To Green or not so Green?

One of the challenges I face quite often is finding out whether a product I am sourcing for my company ikko is truly environmentally 'friendly' and sustainable, or promoting behaviours towards it. Or is it as 'green' or 'energy efficent' as the marketing pitch claims?


As the 'Green' wave is growing, so are the number of companies who are willing to jump along to ride it and take benefits. No wonder, as Mobium research has estimated that Australian 'LOHAS' (Lifestyles of Health and Sustainability) market is worth $12 billion. However, not many companies have true will to actually invest their efforts into ensuring what they do is truly environmentally beneficial.


So what if you are a small company and don't have the resources to research all this. What can you call as being 'environmentally friendly'? Well first, be wary of using that word. Australian Competition and Consumer Comission has taken a strict view on companies flogging the 'green' for the consumers without scientifically sound and appropriately substantiated backing. And if they catch you doing the wrong thing you can be penalised up to $1M.

To help the industry ,in Feb 2008, ACCC published their Green Marketing Guide which is an easy way to find out about the do's and dont's of green marketing. Below is a quick check-list from this guide:
Avoid using terms like ‘safe’ and ‘friendly’ and unqualified pictures or graphics. At best they are unhelpful and encourage skepticism; at worst they are misleading.
Spell out exactly what is beneficial about a product in plain language that consumers can understand.

Link the environmental benefit to a specific part of the product or its production process, such as extraction, transportation, manufacture, use, packaging or disposal.
Make sure any claims you make about your product can be substantiated. Think about how you would answer a query regarding the environmental benefits you are claiming about your product. For example, what scientific authority could you use to justify the basis of your claim?
Explain how a product’s characteristic is beneficial to the environment. For example, explain that a phosphate-free product is less damaging in river systems because phosphate promotes algal growth, which can clog up rivers.
Avoid giving the impression that your product is completely environmentally benign if it is not.

Use the claim only in an appropriate context or setting. For example, do not claim that a product is not tested on animals if it is a product that would never be tested on animals anyway.

So, now tell me, is your product 'environmentally friendly'?
And hey, what about that advert that says ' be carbon neutral, walk to the pub'.

Over to you guys.