Green Imitators

Filed in archive Green Business on January 28, 2010

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The green revolution continues to influence purchasing decisions across the globe. Considering the state of our planet and chipping in the extra for non-harmful products is the expectation of our world today. But do all these companies marketing cleaner, healthier products really bleed green? Or do they put a green wrapping over their products and call it eco-friendly just to raise the sticker price?

A number of companies out there really do try to excel in the area of green business. They put time and resources towards better solutions and truly create a company conscious about the environment. However it's easy to jump on the green bandwagon.

The term is called greenwashing. It means companies try to use green-friendly words in a less than honest way. For example they offer a "green" version of their product which is really the same product, just watered down a bit. The thing here is that words like "eco-friendly", "green", "organic" and "recycled" are not regulated. In other words I can use them and define them however I want.

Green-certified companies aren't much better. Heck, I can say my business is "green" because I don't use any paper and land some kind of certification (especially if I pay a small fee). That doesn't mean all certification or awards are bogus, but it does mean that its worth doing some research on.

Also, really consider what green actually means to you. Is it using less energy? Is it recycled materials? Some companies claim to use recycled boxes to ship their packages, to me, that doesn't make them green, it's just a nice touch. Watch out for companies trying to capitalize on the buzzwords and stick to the ones actually making a difference.

What companies do you think are really making an effort to be green? What are your "green" standards?