You may be tired of hearing about "green" every time you turn around, but the overwhelming consensus from business analysts is that it's not going anywhere. The tipping point, it seems, has occurred. Environmentalism and social responsibility are part of the corporate landscape of mainstream expectation.

So, if you've been secretly hiding your head in the sand, trying to decide whether to address it directly or not, we'd like to help you with some basics on how to create eco-advantage for your company. We think you'll find, it's not such a big deal. Like anything else, it's a process that involves just one action to start, and it can easily evolve over time.

Seven ways to create eco-advantage:

1. Look at your day to day operational costs and see if there are ways to reduce your consumption and lower your environmental impact. Look first at your electricity and gas consumption, then your paper consumption, and your recycling and trash volume.
2. Build brand value by communicating your green-ness as a symbol for industry leadership.
3. Consider packaging, shipping or service delivery changes in how you deliver your product or service to better meet customer desires and reduce waste.
4. Re-vision your product or service with green in mind. Be sure you're still addressing the three traditional selling points — price, quality and performance — foremost. Re-marketing a product or service to express a green aspect alone can be a tough business proposition and can put you at risk of seeming opportunistic. Real change and authenticity are key.
5. Consider associating your company in some way with one of the large, visible certifying bodies that authenticate green-ness, like the Marine Stewardship Council, Energy Star or the Forest Stewardship Council (FSC).
6. Rethink Toxins. Many companies use chemicals, components and materials that are toxic when alternatives are available. Making the switch is easy — it usually doesn't affect cost and it is a greatly appreciated by employees.
7. Partner with your local community to clean up, get healthy, or be environmentally or socially responsible. Sponsor an event; help local food banks, blood banks, or shelters; lead in neighborhood beautification. The public relations rewards can be significant.

Don't give up.

Creating eco-advantage for your company isn't going to happen overnight. But small steps do build into great accomplishments over time. The key is not to give up and to be patient with the process. Make a plan for 2008. Nothing more. Ideas for 2009 will present themselves as you progress, one little green step at a time.