Leveraging Lifestyles of Health and Sustainability

MARINA DEL REY, California, May 13, 2004 (ENS) - Lifestyles of Health and Sustainability (LOHAS) are big business today. Participants in a three day conference here say a $227 billion U.S. marketplace has emerged for goods and services that appeal to consumers who value health, the environment, social justice, personal development, and sustainable living.

The LOHAS 8 Forum: The Business of Conscious Commerce has attracted hundreds of executives and dozens of entertainers to panels focusing on how business, media and entertainment can be leveraged to educate, shape and influence consumer behavior and purchasing decisions.

No longer on the fringes of the American economy, the increased demand for lifestyle products, yoga studios, natural foods, herbal supplements, renewable energy, and socially responsible investment are now mainstream.

According to the Natural Marketing Institute in a 2003 report, 32.3 percent of adults, or 68 million people buy LOHAS products.

Organic foods is a $16 billion market that has grown 20 percent each year since 1990, LOHAS organizers say. Alternative transportation such as gasoline-electric hybrid cars is worth $2 billion annually.

While promising, renewable power is a small player in this market with just $900 million in sales annually, but the giant is eco-tourism. Eco-travel networks, green tourism, eco-volunteering trips, active sports trip programming, and environmentally responsible tourism are among the fastest growing travel trends and the market for these services is estimated at $77 billion.

Socially responsible investing, with $2 trillion under management, is in a class by itself - a very lucrative class.

At the LOHAS 8 forum, participants can choose to start the day with a yoga class and partake of an organic breakfast.

Julia Butterfly Hill is the morning keynote speaker. A preacher's daughter, she attracted international attention to the logging of the giant California redwoods when she climbed 180 feet up into the branches of a 1,000 year old redwood tree and refused to come down for two years. Her latest project, We The Planet, is a tour and festival which produces environmentally sustainable, creative community events.

A panel on how companies can use product placement and branding to increase sales of sustainable products and services will hear from Chuck Marcy president of Horizon Organic, who has taken his organic dairy foods company to the $200 million sales level this year.

Then a panel of architects and planners and entertainment executives takes a look at green building, design, products and facilities management. Among others, they will hear from Shelley Billik, vice president of environmental initiatives for Warner Bros. Entertainment Inc., a film and television production facility, situated on 130 acres in Burbank, California.

After a lunch of organic foods, comes the Fortune 500 - LOHAS panel, a highlight of the conference. Cara Eisenberg, Marketing Communication Manager, BP Solar will share her insights as will David Refkin, director of Sustainable Development for Time Inc. who handles paper choices for the giant publishing company, and James Bollenbacher, vice president environment health safety for Alcoa Engineered Products.

Next, a health and wellness panel, then a Ford Motor Company cocktail hour, and a Ford sponsored dinner benefiting Heal the Bay featuring a musical performance by Minnie Driver.

A late night organic wine tasting hosted by Bonterra Vineyards caps a healthy and sustainable day.

No longer a fad or a trend, LOHAS is many Americans' answer to genetic modification and pesticide residues in their food, diesel fumes in their air, and toxics in their water. At $227 billion this year, the LOHAS marketplace is on track to grow exponentially in the future.