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SO-CALLED "GREEN" PRODUCTS ARE FLOODING THE MARKETPLACE, BUT IS THIS TREND ACTUALLY BENEFITING THE ENVIRONMENT? A BUSINESS FUTURIST SHOWS WHY BUSINESSES, CONSUMERS, AND THE ENVIRONMENT ALL COME OUT ON THE LOSING END OF DECEPTIVE LABELING.
Around the world, growing numbers of consumers are purchasing supposedly ecofriendly products such as organic clothing, energy- saving light bulbs, and reusable shopping bags. But how much is actually known about these products, and are they as environmentally beneficial as they claim? Consumers are repeatedly told it's okay to consume everything that's eco-friendly, but the cumulative effect of that consumption on the environment is immense.
The consumer vision of an ecosensitive lifestyle and the purchasing decisions that accompany it do not always match up. Walk down any supermarket aisle and you will see an array of products, from cereal to soft drinks to cleaning products, touting "all-natural" claims. But "allnatural" might not mean what consumers think it means. The word "natural" appeals to people on a basic level, and marketers understand the ways that it resonates. The term "organic" also resonates: Many people associate "natural" and "organic" with being green, or pure or good. But unfortunately, this is not always the case.
Nonetheless, interest in "being green" and purchasing greenfriendly products continues to grow. According to Walmart company surveys, 57% of its customers profess to be concerned about the environment. Perhaps this is because, on the one hand, we are unwilling to give up our high standard of living, but on the other, we want to quell our guilt by purchasing products with proenvironmental intent.
Paradoxically, in spite of this growing interest in green purchases, people have become increasingly closed off to genuine environmental messages. One reason for this is that, as the market for eco-friendly products rapidly expands, so too does the number of businesses intent on getting a share of that market. As a result, consumers are becoming a lot more skeptical of the claims that products are making. Many of our core assumptions and understandings of what is and is not technically "green" are being challenged, and the term is in danger of being marginalized.
"GREENWASHING"
New York biologist and environmentalist Jay Westerveld coined the term greenwashing in a 1986 essay to refer to organizations that...