greenliving
The hijacking of green by irrespon-
Greenwashing Update
HOW TO BE A SMART SHOPPER by Ed Begley, Jr.
W
e may think we are protecting our family’s health and the Earth’s environment by buying eco-friendly products, but a second look at some so-called “green” products may reveal we’ve been led astray. When companies hurry to cash in with new product lines touting natural living products, too many of the changes are more cosmetic (new pack- aging, appealing earthy logos) than chemi- cal; sometimes toxicity levels decrease in only minimal amounts. With green market- ing campaigns in overdrive, how can we be sure that we truly are selecting a certified safe product?
Hijacking True Eco-Trends Greenwashing occurs when more money
or time is spent on advertising and labeling green characteristics than actually devel- oping and implementing environmentally sound products and practices. Words such as natural, non-toxic and eco-safe are now widely misused. Although greenwashing has been around for nearly a quarter century, corporations today are committing to it at unprecedented levels as they go after the growing market for eco-friendly products. Companies have duly noted that even the average Jane is now interested in protecting the environment and is willing to pay a pre- mium to help. When products and services are really green, everyone wins; but when they are suspect, everyone suffers from a false sense of stewardship.
sible corporations is aptly characterized by Jay Westerveld’s initial 1986 report on greenwashing, first used to describe the reuse of towels in the hotel industry. His research implied that in-room signage stating that, “Reusing the hotel towels helps save the environment,” was more a ploy to increase reservations from patrons concerned about their environmental footprints than an actual credo of hotel management. One can hardly assert envi- ronmental responsibility based on laundry alone, but many hotels did, even though they were not participating in any other forms of resource conservation, recycling or waste reduction. The bottled water industry is a more
recent example. Amid mounting nega- tive publicity about their unsustainable practices, these companies aggressively overhauled label designs and switched to thinner plastic bottles. Yes, the new form is less wasteful, but drinking bottled water remains among the most environmentally unfriendly habits; plus, drinking from plas- tic, made with petrochemicals, is unhealthy, according to a Harvard School of Public Health study published in 2011 in the peer- reviewed journal Environmental Health Perspectives. Thankfully, the tide is turning in many companies with integrity. For example, in the 20 years since Westerveld’s report, more hotels are starting to introduce genu- ine environmental reforms, but so much more progress is needed across the board in business that the true pioneers stand out. Unfortunately, given the creativity of evolv- ing greenwashing tactics, it is becoming more difficult to distinguish between au- thentic eco-alterations and mere overtures
to green living. Buyer beware still applies.
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Westchester/Putnam NY Edition
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