All That Glitters is not Green
Thursday, January 8th, 2009The Era of “Greenwashing” has Begun
As a nation we are becoming more aware of the importance of saving the planet earth. In the course of this paradigm shift, economic opportunities are created, and the “Green” movement is no exception. Green products are typically viewed as an upgrade, like organic food, and hence there is a surcharge connected to them.
Greenwashing is the term given to claims made by manufacturers that their products are environmentally friendly, all natural, non-toxic, and helpful to reduce global warming. Greenwashing is designed to appeal to the “feel good” side of the consumer’s conscience. Green products can range from cleaning supplies to computers, to cars, offices, and houses-a very broad spectrum. With each product claiming to be green, by what standards are they judged? After all, if 100% natural products are “green”, then arsenic, radon, lead and asbestos would be green since all these substances occur in nature and are not man made.
Apart from the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) which has published environmental marketing guidelines on product claims made by manufacturers for the past 16 years, there are other organizations that rate various products according to established environmental standards. The most recognized one is the federal government’s Energy Star Program which covers not only appliances, but just about any device that consumes electricity. Other organizations include: EcoLogo for many household products, Green Seal also household products, EPEAT which covers computers and peripherals, Forest Stewardship Council which certifies wood and paper that come from renewable non-old growth forests, U.S. Green Building Council and Build It Green . These latter two organizations certify buildings as they are being built to give them a green rating according to each organization’s point-by-point checklist.
For a newly constructed residence to achieve an independently recognized green rating, considerable effort must be undertaken by the builder. Under the broad goal of trying to get to zero energy consumed by the house, specific items such as super insulation packages, air-tightness of ducts, photovoltaic collectors and tankless water heaters are considered. Even the percentage of construction waste that is recycled is a factor. Because a point system is used, not all green rated houses will have the same energy saving components.
At this time, a few municipalities have adopted mandatory green building standards as part of the building permit process. Where there is no government mandate, builders are free to follow any green program they like, or follow none. To stay competitive and say they are building a green home, several builders are creating their own green building standards. Since the homes will not be built according to a recognized green building program, the issue of greenwashing comes front and center. Without exhaustive studies or research performed by utility companies, it will be extremely difficult for a builder to approximate to a buyer how much energy their home will save compared to a home without the green features. Predictably, the sales brochure is likely to list the energy saving and green features, and the consumer will have to decide whether this house is greener than the one on the other side of the fence.
