Taking the temperature on Olympics greenwash

The Greenwash Brigade

This Olympics has been a special one. The accomplishments of Michael Phelps, Usain Bolt, Yang Wei & co. show us all what the human body can do when dedicated focus and positive spirit are applied. Great examples of sportsmanship have shone in Shawn Johnson’s support for her roommate, friend and competitor Nastia Liukin for the all-around gymnastics gold medal. The USA “Redeem Team” basketball players show respect for their opponents even as they win by huge margins. And a crucial theme emphasized at the opening ceremony in Beijing was stewardship of our natural world.

Advertisements — a cultural thermometer — have been encouraging to me too. Many ads from GE and others are emphasizing environmental responsibility. Obama’s key ad in the first week focused on the potential of US manufacturers to solve the current energy price escalation by ushering in the next generation of efficiency and renewable technology. Automobile ads from Chevy and VW concentrate on fuel economy — perhaps the single most important advance for American transportation in the years ahead.

There are still silly ads pretending McCain will “take on big oil” even though a centerpiece of his energy policy is opening up more areas offshore and elsewhere to oil producers. But the most encouraging development to me was from Yao Ming. China’s top basketball star made his billion-plus fans proud by helping his team to the medal round, and became the first “UN Environmental Champion.” I believe such star endorsements are critical to help catalyze cultural change. With China recently becoming the world’s largest emitter of greenhouse gas emissions, it’s important for our Earth that environmental values help steer the nation’s pollution levels from quick growth to stabilization and then reduction.

The constant question on this forum is whether talking the talk will translate into walking the walk. I’m inspired by the cultural shifts occurring, as they’re a prerequisite for positive action by the public and private sector leaders in the position to face the environmental challenges of our generation.

Now is the time for us to hold companies and politicians to their word. What ideas do you have to hold them accountable?

August 19, 2008 by Dennis Markatos
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tags: advertising green values Olympics Yao Ming

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Meet the Greenwash Brigade

Our hand-picked environmental professionals, each part of the Public Insight Network, are on the hunt for "greenwash" as they examine eco-friendly claims by companies, governments and other groups. They ask tough questions about the mainstreaming of green, from the perspectives of people in the trenches who are focused on these issues 24/7.

Jim Nicolow is a nationally recognized expert on sustainable design and leads the sustainability initiative for Lord, Aeck & Sargent, overseeing the incorporation of sustainable design strategies and features into the firm’s design projects. He is a LEED® Accredited Professional with extensive knowledge of the U.S. Green Building Council’s (USGBC) LEED rating system.

Janne K. Flisrand has worked as an affordable housing and urban planning research consultant for five years, primarily supporting local non-profits. Her focus is on transit, transit-oriented design, affordable housing, and sustainability. Currently, she’s the program coordinator for Minnesota Green Communities, a program promoting affordable, healthy, sustainably built housing throughout Minnesota.

Dennis Markatos-Soriano recently completed a Master's in Public Affairs at Princeton's Woodrow Wilson School. He is now launching Sustainable Energy Transition (SET) to help individuals and institutions move from dependence on oil and gas to an efficient use of renewables. Previously, he co-founded SURGE (Students United for a Responsible Global Environment), which aims to bring young progressives together across issues of environmental and social justice throughout North Carolina and beyond. In the summer of 2006, he helped to start a small green company, Greenway Pedicabs, to provide a greenhouse gas-free transportation option for people in the Triangle of North Carolina.

Heidi Siegelbaum is a principal with Calyx Sustainable Tourism and works primarily on advancing sustainable tourism practices. She also specializes in science translation, cross-border indicators with Canada, cross-disciplinary planning and environmental technical assistance to businesses. Previously, she was in-house legal counsel for EPA for industrial chemicals and biotechnology and the senior performance measure analyst with the Washington State Department of Ecology. She is on the technical advisory committee of the Seattle Culinary Academy and a long standing member of the Chefs Collaborative.

NOTE: The opinions expressed by the Greenwash Brigade bloggers and those providing comments are theirs alone, and do not reflect the opinions of American Public Media or its employees. American Public Media is not responsible for the accuracy of any of the information supplied by the Greenwash Brigade bloggers.

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