We all have seen the labels of goods and products claiming to be environmentally correct. It is impossible to engage the consumer marketplace today without encountering these bold statements from marketers and manufacturers about the "green" nature of their wares. They often lead the commercial messages. Despite the proliferation of green marketing claims that permeate the media, the standard for green products has been a somewhat ambiguous sliding scale for years.
Today, the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) has stepped in to issue a revised set of guidelines for companies making environmental claims. The revised guidelines are there to make sure the claims are truthful and substantiated, and backed up by legitimate science and tests. While this might add an extra layer of unwanted regulatory compliance on these companies, the guidelines ultimately help consumers from getting duped by dubious achievements.
Since the advent of the Sustainability Revolution, consumers have shown their preference for environmentally friendly products. This extends to everything from coffee, fruits and vegetables, to cotton, wool, poultry, paper and petroleum. As a society, we want to be in as close harmony as possible to our environment without spoiling it. And, it appears, many consumers are willing to pay a little bit more for the "Green".
By laying out the boundaries for what can and cannot be considered environmental friendly, the FTC may have marked the end of those claims that seem to stretch the bounds of credulity. Oil and gas extraction--environmentally friendly? Hmmm.
(c) copyright 2012. Adonis Hoffman. All rights reserved
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