IOSR Journal of Business and Management (IOSR-JBM) e-ISSN: 2278-487X, p-ISSN: 2319-7668. Volume 17, Issue 10 .Ver. I (Oct. 2015), PP 70-75 www.iosrjournals.org DOI: 10.9790/487X-171017075 www.iosrjournals.org 70 | Page Trends and Opportunities in Green Marketing Ms.Vandana Sharma & Ms.Vaishnavi Pai Nashik Abstract: Green marketing is the marketing of products that are presumed to be environmentally preferable to others.Protection of the environment is an issue of key concern which has permeated into all spheres of life. Green marketing is perceived as an opportunity by many organizations to achieve their longterm goals. Marketers, however, once felt that green products were a trend and simply attempted to exploit the potential opportunity at the moment. (Banerjee, Gulas&Iyer, 1995) Green marketing looks at how marketing activities utilize these limited resources, while satisfying consumers wants, both of individuals and organization as well as achieving the sales objectives of the organization. This paper attempts to examine the concept of green marketing, the various opportunities and the challenges that arise while using it as a strategy. Keywords: Green Marketing, Eco- Friendly, Sustainability, Green washing, Renewable. I. Introduction: Any marketing activity of the firm that is intended to create a positive impact or to lessen the negative impact of a product on the environment, i n order to capitalize on the consumer‘s concern about environment issues is known as Green Marketing. The term ‗Green Marketing‘ came into prominence in the late 1980s and early 1990s. The Burtland Report of 1987 defined sustainable development as ‗meeting the needs of the present without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their own needs ‘. This was a step towards widespread thinking on sustainability in everyday activities and was the start of Green Marketing. It refers to the holistic marketing concept wherein production, marketing consumption and disposal of products and services happen in a manner that is less detrimental to the environment with the growing awareness about the implications of global warming, non-biodegradable solid waste, pollutants etc. Nowadays, both marketers and consumers are becoming increasingly aware and want to switch to eco-friendly products and services.Shoppers are seeking out greener products, energized by the prospects of healthier alternatives, higher quality, preserving the environment and saving time and money. But the "greenwash" phenomenon threatens the green-marketing revolution. The potential to confuse consumers with misleading green claims is high. Green issues are highly technical, complex and fast moving. When claims are unclear, marketers can be labeled as greenwashers and their marketing as greenwash. Being perceived as a greenwasher seriously can damage a company's credibility. Unfair or deceptive advertising can expose marketers to legal risks and accompanying expense. The impact of greenwash can hit the bottom line if disillusioned customers shift their purchases to more trustworthy competitors. Therefore, it is necessary for Firms to develop their credibility by gaining the trust as well as providing ‗real‘ eco friendly products to conserve the environment. II. Why Green Marketing? As resources are limited and human wants are unlimited, it is important for the marketers to utilize the resources efficiently without waste as well as to achieve the organization's objective. So green marketing is inevitable. There is a growing interest among the consumers around the world regarding the protection of environment. Worldwide evidence suggests that people are changing their behavior, tastes, and also tend to splurge more in buying recyclable and renewable products. As a result of this, Green Marketing has emerged which speaks for the growing market for sustainable and socially responsible products and services. III. The 4 P‟s Of Green Marketing: Along with the 4 P‘s (i.e. Product, Price, Place, and Promotion) of Marketing, Green Marketing includes three additional P‘s: People, Planet, and Profits. But they are a part of the other four. A. PRODUCT: The products have to be developed for the consumers who prefer environmental friendly products. They can be made with the help of the following points: i. Use recycled products in product production ii. Use ‗green‘ energy (such as wind and geothermal energy) iii. Reduce production waste (in both, energy and materials) iv. Use eco-friendly methods, including sustainable and organic agriculture v. Reduce product packaging