Green Living Magazine · page 31
Business or Bogus
Also published as “True Colors in Green Business”.
Greenwashing think-tanks throughout the world. For more information, go to www. ecolabelindex. com.
The Greenwashing Index is a collaboration between Social Marketing and University of Oregon. The website has consumers and businesses “talking” about what constitutes factual environmental claims and what constitutes greenwashing. It’s an interactive site that allows visitors to upload ads and rate companies on how honest or deceptive they are with regards to green marketing. Greenwashingindex.
com provide three tips to help consumers figure out if they are being greenwashed by a company: 1. Look at the company as a whole when you see a green ad. Is the information about their sustainable business practices easy to find on their website? How comprehensive is their claim to sustainability?
Is the information believable? If not, then be wary. 2. Google the company name plus “environment” to see what the search engines find.
If the company has any complaints against its environmental claims, something should pop up. 3. If it doesn’t strike you as being legit, don’t buy into it. If the green marketing claims feel “slick” and “hyped,” they very well might be.
If you feel you are being sold a “false bag of goods,” listen to your gut. Learning how to decipher a green ad scam makes you that much more savvy of a shopper. Going for green without going broke If you are considering starting a green business, the Small Business Association (SBA) lists 10 basic guidelines: 1. Comply with environmental regulations 2.
Develop an environmental management plan 3. Build green, remodel green 4. Buy green products 5. Adopt energy-efficient practices 6.
Reduce, reuse, recycle wastes 7. Conserve water 8. Prevent pollution 9. Create a green marketing strategy 10.
Join industry partnerships and steward programs In the end, customers will find out the truth about products and services—and if customers feel deceived, they will not only stop buying from a company, they will spread the word through social media, and that could kill the business. For those in the green biz, stay green, stay sustainable, stay honest, and learn as much as you can about keeping your business and the environment healthy. Barbi Walker is a freelance writer and an award-winning journalist. Barbi lives in Phoenix with her husband and young son.
org 9. sba. gov I plan to use my residual income to actualize my goal of caring for patients without the worry of financial constraints and to allow me the time and freedome to do so.” Barbara YOU CONTROL YOUR FUTURE REAL PEOPLE, REAL INCOME, NO HYPE.
Text recovered from the printed pages; the scan below is the edition of record.
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