The near collapse of the global economic system has had a major impact on the lifestyle of the American consumer, who is buying fewer services and goods that were once considered staples of the affluent life. �
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American consumers have suffered a collective breakdown. They have begun to question their lives and their lifestyles…Do I need that big German car? Do I really need that second house at the beach? Do my kids need to go to that private school? Do I need a new phone or iPod or laptop because it now comes in a cooler color? 

Out of this period of self-denial and personal re-evaluation, a new consumer will be born, the Socially Conscience Consumer or SoCon. SoCons are aware of the world around them and what it means to be self-sufficient—they are consumers who understand that the purchases they make have a profound impact on the world around them, both economically as well as environmentally.

The SoCon will no longer be goaded and coerced by peer pressure or ego-based advertising. He has moved from a consumerism based on flaunting and bragging to one of self-reflection and social responsibility. The battle cry of the SoCon is simple and direct “Do I really need this?”

SoCons will emerge from this economic downturn not as victims, but as survivors. They will feel good about themselves and most of all they will feel good about the future. Like the economic collapse of the 1970s and 1990s, the SoCons will enter into an age of great opportunity and great possibilities.

They will feel empowered and they will have the confidence to take on the future. They will believe in a better tomorrow. And they will focus on what’s good about life, rather than what’s not.

So what is at the “heart” of the Social-Conscious Consumer? To the SoCon it is about lifestyle, it’s not about owning, it’s about living. If stress and anxiety were the bi-products of the post-economic collapse, then nothing will be more coveted by the SoCon than a safe haven to gather and commune with family and friends.

What Are They Looking For?

They look at labels and check out websites and align themselves with those companies that embody their beliefs and values. They are no longer brand loyal, but seek brands that exemplify the new social contract and will hold them accountable.

A word that was once associated with an older generation has become the watch word of the new economy. “Frugality.” Everyone is looking over their collective shoulders, waiting for the other shoe to drop. Will I have my job next year or even next month…my 401 is useless, my savings account is near empty and I have no way to cover tuition for the kids next semester. In other words…every penny counts.

The SoCon has begun to buy store brands at the market as well as cutting and using coupons for the first time. They no longer are looking at cars and phones as a disposable commodity…they are looking and purchasing refurbished phones and other personal electronics as well as pre-owned autos…and even considering public transportation.

The biggest change has been the use of credit cards or better yet the lack of use…the SoCon have lost their need for instant gratification…they are taking their time and pondering their purchase…they have moved from a purchasing reflex of “I want this” to a conscious thought pattern of “Do I really need this.” They are abandoning the credit card to using a debit card or cash or— in a throw back to the 50s—lay-a-way…paying for it over time.

The 7 Characteristics of the SoCon
1.    The SoCons feel that they have too much “stuff.” And that they were prisoners of their possessions and had fallen victim to easy credit and the siren song of mass-consumption. Today they will no longer cave-in to their old buying habits.
2.    The SoCon wants to experience life and not just fill space around them with things. Now every purchase must be weighed and evaluated.
3.    The SoCon is embarrassed by past indiscretions…such as the Hummer or that 10- bedroom summer house for a family of three or the latest…the need to have an iPhone.
4.    To the SoCon, wealth is no longer about things or logos or a brand name…true wealth is about giving back to the community, to the country…to the planet. The things they will purchase today will reflect the social good.
5.    From the clothes they wear, to the coffee they drink, to the car they drive, to the kitchen that defines their home…each purchase must reflect a Social Return on Investment by the company or manufacturer.
6.    The SoCon will use limited resources as a currency of consciousness to leverage a greener and more sustainable tomorrow.
7.    The SoCon believes that the actions of the individual can make a difference.
In Part II, next week, we’ll take a look at marketing to the SoCon.

(Kevin Henry is the executive VP of Bazzèo Kitchen + Bath, as well as writer, speaker and industry activist. He can be reached at kevin@nyloft.net)

Individual homeowners are going green in record numbers, but they are not the ones who will be the leaders in the green movement because they are going green slowly. As much as they might want for circumstances to be otherwise, most are not in a position to run out and buy, for instance, a high efficiency clothes washer when the old one is still running just fine. It’s a big expense, and while they will ultimately recoup all of the money from the savings on their water bill, the immediate savings does not justify the price of such a big-ticket item.

And even if they do go for the high efficiency washer, how likely are they to be able to replace all the other items that are wasting energy in their homes during the same time period?

Multi-housing owners and developers, on the other hand, are in a perfect position to realize profits in energy bills very quickly, depending on how many units they are overseeing. In their wildest dreams, many of them may never have thought of themselves as being on the forefront of a movement that, in the beginning at least, was associated with a political ideology. But the opportunity has been handed to them, and many are taking the reins.

One company deserving of recognition for its green leadership is The K & D Group, one of Ohio’s largest privately owned real estate development firms. They own and manage over 13,000 residential units in several apartment communities in the northeast portion of the state. The K & D Group is just about done with a project they began some six months ago to retrofit toilets in 7,500 of their units, mostly in buildings that were 20 to 30 years old. These same units also got new showerheads and aerators on their faucets.

The reason I know so much about The K & D Group project is because the company I work for, Niagara Conservation, supplied the toilets, aerators and showerheads. But that is beside the point (though I would like to mention that our Flapperless toilet is perfect for such retrofits not only because it is water efficient and maintenance free, but also because the base and tank are large enough to cover the old toilet’s footprint).

The point here is that K & D has chosen to overlook the difficulties inherent in such a big project (not the least of which is that residents don’t especially like the interruption of having installers working in their bathrooms) and focus on the bigger picture—and that picture is green, in two senses of the word.
Each one-bathroom household will be saving 9,200 gallons of water per year because of the toilet retrofit alone. K & D expects to save $1.5 million in water costs.

These are amazing numbers to consider. Think about it: There are 100 million toilets in the U.S. that flush at 3.5 gallons or higher, and if just half of these older models were replaced with high-efficiency toilets, 600 billion gallons of water would be saved each year. Thanks to companies like The K & D Group, that kind of savings no longer seems unfathomable.

(Matt Voorhees is the Business Development Representative for Niagara Conservation www.niagaraconservation.com and www.itseasybeinggreen.com)

It is not a question any more, rather a certainty. Facebook is here to stay. It has become a part of our everyday lives. Once thought to be used only by Generation “Y”, social media has transformed our lives. The largest growing demographic happens to be females 40 years old and above.

If the first phase of the Internet was to get everyone connected, then this second phase of the Internet is about getting the human network connected to each other. I recently heard on NPR (National Public Radio) that the epidemic of workers checking their Facebook pages was the fastest growing problem facing work production for many office employees. An executive at a company decided to embrace his staff’s appetite to socialize over the net just to keep them happy and not disrupt their morale.

Since we know that 200 million people are using Facebook, and growing, there is a strong chance that you tenants are using it too. The question is how do you marry your property to their use?
Each property should have its own Facebook “Fan” page, not a “group” page. You have to push this new page on your residents. I would suggest taping notices on their doors, around the mailboxes, and in laundry facilities reminding the residents to become a fan of their apartment community’s page.

The content that should be posted on your Facebook page should be community notices, partnerships with vendors you make (such as pizza), and communitywide events (such as poker or bunko night). Tenants will want to join to keep up with the news. But you could also use the tool to incentivize and reward your residents. For example, everyone who pays their rent on the 1st of the month before 6:00 pm will receive a free ___________(fill in the blank.) Something of low value like a slurpee from
7-Eleven. Let 7-Eleven pay for the cost of goods sold, you are bringing in customers to them. Or maybe a higher ticket item? See who is in your area that you can partner with.

What makes Facebook so impactful is that whatever you write on your “wall,” all of your friends (in this case your residents) will see it. In short time people are signing up to be your friend and you theirs. The cascade of information to read on each other’s wall grows exponentially because everyone is writing in, commenting, taking surveys, and socializing! This socialization is incredibly important for an apartment community. If a resident feels part of a community because of the relationships they have developed over time, then they are more likely to renew their leases.

A key component to getting your network off the ground is to find a person that Li and Bernoff, author of “Groundswell,” call Creators. In social networking there are several types of participants. Think of a creator as someone who is a social butterfly and knows everything going on in the office. This person is very influential. Find them at your complex and let them participate and spread the word for you. Not everyone is a Creator. There are several different types of observers who may or may not write, post, or blog, but they sure are listening to your message.

Your property manager is best suited to take on this task. It is that person who is rooted in the property and has the best vantage point of what to write on the wall and what to comment on from others’ wall postings. 

Focusing on the relationship with the residents and becoming a part of their lives is unique and can pay large dividends. They will want to refer a friend of theirs to fill your vacancy if they are comfortable with you. Of course you will let them know you have a vacancy to fill on your Facebook page! Utilizing Facebook is a great tool that you could be using right now and costs you nothing but upside.

(Scott Yahraus is the president of Apartment Energy Consultants. Apartment Energy Consultants is the governing body that certifies multifamily properties as being “National Green Apartment Certified.” Viisit the web site at http://www.GreenRetrofitter.com , 818-854-6850, or email Scott directly at Scott@GreenRetrofitter.com)