Now that “Going Green” is all the rage (which I am so happy about), how do you know something is really green? Companies are figuring out that green sells so there is a lot of green-washing out going on. I recently came across a website www.sinsofgreenwashing.org about the 7 Sins of Green-washing that I thought would be helpful to share:
1. Sin of the hidden trade off
- A claim suggesting that a product is “green” based on a narrow set of attributes without attention to other important environmental issues.
2. Sin of No Proof
- An environmental claim that cannot be substaniated by easily accessible supporting information or by a reliable third-party certification.
3. Sin of Vagueness
- A claim that is so poorly defined or broad that its real meaning is likely to be misunderstood by the consumer.
4. Sin of Worshiping False Labels
- A product that, through either words or images, gives the impression of third-party endorsement where no such endorsement exists.
5. Sin of Irrelevance
- An environmental claim that may be truthful but is unimportant or unhelpful for consumers seeking environmentally preferable products.
6. Sin of Lesser of Two Evils
- A claim that may be true within the product category, but that risks distracting the consumer from the greater environmental impacts of the category as a whole.
7. Sin of Fibbing
- Environmental claims that are simply false
The idea is to be as educated as you can about what you are purchasing. There are shades of green and not everyone can afford to always make the greenest possible choice. That being said you should know the difference and decide for yourself.