Earth Day Blog Carnival: Beyond the Green Sheen

Welcome to the Earth Day Blog Carnival

This post is part of the Earth Day Blog Carnival hosted by Child of the Nature Isle and Monkey Butt Junction. Each participant has shared their practices and insights of earth friendly, environmentally conscious, eco-living. This carnival is our way to share positive information and inspiration that can create healing for our planet. Please read to the end of this post to find a list of links to the other carnival participants. Happy Earth Day!

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Fair Trade Certified.  Rainforest Alliance Certified.  Certified Organic.  Green.  Enviro-eco-earth.  There’s no doubt that green is in, and consequently there’s a whole new market of consumers who want to make smart, earth-friendly decisions in their purchasing.  But how does the consumer know the difference between a mere label and a truly earth-friendly product?  Does labeling a product “green” really make it so?

Environmentalist Jay Westerveld coined the phrase “greenwashing” to describe the practice of declaring something “green” or earth-friendly primarily for marketing purposes, with little concern or accountability as to its actual environmental impact.  Westerveld used the term in reference to the hotel industry’s practice of declaring themselves “earth friendly” by asking customers to save water by reusing their towels and linens.  He opined that the practice was actually geared towards saving costs to the hotels, without any regard to the purported environmental impact.  Westerveld’s article from 1986 was just the beginning:  we see greenwashing everywhere now, and the smart consumer needs to know how to determine whether a product is greenwashed, or whether their eco-friendly labels really mean something.  But where to begin?  Which certifications have meaning, and which are just marketing tools?

Understanding eco certifications.

Among all of the meaningless labels and beyond the green sheen there are certain certifications that have real meaning.  By knowing what those are, the global impact of a purchase can be better evaluation.

Fair Trade Certified.  We often see this label on coffees and teas, but the Fair Trade Certification is being applied to a wider range of products, including fruits, vegetables, sugars and even wine.  A product that is Fair Trade Certified means that it meets certain environmental, labor and developmental standards.  Sustainability is key to the Fair Trade Certification.  The Fair Trade Certification is not without its critics, but on the whole the Certification has real meaning.

Certified Organic.  A product that has been “certified organic” has been grown in accordance with strict standards and minimal processing, and without the use of toxic chemicals.  The certification process requires periodic testing, inspections and detailed record keeping.  The label is hard-earned, and the consumer should feel confident in products labeled “Certified Organic.”

Certified Naturally Grown.  This label has been touted as an inexpensive alternative to “certified organic,” as some farmers believe that the recordkeeping requirements for organic certification are too onerous to be feasible for smaller operations.  The “Certified Naturally Grown” label means that the producer has met standards that are very much akin to the “Certified Organic” requirements.

Detecting the deceptions

All Natural.  The phrase “all natural” is not regulated by the Food and Drug Administration, and there is no certification or review of  products that call themselves “all natural.”  The “all natural” label has been found on products containing MSG and High Fructose Corn Syrup under the contention that MSG and HFCS are derived from natural products.  Do not rely on the phrase “all natural” in making a purchasing decision – read the label.

Free Range.  The “free range” label on chicken conjures up images of poultry eating healthy feed, living in a spacious, outdoor quarters.  The label means no such thing.  The “free range” label is available for use on animals not kept in pens.  There are no requirements as to food, nor the number of animals per square foot.

Cruelty Free.  Most often seen on cosmetics, the “cruelty free” label has no real meaning.  There is no certification process, and no governing or overseeing body that restricts the use of the label.

Research is key

While these are some of the more common labels, there are far more than a single article could cover, and more labels and certifications are being created all the time.  Research is the key to making truly well-informed eco-friendly purchases.  The Internet has a wealth of information about eco certifications.  Here are a few to begin with in your search for greener purchases:

The Eco-Labels Center from Consumer Reports is a great searchable database which offers a “report card” on the usefulness of each of the most common labels.

The University of Oregon has partnered up with EnviroMedia Social Marketingto created the Greenwashingindex.com site dedicated to helping consumers become more aware of the use of eco claims as a marketing tool.  The site features tools to measure the veracity of various “green” advertisements.

Our commitment to making our planet better for ourselves and for our future generations needs to be based on informed decisions.  Greenwashing has made this a difficult task, but with careful research and armed with good information, good choices can be made.

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Visit Monkey Butt Junction and Child of the Nature Isle to read all about the Earth Day Blog Carnival.
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Going Green in 2011 – Jennifer at Hybrid Rasta Mama discusses the way she and her family are going “greener” in 2011.

Our Greatest Teacher – Amanda at Let’s Take the Metro shares her experiences with her children and nature, their greatest teacher.

Dreaming of Spring Gardening – Erin of the Waterloons talks about the ultimate in local food, her backyard garden.

Earth Conscious Minimalism – Nada at miniMOMist thinks minimalism can help you save the world — as long as you don’t just toss everything in the trash! Check out Her list of places to donate (bet you haven’t thought of them all!).

Blessings to the Earth – Amy at Anktangle believes that a simple act, such as being intentionally grateful for our food, is just the catalyst we need to bring about large-scale change.

Eight Movies to Inspire Change – Mrs Green at Little Green Blog shares her top 8 movies that have inspired her to take action to make the world a better place. She’d love to hear your suggestions to add to her viewing list!

Can I Have a Green Period Too? Kelly at Becoming Crunchy shares the environmental impact of switching to sustainable menstrual products, along with offering a great Mama Cloth giveaway for anyone interested in making the switch (and for those who already have and want to increase their stash!).

An Eden to Call Our Own – Lucy at Dreaming Aloud shares how learning to care for the Earth starts in her own garden.

Elimination Communication – Melissa at the New Mommy Files discusses the environmental impact of diapering, and why elimination communication was the best choice for her family.

The Living Earth: A Meditation in Science and Reverence – Seonaid at The Practical Dilettante asks you to pause to wonder at the blessing of the fact that our living planet is here at all.

Earth Day Anthem – Amanda at Let’s Take the Metro created a poem in honor of Mother Earth, women and nurturers everywhere.

The Plasticity of Compromise – Zoie at TouchstoneZ shares how she is working to compromise on healthy family living and avoiding plastics whenever possible.

Earth Day Resolutions – Charise at I Thought I Knew Mama shares why she has decided to make Earth Day resolutions, what those resolutions are, and how they are a step up from her current efforts at green living.

Is it time for you to say “Enough!”? Mrs Green at My Zero Waste asks you to rise up and say ‘Enough!’ on Earth Day.

Homeschooling with the Earth – Terri at Child of the Nature Isle shares her desires and dreams for Earth-based learning and the ways her two young children have already started a natural curriculum.

Beyond the Green Sheen – Jenn at Monkey Butt Junction offers some advice on how to avoid greenwashing and make purchasing choices that really have a positive impact.