The Adnostic

Is being green a truly sustainable movement or just a trend? Are we all guilty of greenwashing ourselves?

According to a recent consumer segmentation study, the majority of people (33%) with any inclination towards being green are environmental fence sitters. They weigh the costs and benefits of each issue and decide for or against accordingly. If an item costs significantly more money, or an action takes significantly more effort, they unlikely to purchase or take part. But what about the ego benefits? Does that count in the personal analysis of being green? Indeed it does. At least in 1st World Western societies it does.

In societies able to achieve Maslow's highest tier of need, self-actualization, people put significant weight in what products say about them in their decision making process. This is why a Prius carries a premium over and outsells a Civic or a Camry hybrid, because with a Prius people don't have to make the extra effort to search for a badge in order to tell that its a gas electric hybrid. A Prius is instantly recognizable for what it is because of the distinctiveness of the body design. Through its distinctive look it allows the driver to make a statement about him or herself to the general public in a way that an Altima Hybrid just doesn't do.

It’s also good for drivebys, but that's neither here nor there.

Then let's take the look at the "I'm Not a Plastic Bag" phenomenon. What could be a better statement about you and your personal choices than a $15 shoulder bag that says in big bold script that it is not petroleum-based piece of instant trash and sells for over $200 on eBay? "Look at me," it helps its owners say. "I'm so green I'm willing to overpay for a carry-all to be a friend-of-the-earth."

I haven't heard much about it since, but that was because it was a fad. It was overpriced with limited utility. It wasn't like you could fit a week's worth of groceries in it. But hey, at least it was made locally of organic cotton using fair trade practices. Oh wait, no it wasn't.

The "I'm Not a Plastic Bag" is the sort of thing that gives the green movement an air of trendy over trend and invites the criticism of people who don't even think that pollution and global warming is something that we should even worry about much less do anything about.

When companies decide to market a green product and charge a premium for it, it should make an obvious statement about the buyer and their choices. When consumers decide to buy these products or shop at these stores, there should be at least some effort towards due diligence and genuine utility. The seller should make information about the product(s) readily available with proof that they cover the bases of being green. What are the raw materials? How far was it shipped? How will it help me live a greener lifestyle? Was it made using fair trade labor?

We need to be sensible about our marketing and our buying decisions. The burden is not solely on manufacturer, but on consumers as well.

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This post was written in honor of Blog Action Day in an effort to keep the conversation about the environment and global warming alive.