Environment left cold in economic climate?

Image credit: adamsofen, via flickr

Can you be an environmental idealist in this tough economic climate and still be profitable? That’s the essence of the question posed over at the Greenbang corporate responsibility blog, where they discuss a decline in cleantech investmentments from 2007 to January 2009:

Although investment volume is only one metric to measure companies’ commitment to green, it does suggest that this commitment is at risk in such tough economic conditions. Are companies starting to relax green business policies because of pressures on the business bottom line and does it need to be a tug of war?

As we’re fond of observing, there are many simple and inexpensive ways for businesses to be dedicated to the environment, but actually investing in green technology or greener alternatives is a real sign of progress because it recognizes the long-term picture in which ecology is inextricable from economy. Although it seems natural for skittish businesses to pull back on what seem like short-term expenses due to uncertainty about the timeline of the recession, might that reactionary move be corrected in coming quarters with businesses digging into the current circumstances as  economic reality, as we come to the realization that investments must still be made for any progress to take place?

Since it’s Earth Day week, this may be easy to observe anecdotally: have you noticed a cooling off in enthusiasm for environmental stewardship from business this year? Or does it seem to be just as much a hot topic as ever?

via Do environment and business need to play tug of war? | Corporate Responsibility.