How Green Is It?

We have all heard the expression "whitewashing"--it is defined as "a coordinated attempt to hide unpleasant facts, especially in a political context."

"Greenwashing" has a similar connotation, but in an environmental context. Some organizations will spend more time and money claiming to be "green" through advertising and marketing than actually implementing "green" business practices. In short, it is whitewashing but with a green brush.

TerraChoice Environmental Marketing Inc. conducted a survey of six big box stores and identified six patterns which they labelled the "Six Sins of Greenwashing".

Sin of the Hidden Trade Off: Based on a single environmental attribute, a product is labelled green. i.e. A company focuses on the recycled content of paper while ignoring the manufacturing impact on air and water emissions.

Sin of No Proof: The environmental claim cannot be substantiated by a reliable third-party. i.e. Personal care products, such as shampoos and conditioners, claim not to have been tested on animals but offer no evidence or certification.

Sin of Vagueness: The claim is so poorly defined or vague that its real meaning is likely to be misunderstood. i.e. Many products claim to be "all natural". Arsenic, uranium, and mercury are also "all natural" and poisonous.

Sin of Irrelevance: This environmental claim may be truthful but is unimportant. i.e. Many individual products claim to be CFC-free. CFCs (chlorofluorocarbons) are major contributors to ozone depletion which have been legally banned for almost 30 years. There are no products that are manufactured with it.

Sin of Lesser of Two Evils: This type of claim may be true within the product category, but risks distracting the consumer from the greater environmental impacts of the category as a whole. i.e. organic cigarettes, "green" insecticides and herbicides.

Sin of Fibbing: These environmental claims are simply false. i.e. Some products claim to be Energy Star-certified but are not.