We’re Green, We’re Green… Oh, Did I Mention We’re Green? Now Buy From Us!
This whole ‘green’ thing has gotten a little out of hand. The trend right now is caring for the environment. So now every company is sending out press releases with the word ‘green’ somewhere in the title detailing how environmentally aware their company is. If a company plants a tree at their campus headquarters, a press release is immediately sent out to capitalize on this fad. Here are a few recent examples.
- I just received an email about the Green section at Amazon.com. So if I decide to buy an environmental pack of toilet tissue for $50, I can find it easily.
- Cititech sent out this press release about their new ‘Environment Management System’ trying to get points without saying specifically what they are doing to help the environment. The release just says they have a new system. That’s all you need to know. Planet saved!
- Dell reports that they are now carbon neutral, but the press release is very vague about whether it applies to all of their operations, or only some of them.
Marketers just want to attach ‘green’ to their name right now. Are they really doing all they claim to be doing for the environment or are they just sounding like they are? I think it’s all flashing lights to get us to buy. I’m not buying.
6 Comments
Yancey Grantham
August 14th, 2008
at 12:26pm
I agree on the green. My sarcastic self breaths slowly to save the planet.
This article is the Blog in This Day’s Green on the Top Green Blog.
http://topgreenblog.com/archives/143
Cheers – Yancey
lockerhaxor
August 14th, 2008
at 5:22pm
I agree 100%. If one or two products did this, it might generate some interest. But when every product is green, it takes away any potential interest, because it’s not different anymore.
Good post!
John
August 14th, 2008
at 6:30pm
Every product SHOULD be green. It isn’t about ‘being different’, it’s about making a difference, and everybody should be doing it.
Bryant at Dell
August 15th, 2008
at 2:46pm
Completely agree that greenwash undermines legitimate environmental efforts.
Sorry to hear the Dell release could have been better. To clarify – the carbon neutral commitment covers the impact from operations of our owned and leased facilities globally as well as employee business air travel. We’re tackling through efficiency programs and purchase of green energy.
Certainly there are other indirect impacts on the climate — for example our suppliers’ operations (we started requiring suppliers to report emissions a year ago and have long term plans to help them reduce) and customer use of our products (we’re making big strides on making our products more energy efficient.
Any questions about Dell’s environmental push let me know – thanks, Bryant
Please Don’t Let Me Be Misunderstood « Great Communicate
August 15th, 2008
at 3:38pm
[...] or maybe my home state has engendered some Web backlash. In an attempt to post a comment on a blog down under about my employer’s environmental efforts, my comment was initially rejected because I used [...]
Frank Schnyder
August 19th, 2008
at 2:02pm
Actually, 48 for $48 is not too bad, but why it needs 102 customer review is beyond me!