Von Löwen Designs

Green∙wash. (gren’wosh’,-wôsh’) – verb: the act of misleading consumers regarding the environmental practices of a company or the environmental benefits of a product or service.

It didn’t take too long for corporate greed to recognize that going green = more green, initiating ambiguity and distrust with consumers and creating definite shades of gray within the whole sustainability movement. In recent studies, green advertising was found to have almost tripled since 2006, and it seems like just overnight everything has been labeled with some sort of tree, leaf or other eco-friendly reference attached to it; leaving you scratching your head and wondering if all this stuff in actuality is really legit.

A few months ago, TerraChoice Environmental Marketing released their 2009, Seven Sins of Greenwashing report confirming that more and more consumer products on store shelves are claiming to be green. The report had a strong focus on baby products, children’s toys, cosmetics and cleaning products and revealed between 2007 and 2009 the availability of these so called green products had increased between 40% and 176%. Research showed, only a mere 25 out of the 2,219 North American products surveyed were found to be 100% valid and totally sin free, with a whopping 98% still committing at least one sin or more. Greenwashing continues to evolve in clever and crafty ways, with a new sin, the Sin of Worshiping False Labels, added to the original 2007, Six Sins of Greenwashing list this year.

What we can do.

Although governments in the United States, Canada, Australia, and the United Kingdom discourage greenwashing, these efforts clearly are not enough. Greenwashing persists, and continues to threaten awareness and progress with real sustainable and eco-friendly products. If the good intentions of consumers and the environmental benefits of their choices are to be leveraged, consumers themselves must play a role. With four simple actions, consumers can have a very real impact:

1. Keep supporting greener products. As consumers, we have enormous power to shape the marketplace. The worst result of greenwashing would be to give up.

2. Look for and choose products with reliable eco-labels : (see page 10 Exhibit 4 in report).

3. In the absence of a reliable eco-label remember the Seven Sins of Greenwashing, and choose the product that offers transparency, information and education.

4. Stay up to date and informed using green shopping tools and credible trustworthy resources:

- Greenwashing Index
- U.S. Federal Trade Commission
- The Greenwash Brigade
- Global Ecolabelling Network
- Ecolabelling.org
- Greener Choices
- Responsible Purchasing Network
- Big Green Purse
- The Daily Green
- Sustainability Purchasing Network

A big shout out and thank you to Samantha Wight and Terrachoice, for the special appearance of their greenwashing demon and permission to share this content!

They say a picture is worth 1,000 words, so before you leave be sure to visit Von Löwen Designs to view an assortment of refreshing examples in kitchen and bath design concepts, refined palette and interior finishes, and sustainable yet chic, green remodeling ideas that may encourage and inspire your next remodel or home improvement project.