|
"What is sustainable? What is considered to be green electricity?" asked Bruce Hamilton, the deputy executive director of the Sierra Club. "People are consciously trying to fuzzy the boundary lines between clarity and lack of clarity so they can sell more products. Everybody is trying to promote their products as green even though they may not be."
This leaves consumers rummaging through various products reading labels in a state of confusion. Consumers who are looking for environmentally responsible products have to examine various seals, claims and certifications to assess if a product is in fact “green” or for that matter “organic” or “pesticide free”. This is becoming increasingly difficult as there is no federal agency that offers a universal seal. Thus, vague language seems to plague products. Language such as "Certified Green", "Green Certified" or just plain "Green" and then there is all the "Green Business" logos are simply confusing. For instance, there's "Green Seal" and "Co-op America Seal of Approval" when looking for “Green” products. With respect to wood and paper products, there is the Sustainable Forestry Initiative Seal or the Forest Stewardship Council shield (FSC), or products can have both. Which one is better? It’s unclear as the seals are using different criteria, thus leaving the average consumer to judge products the best they can. But even experts have difficulties at times. Julie Collins, who blogs about environmentally responsible cleaning products on www.thehomeknowitall.com, studies companies, labels and ingredient lists before she goes to the store. She states that "All kinds of products are cropping up and it's hard to tell which ones are actually making solid claims and which ones are throwing 'natural' on the label or some similar term….The most frustrating thing is when you spend more money on something that you think is green or environmentally friendly and then when you get home you realize that it's pretty similar to all the other items. I still get duped." Consumers would find being green much easier if there was a universal seal, claim or certification for all products. |
