We Think We"re Being Eco-Friendly, But Are We? Consumers Continue to Fall Prey to "Greenwashing"
With environmental concerns on nearly everyone's personal radar, more and
more consumers are purchasing items marked as eco-friendly, sustainable, nature-loving, certified organic and the like. When a company claims a product is green, the public believes them. And all too often, the public is misled. Greenwashing - falsely claiming or implying that a product or service is environmentally friendly - has become common practice as consumers' interest in the wellbeing of our planet is at an all time high.
Kim Carlson, one of the country's leading experts on earth-friendliness, and the author of the upcoming book, Green Your Work: Boost Your Bottom Line While Reducing Your Eco-Footprint, warns that while greenwashing can be as blatant as using a picture of wild flowers on the label of a dangerous synthetic chemical - subconsciously making the consumer think that it is natural - it can also be innocuous. "Even the consumer who knows what materials to look for can be misled," Carlson states. "Take for example, someone who chooses a bamboo table knowing that bamboo is sustainable. It's what happens before the table makes it to the store that is the concern that bamboo may have been sourced illegally from a old growth rain forest that was cut down to farm the bamboo," she adds.
There are few, if any, perfectly green products or services in the world. "Unfortunately, in the world of green products where there are no universal standards, it is still the Wild West - most anything goes," Carlson says. Thus, Carlson aims to educate consumers on weeding through products by gauging levels of "greenness." "Determining where a product falls in the range of environmental positives or negatives is the trick to identifying a true green product from a greenwashed one," she states.
Kim Carlson's Tips for Consumers: How to Avoid Being Greenwashed
Sniff Test - A product is often labeled green even though it has only one green attribute. Yet, there may be other product features that could be environmentally harmful and effectively cancel the good one. If only one attribute is touted, look for additional information on the label, packaging or company's website about how it was made, where the raw material was sourced, or how far it traveled. Companies that are truly trying to be environmentally friendly have more of a green story to tell than to hype one fact over the exclusion of all others.
Look for Authenticity - Companies that put a personal face or a compelling narrative on their product generally have an authentic and compelling environmental story. Organic food brands, for example, may use a guarantee or a photo of the founders to communicate a personal pride in the development of the product. As a general rule of thumb, such products are most likely to fall in the desired range of green.
Identify Green Labels - There are enough green labels for products to make environmental shopping quite confusing. Until there is a universal label on all consumer products giving information about environmental footprint, familiarize yourself with the variety of labels that currently exist for a few categories of products: Green Seal, Eco-Logo, Energy Star, and Forest Stewardship Council (FSC). Being able to recognize the differences will ensure that you can shop more confidently.
Ask Questions - The best way to verify eco-legitimacy is to do some research. If you have suspicion or questions about the product, hit the internet. Also don't be afraid to call the company directly and ask questions. Use pointed questions such as how exactly was it made, what materials were used or what is its toxicity level.
The bottom line: consumers should always ask for proof or assurance from retailers that the products they buy won't harm people or the planet. Visit Earth Smart Consumer for additional information and tips.