Trying to be Green in a Red World

photo credit: orangeacid

When is green really green? Many products, companies, and even foods that say they are eco-friendly, green, or natural aren’t necessarily 100% green, and quite a number don’t even come close.

Thanks to Stefanie from Focus Organic for contributing today’s Guest Article

We were looking for new carpeting a few months ago, and I was intrigued by a variety that said it was environmentally friendly. It took me a bit to figure out why they made this claim, because I thought the information it gave on the back of the sample couldn’t possibly be the only reason for the claim. Why were they calling this carpet “eco-friendly?” It was made from 10% recycled material. That was it. Was it post-consumer? It didn’t say, so I imagine not.

I thought that, in claiming eco-friendly, it would have a much higher recycled content, and the label would assure me that the carpet would not off-gas into my home for years to come – that it was low VOC. I would have also liked to see that the carpet was recyclable. I didn’t see any of this. Since when does “made from 10% recycled materials” qualify a product for an “eco-friendly” seal? Am I expecting too much in hoping that the carpet would offer me more?

So there’s my dilemma.

Where do we draw the line? When should we accept that a product or company is green, or realize that they are greenwashing? While the term “organic” is regulated (albeit, somewhat loosely, see standards for organic labels, “green,” “eco-friendly,” “natural,” etc. have no strict regulations. I can, for example, market a product normally made with plastic as “eco-friendly” because it is made with paper. What? Paper is made from trees? But it’s biodegradable and not petroleum based!

See my point?

We’ve recently seen “natural” used lightly, as well. Consider the commercials that were, up until the findings that many samples contained mercury, plastered all over the television for high fructose corn syrup (HFCS). They tell you “you’re in for a sweet surprise.” According to these commercials, HFCS qualifies to be labeled “natural” because it is made from corn, and contains no artificial or synthetic ingredients. True, maybe. Think about this – the fireplace mantle in my condo is made wood, which is from a tree, but you don’t see my eating it because it’s “natural.” Poison ivy is natural, but I’m not about to rub it on my skin and claim it’s “ok in moderation.” Besides that, HFCS is highly processed, raising the question of whether or not it still can be considered “natural.”

Green is a pretty big thing right now, and it can be very difficult to discern whether or not a product is really what it’s claiming to be, or if it’s making those claims solely to benefit from the higher interest in green products. While I hope for the best, I’m more of a realist, and think that most companies are going green not for their interest in the environment, but for their interest in the other kind of green… You know what I’m talking about.

Stefanie, is the founder of Focus Organic.com. She says “I am currently trying to live a more green life myself, and I hope to share what I learn with other people, and to also learn from them. In learning to be more eco-friendly, we can better ourselves, our lives, and the planet. Implementing even just small changes into your daily living can help to make a big difference, and my hope is that, with this site, you may learn something new and decide to make your life more green, as well.

Thanks Stefanie for the excellent article, and we hope to have you back again!

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{ 3 comments… read them below or add one }

1 Randy March 4, 2009 at 3:34 pm: It seems this same issue re-invents itself on a on-going basis. As soon as we think we can trust a certain term related to a product, some corporation invents some “cleaver” way to exploit public trust, and perhaps public gullibility, by using the same term as a “marketing” gimmick. You can read whatever you want between those quote marks. They may stretch the meaning, or creatively re-interpret the generally accepted meaning of the term. And without specific guidelines, enforced by some regulatory body (government!), they can get away with it! Even when we think there are guidelines, they can still find ways to push the envelope, and basically deceive the public. The one universal axiom seems to be “buyer beware”! Never believe what you read on a label absolutely. Question everything! The consumer really has no other recourse except to their own diligence and awareness.

Reply
2 CGabriel March 5, 2009 at 2:29 am: Stefanie has hit on a major issue with me: High Fructose Corn Syrup. In our society, saying something is a “four-letter-word” has become part of our vernacular; we know instantly what someone is referencing. By taking a bit of artistic license, I would submit HFCS is another fine example of a four-letter-word…or four-word-letter, as it were.

The very nature of HFCS never phased me until we had children. And when my wife became passionate about the environment and all things organic – all stemming from our little girls – she bought me a ticket to ride with her on the downtown express train.

It is utterly astounding that companies put this garbage in item after item, all under the guise that it’s “natural” as Stefanie deftly points out.

And moving laterally here, why do so many “natural” products – the ones that, ostensibly, are good for us – have ingredients I need to have explained to me from chemists here at the University of Minnesota?

Finally, a quick sidebar that speaks to this issue on a certain level: The last time I was back in New York City, the server at the restaurant we were dining at asked us if we’d like a glass of water. We said yes. He then responded, “Would you like bottled, tap, sparkling or flavored?” I just wanted…..water. Period. Similarly, when I go to the store wanting lemonade, and if the store doesn’t offer fresh-squeezed, why can’t I just get a bottle made from lemons, sugar and water? Or do all those other ingredients truly make the lemonade taste more…natural?

Reply
3 Stefanie March 6, 2009 at 12:04 am: Randy, from a company’s financial POV, as sleazy as it is, it makes sense to exploit terms like “natural” when they can. If the consumer is led to believe that “natural” really implies what it means on the surface, they are going to trust that when a label says a product is “natural,” it’s not deceiving them. We have a trusting nature, overall, but we need to learn how to research and see through marketing ploys. Companies know how to take advantage of the consumer… look at sales, for example. All that is needed is a “Sale” or “Clearance” sign, and people will go in a shopping frenzy, whether or not there is an actual good deal to be had.

CGabriel, I find the whole HFCS fiasco ridiculous. Trying to claim it as “natural” is pure BS, to put it nicely. Now they are trying to discount the studies that revealed the mercury content in HFCS! Grasping at straws… It’s a wonder to me that every product that has an ingredient from nature doesn’t call itself “natural.” You mentioned lemonade… if everyone follows in the footsteps of HFCS, all lemonade should be labeled “natural.” They all have lemons, right? Sugar?

Reply

Trying to be Green in a Red World

photo credit: orangeacid

When is green really green? Many products, companies, and even foods that say they are eco-friendly, green, or natural aren’t necessarily 100% green, and quite a number don’t even come close.

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