Signs of Greenwashing

Greenwashing is everywhere these days. Even Clorox has a line of green cleaners out there. What to do? For household cleaning vinegar and baking soda with a lot of elbow grease. If it won't rot it doesn't come home is what I think as much as possible for food but I probably spend more time reading labels than anything else in the store. What about other purchases that may have new products or something that you are switching to green?

Ecologo has come up with the "Six Sins of Greenwashing" to help in making purchasing decisions. They are listed as follows:

1. The Hidden Trade Off
2. No Proof
3. Vagueness
4. Irrelevance
5. Fibbing
6. Lesser of Two Evils

To ensure that you're not being taken you have to do your own research and find out as much as possible. The trade-off is almost inevitable if you're buying anything since transportation is going to be involved. Fundamentally, all economic decisions are trade-offs so you'll have to do your best on that one. I can't think of a way out of that.

Later this week I'll be making some posts and presenting some info found at the Green Living Show in Toronto on the weekend.