Greencouging

I learned a new word today, an effective new word: greengouching. It's what happens to you, your wallet and possibly your health if you fall for the "green claims" touted by countless "green" products that are flooding the (super)market these days. Green shampoos, green clothing, green detergents, green wines, green cosmetics, green you-name-it-they've-got-it.



"Peeling back misleading green labels" (CBC's Marketplace)

 A solid 95% of those "green" claims are (gasp): "vague, irrelevant, unproven or just patently false" according to CBC's "Marketplace". In other words: almost all of the green hype is hogwash and lies. Greenwash.

The article points out that just about every manufacturer especially of cosmetics, skin care and baby products now has a seperate (and more expensive) line of "green" products on the shelves. It goes on to say that these products no longer are limited to a niche market but have gone main stream, making oodles of money for their manufacturers. (I guess it also explains why the accompanying picture shows 2 puzzled women: men don't clean the house, don't look after children and are of course never puzzled.)
I recommend reading the article, if only for a good chuckle on how creative some of those lies - sorry: claims can be.

What bothered me about the article, though, was the sole conclusion it came to: the reason for this problem is the lack of any regulating body. We need more rules.

Now don't get me wrong: civilized societies need rules. The free market is not necesarily always a good idea and regulation can prevent excesses (just look at the unregulated US banking system and what happened there). I just don't think regulation can solve the underlying problem.

The underlying problem is the assumption we need all these products. As long as we think we need toxic products in order to clean the house, suppress body odours and have movie star hair, the problem won't go away. The real problem is not just false advertising, the real problem is us buying wholesale into the illusion we need these products.

Thank goodness there are saner alternatives. There are cleaning products that are actually natural, like baking soda or soap nuts.
There are small scale local manufacturers who make great cosmetic and skin care products manufactured with respect for our environment and (get this): actually do your skin good. A good place to start here in Thunder Bay is Bare Organics, we're so lucky to have them here.
And if you're still using those yuckie deodorant sticks or sprays, consider using Deodorant Crystals: effective, safe to use, non-polluting to manufacture and much cheaper in the long run.

Okay, so these alternatives may be a little bit harder to find. You can't blame them for it, they don't have the glossy million-dollar advertising campaigns. But once you look for them you'll quickly find they are everywhere. Oh, and did I mention you'll meet the wonderful people who make and use them? Try that with a Johnson & Johnson shampoo!

Stop the greenwash, refuse to get greengouched and set your own course to a healthier and saner, truly greener lifestyle.

A Toast To The Environment

Those who read my Greenwash Of The Red (Wine) Variety rant on this blog may remember I have a low tolerance for eco bulls**t. Too many companies are jumping on the green bandwagon, tauting the many "green" or "eco" qualities of their products. In most of the cases those qualities are dubious at best, and in too many other cases plain & simple fabrication.

So when I noticed this bottle of Fuzion last week, a red Malbec from Argentine, and saw the paper collar claiming "Sustainable By Nature", I gave it a pass at first. Yet another blantant example of greenwash, I thought.

But then I read a bit further and learned that the bottle was designed to be 17.5% lighter in weight (requiring less energy to manufacture and to transport), that this family-run winery invests in social welfare programs and 100% sustainable farming, and plow some of their profits back into their community, I thought: Hmm, even if this only half true, it's still a lot more than most wineries can boast.
That, plus the fact that it was a modest $7.50 (yes, I'm cheap) made me decide to take it home.

Checking out their website I wasn't able to find out much more than what the collar said (parts are stil under construction), so I'm still a bit suspicious as to the extent of their claims. Still, they don't claim to be "eco" just because they didn't kill all the wildlife in their surroundings as a certain other wine does, so the verdict for now is: deserving the benefit of the doubt.

(And in case you were wondering: great value for for its price.)

Love 'Em Or Hate 'Em

Big banks. We love to hate 'em. Canadians agree on 3 topics we love & hate to discuss: the weather, hockey (that's ice hockey, for those who are not of the Canadian persuasion) and banks. The banks who nickle and dime us to death with their silly service charges. Who have us on a leash with their mortgages. Who make record profits in times of desperate economical hardship.

Still, it could be worse, and there are alternatives. We bank at a local credit union, owned and controlled by its customers. It's small, friendly, and most of its profits get plowed back into the community. I like that concept; it's called good citizenship.

But love 'em or hate 'em: unless there's some sort of sudden monetary revolution, those banks are here to stay. So better get used to them. And as their customers, it's up to us tell them what we expect from them. How we think they should behave as good corporate citizens.

Some banks seem to listen. The TD Bank, for example, has a little-known division called "TD Friends Of The Environment Foundation". It's not big and operates on a modest budget (God forbid we seriously invest in our environment!), but has its heart in the right place.

It awards modest grants to environmentally friendly initiatives all over the country. Any Canadian organization with a charitable status can apply, and it's not complicated to do. What I like about it is does its thing quietly in the background, not blowing its own horn (much). It seems to suggest it's just something any corporation should do. I like that concept.

We only found out about it because Jacomyn was asked to participate in the board of the Thunder Bay chapter. Of course she said yes. This is a wonderful opportunity to witness from up close and personal how a big bank lives up to its promise to be a good corporate citizen. Or, will it turn out to just be another example of Greenwashing...?

For now, just the fact they invited us is encouraging. We'll keep you posted!

Greenwash of the Red (Wine) Variety

The digital ink of my previous post had hardly dried or I came across yet another fine example of greenwashing. Or more accurately: I fell for yet another fine example: this bottle of Eco Trail, an Ontario-made red wine by Pelee Island Winery (a VQA, no less).

That's right: Eco Trail. So being a certified green geek, I made a bee line for this bright green label the moment I spotted it at our local liquor store.
It had all the trappings of the environmentally responsible purchase: a local -or at least regional- product (Ontario), environmentally acceptable packaging (glass), an eco label ("Eco Trail") and a non-impulse purchase (hey, I happen to like a good glass of wine, okay?).

So how come I feel taken advantage of?

Well, upon reading the bottle's fine print on the back label, it appears this winery isn't as "eco" as its label suggest. For me, an environmentally responsible wine maker doesn't use pesticides, doesn't use petro-based fertilizers, doesn't over-irrigate, only uses local varieties of grapes, you get the idea. None of this is mentioned on the loftily-phrased back label.

So why does this vinyard consider itself greener than the competition? Well, there's extensive talk about a near-extinct type of frog which used to live there in large colonies before someone with a business plan turned this frog's natural habitat into a winery. However, a few frogs managed to survive and according to the back label, the winery decided to let them be and not eradicate them (there probably weren't enough of them to do any serious damage).

Somehow I don't think this is "eco". Somehow I don't really think this actually makes our world a better place. Somehow I think: it would have been better if those frogs hadn't been killed in the first place.

My verdict therefore: greenwash of the very first order.
But I must admit, it was a very nice wine...

Green Wave or Green-washing...?

Halloween had hardly left the building or Santa lept on the stage. Judging by his zeal I'm sure he could hardly wait. Already we're surrounded by Christmas songs, Christmas decorations and Christmas advertising. After all, Christmas (the most important time of year for most retailers) is all about buying and selling and excessive consumption, isn't it? And with everyone jumping on the Eco bandwagon, expect to see a lot more "green gifts" and "eco presents".

A good example is this "Eco Dollhouse With Furniture" by Playwell, proud member of the Canadian Toy Association. Their ad claims "This eco-efficient dollhouse is made from chemical-free rubberwood and features replicas of alternative energy sources (including a windmill, solar panels & electric inverter), recycling bins & an adjustable blind to control sunlight & air circulation. It also includes 5 rooms of furniture made from organic cotton" (suggested retail: $269.95).

Why, it's a mini Eco Centre without solar hot water collectors (although they beat us on the organic cotton thing)...!

Only... I'm not so sure what to think of it. Okay, I guess it's better to have this house concept available as it represents a saner life style than the standard consumerism one, but still... I can't shake this feeling something's wrong with it. Maybe it's the whole political correctness-thing of it (forget the kids; their eco-conscious parents can't wait to show it off to their similar-minded friends). Or maybe the nagging feeling that it's very likely "made in China" - the other side of the world, burning oodles of fossil fuel to reach our toy stores' shelves, like 95% of our toys.

Christmas for me is not about $270-dollhouses, no matter how "eco" they may be. Christmas should be less about consuming and more about sharing & restoring. My verdict for now is this is an example of "green-washing", giving consumers the feeling they're helping the environment while conveniently not requiring to change their life style.

Oh, and just for the record: don't ever think of mounting your windmill onto your house - a recipe for disaster.