“Green” is a relatively new term to the environmental scene. Although green marketing first showed up in the 1980s, with the millennium came a full-fledged green movement. People are becoming much more aware of our impact on the Earth, and can no longer believe the blowhards that claim global warming is a scare tactic (um, terror alert codes yellow through red, anyone?). Recycling, CFLs and organics are becoming the norm, even during this economic poopstorm that is whipping everyone’s butts. Of course, in this great land of capitalism, marketing and advertising hacks see a world of opportunity and profits. How do we clean up the image of a company that is less than eco-friendly? How can we keep those customers who’ve become more aware of what they’re putting in their bodies? How can we shut these damn treehuggers up? Well, the solution, my friend, lies in a thin coat of green paint.
It’s called greenwashing, and it’s all the rage amongst those companies who make eco-shaped bottles of water, and claim that paperless billing or reusing your towels and sheets helps the environment when all it helps is their bottom line. It’s those products that say “All Natural,” “Organic,” and have many shades of green on the label, the same crap they sold before in a prettier, more hippie-friendly package.
Do not be fooled by these fools. Learn how to read the labels!
This applies to any and everything you can think of, from salad dressing to bubble bath, from building materials to children’s toys. There are so many ways these people shake you down for your funds, so you need to make sure you’re spending money on what it is you THINK you’re spending your money on. Sounds convoluted, but it ain’t hard.
This blogger is human, and I am not the greenest greenie in Greentown, but I will not succumb to greenwashing, nor will I let you, faithful reader! Keep your eye on this column for some lessons on label reading (and a little ranting and raving) so you can get the most authentic green products for your greenbacks!
So Fresh and So Green 