Within the Sea of Green

A recent survey of U.S. consumers showed that spending on eco-friendly products will double over the next year. With this increase in spending, marketers are going to continue to push for a “green” image for their brands, but the truth behind many of these products may not be what it seems.

The term “greenwashing” refers to deceptive ads that paint a greener picture of one’s image, as compared to actuality. For consumers who are looking for a light green approach to things it may be hard to tell if a company is really living up to its claims of having a neutral carbon footprint. Concerned shoppers need to go beyond the messages they are hearing on TV and look into the practices of the company itself. Do they participate in comprehensive carbon offset, recycling, or community clean-up programs?

Organizations like the FTC are having a hard time keeping up with the growth and the environmentally friendly claims being made by some companies so it is up to the consumer to navigate the truth in most cases. There are many companies out there that are walking the walk, but within the expanding sea of green it takes a bit more insight to locate and support them.