Define Green
Chris Rodinis
December 18th, 2012
Environmental awareness is a pretty hot topic in the media these days. In fact “green” is more than a buzzword, it is now a very big industry. It is such a big industry that some marketers are jumping on the bandwagon without credentials.
The marketers claim their products are green or recyclable or eco-friendly, but are they really?
The Federal Trade Commission is tasked with determining whether or not a product meets these new environmental standards.
A recent study found products claiming to be made from half recycled materials only had 3% or less of recycled materials. 3% versus 50% is quite a bit of stretch don’t you think? The FTC thinks so too and that is the reason for the crackdown.
2013 The New Green Guide
Greater clarity is needed when recycling claims are made. For example is the green label referring to the product or the packaging of the product.
In 1992, the FTC issued its first “Green Guide” for consumers and marketers. The guide provides information to clarify what is considered green and what is not. Or rather what is good for you and the environment and what is not.
After 92, the guide was revised in 96, 98, 2010, and now, 2012. Each issue has provided revisions based on changes in the market and developments in technology.
The FTC first revised the Green Guides in 1996 and 1998, and proposed further revisions in October 2010 to take into account recent changes in the marketplace. The FTC gathered input and then created a database of over 5,000 industry and consumer observations concerning green products. And from that, the new 2012 FTC “Guide to Green” was born.
12 Principles of Green
Here are the categories:
- Guiding principles which apply to all eco-marketing
- Consumer perception of eco-marketing
- Marketers proof of ecological compliance
- Marketers avoiding deceptive practices
At blog.ewastewiz.com, we promote ecology and green living. A as promoter of “green” we strive to be a “reduce-reuse-recycle” role model. Here are the twelve immutable laws of being green.
- General Claims of Environment Benefit. If anything about the product is harmful, then it fails the green test.
- Seals, Approvals, and Certifications. All claims must be substantiated according to which certification is being used.
- Claims concerning “Free-of.” This must be proven to be true. Trace elements are the exception as long as they are deemed not harmful.
- Claims for Composting. Need to state evidence how the product breaks down. Need to state the time it takes to break down. How safe or reusable is the product in the final stages of breakdown?
- Claims of Non-Toxic. This must be 100% true and correct as it applies to people and the environment.
- Claims about Ozone. Not one trace of the product may cause ozone depletion.
- Claims of “Recyclability.” To pass it must be able to be reused or recycled properly.
- Claims of Recycled content: Must be made, all or in part, (when partly must note which parts) of used, refurbished or recycled materials.
- Claims of Refillable. This only qualifies if the means to refill is bundled with the product at the time of the sale.
- Claims of Renewable Energy. If all, or virtually all of the energy needed to create the product is renewable then the product will be considered renewable.
- Claims of Renewable Materials. Must provide details as to which part of the product is manufactured from renewable materials.
- Claims of Source Reduction. Must provide details (for comparison) of the new version compared to the old version concerning such things as reduced toxicity or weight.