Twenty-five years ago the average American didn’t worry too much about the environment. Sure, everyone wanted clean air and water, and an intact ozone layer, but people didn't really consider it when they went shopping. All that changed in the ‘80s due to disasters such as the Exxon Valdez oil spill and the Union Carbide gas leak in Bhopal, India, that killed 4,000 people.

Today, helping the environment is at the forefront of consumer spending. And women are driving the consumer push toward environmental awareness and green products. In fact, research suggests that educated women, age 30 to 44, with $30,000-plus household incomes are most receptive to environmentally oriented marketing.

In case you haven’t noticed, many consumers – particularly women – have recognized that environmental awareness and products are a rapidly growing cultural and business phenomenon.

The Center for Women's Business Research reveals that 77 percent of working women find “environmental friendliness” as either a major or moderate concern in their buying decisions. It ranks just below quality and price as an influence on purchasing decisions.

And, women are significantly more likely than men to put their purchasing power behind brands that are good corporate citizens.

NBC for instance, which has strong female demographics, broadcast “Green Week” with seven days of environment-themed content spread across the network’s various TV channels. The 150 hours of programming integrated “green” into everything from news and sports to soap operas and was certainly a first for a major media company. And speaking of media, the Discovery Channel is launching “Discovery Green,” a 24-hour cable channel dedicated solely to green lifestyle programming.

Of course, the auto industry has been heavily involved in providing new “greener” automobiles. Most automakers are developing alternative fuel and hybrid vehicles, including fuel cell vehicles. And they are among the hottest selling cars in the country. With increased demand for these cars, it’s no wonder automakers are spending billions of dollars on research. They know it will pay off in even greater sales in the long run.

For instance, Ford is developing an internal combustion hydrogen engine that's close to being ready for mass production.

There are a growing number of web sites on the Internet that help consumers find green products. Greencars.org is an example of a site dedicated to environmentally friendly vehicles and the auto industry.

Among its many features, it lists the “greenest” and also the “meanest” vehicles of the year. Claiming the prize of this year’s greenest car was Honda’s natural gas-powered Civic GX. As it turns out, all of the greenest cars were foreign imports in 2007.

Utilizing this distinction is one easy, yet very newsworthy way your dealership can benefit from environmental awareness. If any of the models you carry are on the “greenest” vehicle list, let people know about it – particularly women in your market.

Another simple idea is to provide green driving tips to consumers, either on your web site or as handouts at your dealership and service center.

Of course, one of the best things consumers can do is to properly maintain their vehicles and get regular engine tune-ups. Both provide marketing and sale opportunities for your service center. When using service coupons consider a green message so customers know they can save money and at the same time help the environment.

A growing number of companies are leading the charge to develop and invest in environmentally friendly technology – not just because it’s good for Mother Earth, but it's also good for the bottom line.

For instance, the first official “green” car dealership in the U.S. opened last year in McKinney, Texas. Pat Lobb Toyota is a super energy-efficient and environmental facility. The building's exterior is made of 80 percent recycled aluminum; heat is generated from oil-change waste; car wash uses recycled water; even the carpet is made of recycled windshield glass.

More and more dealerships are going green to bolster their brand name and consumer confidence in their product. The green movement is changing how we reach consumers; so showing yourself to be a responsible organization can have a major impact on the reputation and appeal of your brand.

Soon AskPatty.com will be launching the GO GREEN initiative designed to help your dealership take advantage of this growing movement. We’ll give you the tools to utilize green marketing to women and highlight vehicles in your inventory that are earth-friendly. For instance, our program will help you promote hybrid crossover and similar technology, or any vehicles getting more than 28 miles per gallon.

We have developed a green logo you can place on any of your vehicles that are earth friendly, allowing consumers to easily identify vehicles that qualify for the program.

You can incorporate this into your marketing and take advantage of the exposure we will be generating with the initiative. The GO Green program will help you highlight vehicles you sell that are earth friendly.

This sticker or hangtag can be placed on any in-stock program qualifying vehicle. Imagine being able to promote in your advertising that you have X number of vehicles that qualify as earth friendly.

But while customers are actively looking for green companies to do business with, and eco-friendly products to buy, they won't be fooled by simple lip service. Your green marketing plans could backfire if your customers think they're being “greenwashed.” Consumers are tired of having the wool pulled over their eyes, and token gestures are likely to do more harm than good.

Remember, women value environmental initiatives and products, which presents powerful sales and service opportunities for you. “Green” is no longer just the color of money – it's now the color of marketing, too.

Peter Martin is the founder and CEO of AskPatty.com, the premier automotive advice site for women and has one of the most visited and respected blogs on the Internet. Ask Patty provides a turnkey marketing program for dealers to help them attract female consumers and the Female Friendly Certified Training program that teaches dealership staff how to effectively communicate and sell to women.