Don't be "green washed!"

It seems that more and more people are trying to be “green.” This is a good thing for a lot of reasons – besides how good it is for our bodies and our planet, I love and appreciate the business it brings to me! Even so, you have to be careful. A lot of companies are getting on the green bandwagon, and them and their products are actually quite far from it.

Paraphrased from this weekend’s USA Weekend Magazine about “green fakers”:

1. Do your homework. If a company with a bad environmental history suddenly starts saying its green, check out the facts.
2. Buy goods labeled “post consumer recycled content” – not just “recycled”. The former tells you that it uses the products you so diligently place in your recycle bin.
3. Look for certification – words like “bio-degradable are not government assigned.

A note from me on number three …. I am not particularly fond of some government certifications on products. All that really says is that the company was willing to pay the price for the graphic, in some cases. There are some that you do have to look for – some that are beneficial, and others that are shady, in my never to be humble opinion. For instance, the company that I represent decided not to get the ADA certification on our toothpaste – it would have cost more than a million dollars to get it, and required an additional fee each year. They decided to pass on it and pass the savings onto the customers in not charging more for a product with that certification. I believe in the products in it and don’t need that certification to be confident in what I am buying. Read labels carefully, educate yourself on the products and the companies providing them. Let the buyer beware – don’t be “green washed”!!

You can read USA Weekend’s article here in the Think Smart column:
http://www.usaweekend.com/08_issues/080217/080217thinksmart-taxes-injuries.html