Five Tell-Tale Signs of Green Wash

While greener is always better than not green at all, some companies make green claims that don't really mean that much, for the sake of increasing profit. While it's good that companies see eco-friendliness as a selling point, there's usually a lot more that they could be doing to be green. To avoid falling for green-washing, keep these common fallacies in mind:

1. Green product, dirty company: The product is not green if the production process isn't green. For example, efficient lightbulbs that are made in a factory that pollutes rivers...aren't really so compatible with the environment.

2. Irrelevant Claims: Many companies claim that their entire product is green by emphasizing the one small part of it that is green.

3. Best in Class: Some companies give themselves unwarranted kudos for being greener that the rest in a totally un-green industry.

4. Just not credible: Eco-friendly cigarettes? Making a product greener will not make it safe.

5. Jargon: Purposely using scientific language that most consumers won't understand.

(Source: BSR)

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