Friday, February 13, 2009

Keep that eyebrow cocked

Some are genuine efforts, and to be applauded.

Many, still, are not.

A while ago I noticed, and still commend, the Greenwash column in the Guardian authored by Fred Pearce.

I'm not sure he's always fair, but he certainly sets out the cases pretty clearly, and if he does push his case there is usually a commenter who can put the other side.

And there still seems to be some debate as to whether things are getting better or worse.

Certainly, such as the ASA have and still are clamping down on blatant factual falsehoods and even excessive claims. But there are still an awful lot where you really have to cock that eyebrow.

I guess, with my ongoing efforts to 'sell' the RE:tie, which I really believe to be a no-brainer positive enviROI idea for all involved - business, consumer & planet - I am quite sensitive to measures that seem more designed to save the company money than anything else.

Which of course IS good, especially if it is through reduced waste which one presumes may get passed to the consumer, but too often there seems really little end-benefit involved where it matters. And then just has to wonder what all the money on the comms efforts could have been spent on rather than making the business seem to be green.

In passing, I noted this little video by MTV Switch advertised. Kinda cute, but then I hark back to a certain song by Dire Straits (!) that celebrated the conspicuous consumption era of the 80's... 'I want my MTV'. Pretty sure most of us still watching think getting a 50" plasma is still a nifty ambition.

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