I recently saw an article how in this current recession, green is the new “black”. No, we are not seeing rooftops laced with solar panels, and there is not a gaggle of hybrids clogging the highways, nor is there a firm shift away from meat eating occurring.

However, lack is always a motivator in adopting some green energy conserving ways, and this is the response we are seeing right now.

With unemployment numbers creeping up, and folks taking pay furloughs, it doesn’t take much for people to adopt less wasteful ways and as we are seeing less consumption of material goods, hence the lack luster retail numbers each month.

So while I am clapping my mini clap with excitement that consumers seem to be using less plastic bags and adopting minor energy saving steps, Leanne Krueger- Braneky of the Greater Philadelphia Sustainable Business Network cautions, that whatever green buying is the direct result of recessionary “pain” which could be short lived, as the average US consumer has a pretty short memory, thus a pretty short window of change.

As we explored in past blog posts relative to “Sustainability” and if I apply Adam Werbach’s Sustainable litmus test- (Must have a Social, Economic, Environmental, Cultural component) this effort is not sustainable, over the long term. Yes, some folks have changed and will not go back to the ways of the past, however, once the economy improves and people have the money to spend, and security in their job, then will they NOT buy/consume/conserve? Will they be so open to take those “green” actions to preserve the environment, which oh by the way is energy efficient etc?

Which brings me to the latest program “Cash for Clunkers” that is getting a lot of press these days. Turn in your older fuel guzzling car for an up to $4500 refund on a new gas efficient vehicle. While this is jump starting auto sales, and the car dealers are all high fiving this program, I have a friend who traded in an old gas guzzling mini van for a Ford Escape (not the hybrid) that get’s 18 MPG. Sure the older vehicle had a greater carbon impact than the Escape, but this program is being motivated by money and is not sustainable for the future.

My desire is that we can get some leadership in the government and corporate America to help produce “real” sustainable programs that can benefit our country moving forward. This effort should help fuel long term business opportunities and innovation versus these short term stimulus jolts that might benefit some short term, but not make a huge impact to many of our citizen’s long term. Being sustainable, is thriving in perpetuity, as Adam’s so notes in his book, and can a cash for clunker program accomplish that?