Green labels are becoming increasingly ubiquitous. In fact, it’s much like an eco-labeling jungle in today’s marketplace, with just about everyone trying to look green. Labels seem to be the preferred way to get this message across.
Everything, from organic, fair-trade food at supermarkets and eco-friendly household cleaning supplies, to energy-efficient appliances and forest-friendly furniture, sports a label. A green label. A label to assure consumers that spending their hard-earned dollars on such items will be rewarded with the peace of mind that comes from being an eco-conscious consumer. Even an entire house or building can come with an environmental label.
Green labels can be a good thing – if they’re relatively difficult to qualify for and thus, once attached to a product, carry the import that it has legitimate green properties. In a perfect world, a green label would save the consumer considerable time and anxiety. (One glance at the label and… in the cart.) Reliable third parties, whether government or special agencies, would conduct all the detective work and, once a product has been deemed worthy, all you must do is purchase! Of course, in a perfect world, there would be no greenwashing worries at all. The way things are today, each consumer must do a measure of inspecting for themselves, as a plethora of green labels seem intended only to grab our attention and get us to buy the products sporting them.
Scott McDougall of TerraChoice, the firm managing the federal government’s EcoLogo program, aims to give a stamp of approval to products that really deserve it. “The world is crazy with green right now,” McDougall says and points out that as much as 98 per cent of green labels are misleading or untrue, employing environmental whitewashing. His firm outlines six ‘sins of greenwashing’ that are used to uncover illegitimate green claims. A dead giveaway, McDougall says, are labels that are too vague. He cites an example of a fire log product that carries a label reading, “environmentally helpful”. What does that mean? Your guess is as good as McDougall’s. Lack of proof and hidden trade-offs are two other ‘sins’ that green labels often try to cover over.
So, look for products that, besides being labeled, also list in clear language their environmental pluses, such as, “100% recycled paper”.
A seventh sin of greenwashing has been added to the list: the practice of mimicking third-party certification in order to draw consumers. Look for legitimate third-party certification logos on products that you intend to purchase. These include EcoLogo, EnergyStar, FSC (Forest Stewardship Council), and EcoCert. For organic food seals of approval, look for USDA Organic, or, in Canada, the Canada Organic Label. As well, LEED certification is a recognized standard or ‘label’ in the building industry.
So, is a label worth a thousand (green) words? Not in many cases. Only by keeping it simple and keeping it true can a label be well worth the space it occupies on a product’s package, a formula all manufacturers should follow. Marketing analysts predict that as consumers get wise to shady labeling practices, only the best, legitimate ones will survive. If we ever reach that point, no doubt we’ll find that being a green consumer really can be an enjoyable and rewarding experience. Until then, beware of the eco-labeling frenzy!
THE SIX SINS OF GREENWASHING
1. Hidden trade-offs – Emphasizing one green aspect of a product while concealing other very damaging practices. For example, paper made from using sustainable forest resources but that is bleached using methods that release dioxin.
2. No proof – Product claims that cannot be backed up by readily available information or reliable certification. For example, toilet paper claiming to contain a certain percentage of recycled content, but without proof.
3. Vagueness – Claims so non-specific and lacking in properly defined meaning that they can easily be misunderstood. “All natural” doesn’t always mean non-toxic, for instance.
4. Irrelevance – A claim that may be true but that is of no consequence – CFC-free is used frequently, however, CFCs are banned by law.
5. Fibbing – Outright lies. For example, products claiming to be Energy Star-certified that are not.
6. Lesser of two evils – Claiming a product benefit that applies within a product’s category, but is not applicable overall. For example, “fuel-efficient SUV.”
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Love this post! Thank you so much. Our company spends a lot of time trying to educate about green washing because it waters down the message of those of us who ar truly trying to do the right thing.
Another good label is Australian Certified Organic and Biological Farmers of Australia Registered product. The BFA label is for products that contain natural, but non-agricultural ingredients, like zinc or minerals. It sets strict criteria for what can go into a product that makes a claim such as “70% organic ingredients.” It makes sure those other 30% aren’t GMO or dangerous synthetic chemicals. I wish we had something similar here in the US.
Thanks Danika! It’s very important that people learn to recognize green certified labels so they make the proper purchasing decisions. Every time I go to the grocery store I’m shocked just how many fake ones there actually are. It seems everything for sale is environmentally friendly or organic… but the truth is it’s not.