Green Marketing Archives - Taylor Scott Nelson

Defining Green Marketing & Sustainability Communications: An Hourglass Term That Shaped My Career

April 21, 2025 No Comments

In the world of marketing, buzzwords come and go — but “green marketing” and “sustainability communications” are terms that have stuck with me, not just as trends, but as defining themes throughout my career. They’re what I call hourglass terms — concepts that begin broadly, narrow into a specialized niche, and then fan out again to influence a wide range of industries, sectors, and communication needs.

Let me explain — and take you on a journey through how I came to specialize in this growing, evolving, and deeply meaningful space.

What Is Green Marketing, Exactly?

At its core, green marketing refers to promoting products, services, or practices that are environmentally friendly. It’s about more than slapping a green label on a package — it’s a commitment to transparency, sustainability, and often, behavioral change. Green marketing focuses on aligning brand values with environmental ethics, creating campaigns that both inform and inspire.

Sustainability communications, meanwhile, goes beyond the consumer angle. It encompasses the storytelling, messaging, and strategic outreach that organizations use to engage stakeholders — from the public to policymakers — on environmental initiatives, sustainable practices, climate resilience, and more.

Together, these two disciplines span a massive spectrum — from technical communications about carbon reporting to grassroots storytelling about tree planting or water conservation. Hence the hourglass.

General, Professional

A Fresh Perspective: How Google Career Dreamer Uses AI for Career Exploration

April 17, 2025 No Comments

A Fresh Perspective: How Google Career Dreamer helped me with my Career Possibilities

Lately, I’ve been undergoing career evaluation—taking stock of my experiences, skills, and interests as I navigate my next professional chapter. With a background in marketing and communications, much of it focused on sustainability and public outreach, I know I had a wide-ranging skill set. But translating that into a clear path forward? That’s what I’ve been trying to figure out.

Then a friend in a networking group recommended Google Career Dreamer—an AI-powered career exploration tool that genuinely helped me shine light on potential career options.

I was curious and slightly skeptical, but once I got started, I realized this was more than just a job-matching tool. Career Dreamer helped me articulate my value, identify where my skills shine, and—most importantly—imagine new career directions I hadn’t seriously considered before.

A Clearer Career Identity

One of the first steps in the Dreamer experience is shaping your Career Identity Statement—a concise, personalized summary of your strengths where you enter previous roles and skills to inform the AI. Here’s what mine looks like now:

General, Nature, Texas

Stories That Flow — A Night at the Water, Texas Film Festival

April 1, 2025 No Comments

On April 1st, I attended the 10th Annual Water, Texas Film Festival, hosted by the Texas Water Foundation at AFS Cinema here in Austin. It was an evening filled with stunning visuals, personal stories, and powerful reminders of just how deeply water is woven into the fabric of Texas life. From the Hill Country springs to the Gulf Coast bays, water isn’t just a resource here—it’s a part of who we are.

The festival showcased a lineup of short films, each capturing water’s role in Texas through a different lens. Some focused on environmental issues, others celebrated the cultural or recreational connections we have with water. But all of them shared a common thread: water matters, and the way we talk about it matters just as much. It was a compelling showcase of the way storytelling can elevate conservation—and bring people together.

General, Professional

Navigating the Green Job Market: Insights from LinkedIn’s Economic Graph

March 26, 2025 No Comments

As someone passionate about green marketing and sustainability, staying informed about industry trends is crucial—not only for my career but for the larger movement toward a more sustainable economy. Recently, I discovered LinkedIn’s Economic Graph Green Skills resources, a valuable collection of research and data that sheds light on how the green job market is evolving.

When searching for jobs in sustainability, conservation, and green industries, understanding labor market trends, in-demand skills, and industry outlooks is crucial. LinkedIn’s Green Skills section (LinkedIn Economic Graph – Green Skills) provides real-time data, research reports, and insights that paint a clearer picture of where the green economy is headed.

Key Insights from the Global Green Skills Report 2024

LinkedIn’s Global Green Skills Report 2024 (Full Report) highlights major shifts in the demand for green skills and the evolving job market. Here are some of the key takeaways from the report:

General, Professional

Building Community in Green Careers: My Green Group Journey Begins

March 21, 2025 No Comments

I’m thrilled to share that I’ve been selected to participate in the DJourneys Green Groups Pilot Test, an initiative designed to support green job seekers like myself. Organized by Daniel González, this program brings together small groups of 4-6 professionals who are looking to transition into or advance within the green industry.

What Are Green Groups?

The Green Groups concept is built around the book “Never Search Alone” by Phyl Terry, which emphasizes the power of Job Search Councils—small, structured groups that provide accountability, emotional support, and networking opportunities. Job searching can often feel isolating, but with a strong community, we can navigate the process together, share insights, and open doors to new opportunities.

Introducing Green Groups_PDF Download

General, Professional, Rotator, Texas

Taylor’s Professional Career Track

February 1, 2025 No Comments

I’ve had a very interesting roller-coaster of a career track, and wouldn’t want it any other way. I began my marketing career at a boutique automotive firm and then worked my way up to larger communications agencies. While I learned and my skills grew, I felt like there was still something missing. Passion. So I took a step back from a traditional path to find it. Through environmental education and adventures in sustainability, I found a career track I’m passionate about using my seasoned marketing skills.

The list below starts with my most recent job and goes back in sequence below:

Design Workshop, Inc.

After my experience in the waste resource management industry, I joined Design Workshop – a national landscape architecture and urban planning firm with projects across the world. In fact, Design Workshop was the same design firm who developed the initial plans for the Southwestern Medical District Urban Streetscape Master Plan legacy project for the Texas Trees Foundation – of which I was intimately familiar with that project and Design Workshop’s graphic work.

I joined the firm as a Marketing Coordinator, who’s primary responsibility was managing project proposal submissions and supporting business development for the Austin studio and Texas region.

See more about my experience here: Marketing Coordinator Role at Design Workshop

Austin Studio cross-office working session.