Congress Debates the Meaning of Green -- And Greenwashing

The terms "green," "natural" and "eco-friendly" sure don't mean what they used to. Today, the House Committee on Energy and Commerce held a hearing entitled “It’s Too Easy Being Green: Defining Fair Green Marketing Practices" in hopes of cracking down on advertisers and certification programs that mislead consumers.

Said Rep. Bobby Rush, chairman:

“Because there are no common agreements or generally accepted definitions relating to the meaning of many of these words, and since consumers are being bombarded by so many of these claims and certifications, there is legitimate concern that some consumers are basing their purchasing decisions on misleading and, in some cases, even deceptive labels.

I am especially concerned that Americans with less disposable income to spend on “green” goods are not getting the benefits they expect when they spend their hard earned money on these goods, which promise more and, often, cost more at the check-out line."

Rush called for more insight into the Federal Trade Commission's update of its Green Guides, and more aggressive monitoring of green claims.

More on greenwashing:

The Blog That Cried Greenwashing

Deceptive Greenwashing Aims to Trick Eco-Tourists

What's Your Definition of Local Food?

Reader Comments Read all comments (1)

Add Your Thoughts

Comment Name State Select One AL AK AZ AR CA CO CT DE DC FL GA HI ID IL IN IA KS KY LA ME MD MA MI MN MS MO MT NE NV NH NJ NM NY NC ND OH OK OR PA RI SC SD TN TX UT VT VA WA WV WI WY International Email

Please enter the two words below into the text field underneath the image.

Incorrect please try again

Enter the words above: Enter the numbers you hear:

Your comment will be posted immediately, unless it is spam or contains profanity. For more information, please see our Comments FAQ.