now there are seven different types of bags among which "go Green" bags are most popular.

The retailers: The retailer giant Marks & Spencer announced 17 January 2007 to spend £200 million "going green", as it becomes the frontrunner among British retailers seeking favour with increasingly environmentally conscious shoppers. Marks & Spencer said it would spend the money over the next five years to make sure its packaging and clothing was biodegradable or compostable and that none of its waste would be dumped in tips. It will also label all products on its shelves that have been flown in from growers and trial using food waste to power its stores, as it aims to become carbon neutral by 2012. According to chief executive Stuart Rose, "Every business and individual needs to do their bit to tackle the enormous challenges of climate change and waste. We are calling this plan A because there is no plan B". Retailer Tesco announced it would halve the amount of energy its stores use by 2010. It also launched a £100 million fund to increase energy efficiency and cut emissions. Tesco CEO declares to change its supply chain to ensure carbon efficient business.

International agreements
Politically the need for putting a green resolution in a country's policy has become a prime issue. Australian opposition party is increasingly pressurising to adopt green policy as soon as possible.

CNN reported on 17 Jan 2007 that the European Union would urge China to do more to cut greenhouse gas emissions and cooperate on energy security when it launches negotiations on a broad new strategic partnership with Beijing.

The leaders of the developed countries are increasingly concerned with Global Warming issue. On February 16, 2005 a legally binding international agreement among 40 developed and developing nations came into force named as Kyoto Protocol (followed by early '97 agreement). Under this agreement the related countries will reduce its green house gas emissions by 2012. Different countries are set to different targets, such as Australia is set to a target to reduce its green house gas 108 percent by 2012.

The European Union's Emission Trading Scheme (EUETS) came into force on 1 January 2005 as a way for the EU to meet its commitments under the Kyoto Protocol. It imposes emission caps on certain sectors (generally the heavy emitters such as power generation, cement manufacture etc.). It also establishes a trading platform, so that regulated parties and others can trade carbon to ensure that the reduction targets are met. The first phase of the EU-ETS runs from 2005-2007. The second phase will run from 2008-12 -- in parallel with the Kyoto Protocol. It is likely that other sectors, including transport, will be included in the second phase.

Over 40 leading US companies have signed up to the Chicago Climate Exchange to voluntarily enter into a cap and trade system similar to the EU's.

Some useful ways of offsetting carbon
Hong Kong, China and some other developing countries are making use of voluntary schemes to highlight the green attributes of their products for marketing purposes. These include making green claims, or self-declared environmental claims, for their products, including claims about the use of environmentally-friendly materials in clothing and handbag items. Some have applied environmental labels to their products, such as Green Seal and Energy Star labels in the US, EU Eco-labels and German Blue Angel labels, and the Japanese labels Eco Mark and Eco Leaf. These voluntary claims and labels can help consumers identify green products, while enabling suppliers to tap the green market in a more effective way.

However to claim as a "green" company is not very difficult. There are many ways as stated above. But the easiest way for Bangladeshi companies is Mass Plantation.

How to measure Co2 emissions: There are many internationally recognized environmental organizations that are using carbon matrix to compute Co2 pollution. According to the matrix depending on where you live in the world, the average human can produce up to 22.0 tonnes of Carbon Dioxide (CO2) each year. That's the equivalent of 30 trees which would need to be planted to offset your personal CO2 emissions. The table shows some CO2 emission average in using various types of cars:

Some benefits from plantation: 1. If a garment factory owner employed 1500 labours and staff in his factory, then we assume on average the CO2 emission from this factory will be 22.0 tonnes x 1500 = 3300,000 tonnes. If for one person the factory needs to plant 30 trees, then the total number of trees will be 110,000, which will create huge impact on Bangladesh environment. Bangladesh will be green very soon if carbon offseting plan by plantation could be imposed on factories.

2. Garment factory owners will be benefited from this not only by showing internationally that they are green, but also, these plants after few years will give them huge return.

3. Tree planting to offset the carbon emissions and energy use will create jobs.

4. There is a possibility that a new industry for timber products will emerge as there will be high densed forestry.

Time to act for government
As the whole world is shifting their focus towards green consumerism, it's time for Bangladesh government to act on this issue quickly before it's too late. Bangladesh government should do the following:

1. Introduce solar energy systems for power. Bangladesh has an electricity deficit. Using solar power will contribute both ways -- going green and reducing deficits. Government can offer credit facility for using solar power and thus ban use of traditional power in shopping malls and groceries in metropolitan areas.

2. Bangladesh government can offer tax offsets against carbon offsetting plans for export oriented companies.

3. Bangladesh needs to have a green policy for the sake of the global warming issue as well as for itself.

As global warming emerged as a burning issue and a big challenge, there is no way that Bangladesh can keep mum on them. To exist, to sustain and to lead Bangladesh must have a green policy as early as possible. Delaying on this issue will only cause losing global competitiveness and increasing poverty. Because the message is clear, "GO GREEN OR GO OUT".

Syed Kollol, MBA, writes from Australia.