In the 1987 movie Wall Street, Gordon Gekko infamously said, “Greed is good.” The goal of any for-profit enterprise is to make money, certainly, but many manufacturers in the 21st century are also discovering that a focus on green can not only be beneficial for the environment, but good for business as well.

We’ve got so much great green-related editorial in the November 2010 issue that I almost don’t know where to begin. Let’s start with the basics. Before venturing into the green product marketplace, it’s important for manufacturers to explore what green really means. What makes a product green? Does a product’s volatile organic compound (VOC) content determine whether it’s green, or not? What about its recycled material content? Is a life cycle assessment (LCA) required? And who decides what can be labeled as green?

The Adhesive & Sealant Council, Inc. (ASC) is working with the industry to tackle these questions, and others. “It is important for organizations to work together to further define what sustainability and green mean for the industry and what advancements are on the horizon,” writes Matt Croson, ASC president. Croson shares details regarding the ASC’s ongoing green-related activities in “Defining Green.”

This issue also includes articles on waterborne adhesives (“Less is More”), adhesives and sealants for green construction (“Sustainable Building Options”), packaging considerations (“Green Packaging”), and much more.