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http://www.publicradio.org/columns/sustainability/greenwash/The Greenwash Brigade

March 2009 Archives

The magic of marketing

green_marketinglzw.gif I was prepping a presentation called “Green or Greenwashing” for the Duluth Energy Design Conference and found this cartoon that makes me smile.

I also really liked “Oxy-morons.”

All the better that Andy’s my neighbor and a cycling advocate, too.

Clean coal is whatever we say it is!

The Reality Coalition, spearheaded by the Alliance for Climate Protection, hired the Coen Brothers to produce a peppery retort to clean coal supporters in this fabulous Clean Coal Air Freshener Ad. The voiceover: “clean coal clean harnesses the awesome power of the word ‘clean’ to make it sound like the cleanest there is.”

Continue reading "Clean coal is whatever we say it is!" »

What does climate change denial look like? A pig in a tux.

Though their mission ironically embraces “sustainable development,” the Commercial Real Estate Development Association (NAIOP) is trying to scuttle efforts to improve building energy efficiency. Maybe this is good news. Coby Beck identifies 5 stages of climate change denial:

  1. It’s not happening
  2. It’s happening, but we don’t know why
  3. It’s happening, but it’s natural
  4. It’s happening, it’s not natural, but it’s not bad
  5. It’s happening, it’s not natural, it’s bad, but we can’t stop it

pigtux.gifJust as we’re coming to terms with the fact that buildings are responsible for over half of our energy use in the US (and the associated emissions), the NAIOP has clearly embraced Stage 5: it’s bad but we can’t stop it.

Architect Ed Mazria lambastes NAOIP’s recently released study in an article titled, “A Hog in a Tuxedo is Still a Hog, the NAIOP Disinformation Study.” Mazria points out how the NAIOP study cooked the books, by leaving out no cost, low cost, and cost-saving energy efficiency strategies.

“Clearly, this study is meant to confuse the public and stall meaningful legislation, insuring that America remains dependent on foreign oil, natural gas and dirty conventional coal.”

Check out Mr. Mazria’s recent testimony to the Senate Committee on Energy & Natural Resources to learn more about how building energy efficiency can create green collar jobs, reduce our dependence on fossil fuels, address global climate change, and save money. (a win-win-win-win)

Shell to renewables: I don't want to see you anymore. Don't call me, don't text me.

In a stunning yet not entirely unexpected move, Royal Dutch Shell PLC recently announced it will withdraw its support from any future investment in renewable energy such as wind, solar and hydrogen. Rather, it will set its sights on oil, gas and second generation biofuels and *maybe *some Canadian tar sands investments.

Too bad no one warned their marketing folks who got whacked by UK’s Advertising Standards Authority (and on this blog) last year for illustrating flowers emerging from a Shell refinery stack, a predecessor to its Clearing the Air Campaign.

Citing renewables’ struggle “to compete with the other investment opportunities we have in our portfolio,” it is obvious that the world’s second largest non-state controlled oil company is full of biofuel cowpie like all the other pretty green oil companies in overstating its commitment to a sustainable energy future.

In 2008 it had only invested $1.7 billion of its overall $32 billion investments in renewables anyhow.

This is where shareholders need to get off their collective derriere and act to force Shell, as well as other companies they invest in, to act with courage, foresight and intelligence. In reading comments in the UK from this story, one twenty-something said it best:

“So primitive, so idiotic, so painful to watch.”

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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

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

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

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

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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