Greenwashing

Today's Ideal Bite (idealbite.com) daily tip really struck a chord and I like it so much I thought I would share with you (I'm sure you can all think of a company or two who does this):

Do some advertising campaigns need a good scrub?

The Bite
It would help. Greenwashing is the practice where a company tries to make it seem like it's greener than it actually is. Knowing what to look for helps avoid buying into not-so-squeaky-clean claims.

The Benefits
Avoiding dirty tricks. By taking a little time to check ingredients lists and by picking the products you buy carefully, you'll get more for your money than just marketing claims.
Supporting companies with clean acts. When you skip the greenwashed products for the really green stuff, you stimulate demand for truly eco goods.
Personally SpeakingThe SF office has a "Greenwashing Hall of Shame," where we post ads that are clearly greenwashing. Our first inductees were all bottled water companies with nature-themed ads.

Wanna Try?
Co-op America Responsible Shopper - lets you know where major companies stand on the social responsibility and environmental fronts.
EnviroMedia Greenwashing Index - rate real ads by whether you think they're greenwashing or not.
CorpWatch Greenwashing Awards - nominate companies that greenwash for this less-than-desirable bimonthly award.
Keep reading the tips to find out about companies that pass Ideal Bite sustainability criteria (no greenwashing allowed).